Open Age Dealing with persistently niggly fouls

Had a very enjoyable game yesterday, both sides playing tough but fair (for the most part) and all well behaved and polite, though one side was clearly much better than the other which the score line reflected.

But any way, the home team, who lost, ended up getting on my back a little bit for not coming down harder on some fairly minor, but relatively persistent fouling from the other team.

These were very minor trips, fouls etc. nothing that by themselves would warrant a yellow personally speaking, the home team didn't often make it down to the away end so there wasn't much in terms of stopping promising attacks, but mainly little niggly fouls in the middle.

It reminded me a bit of the Guardiola Man City teams of old where different players would rack up these types of fouls, and that's what I had yesterday, there wasn't one player doing it but mainly three midfielders - I had public chats with two of them and the captain to say they were on the final warnings, but then they didn't do anything further so no one ended up getting booked.

On reflecting I felt like the home team did have a point, and maybe I should've come down harder, maybe stating that the next foul would get a yellow irrespective of it the player's first one? - I don't know, that doesn't necessarily seem right to me.

Anyway, bit of an essay, but any suggestions/advice on how to manage this type of behaviour in future?

Cheers!

I wouldn't ever risk saying 'the next foul will get a yellow' because you leave yourself nowhere to go, but it is feasible to call the captain and say 'it's clear to me that there's a clear deliberate ploy here to break up the play. Someone may well cop a caution for the team's antics if it isn't reigned in.

Unless the fouls are by the same player or from different players on the same oppoenet, there is nothing you are expected to do. Fouls are part of the game and they are accordingly punished by free kicks.

One option is to lower to tolerance on what constitutes PO or SPA or both. That is the option I'd use for match management if I have to but needs to be consistently applied to both side.

one said:

Unless the fouls are by the same player or from different players on the same oppoenet, there is nothing you are expected to do. Fouls are part of the game and they are accordingly punished by free kicks.

Click to expand...

Sure I’ve told this tale on here before but once saw an older referee (ensconced in centre-circle, easily 70+) have a meltdown at a U13 boys match as one team were “circulating” the fouls in midfield.

Truth be told, they were just a bit crap so the ref had found his level cough. And he eventually snapped and shouted RIGHT THATS IT. NEXT FOUL FOR YOU LOT AND ITS YELLOW.

Some kid is clumsy in the middle, like all the others. None had been reckless, none persistent, no spa etc.

Watched him walk round and caution all 11 players.

Genuinely baffling / hilarious at the same time.

Last 20 minutes were like that Simpsons soccer gif of teams just knocking the ball between them

Strangely enough, nothing was ever reported.

With fouls circulating like this, sometimes it can be helpful to just prompt yourself regarding persistence. Three in one half from the same player starts to ring that bell for me.

“Just a foul by blue 7”

Etc

If you find your brain going “hang on… I’ve said blue 7 a few times” then there’s your next step.

RefereeX said:

I wouldn't ever risk saying 'the next foul will get a yellow' because you leave yourself nowhere to go, but it is feasible to call the captain and say 'it's clear to me that there's a clear deliberate ploy here to break up the play. Someone may well cop a caution for the team's antics if it isn't reigned in.

Click to expand...

Yes, that's a very good point and a good suggestion re. the captain too!

one said:

Unless the fouls are by the same player or from different players on the same oppoenet, there is nothing you are expected to do. Fouls are part of the game and they are accordingly punished by free kicks.

One option is to lower to tolerance on what constitutes PO or SPA or both. That is the option I'd use for match management if I have to but needs to be consistently applied to both side.

Click to expand...

I said the same to some of the Home Team, that there's little I can do if it's not the same player doing it, but I felt like having a public word and issuing a final warning to a couple helped things.

Archer said:

With fouls circulating like this, sometimes it can be helpful to just prompt yourself regarding persistence. Three in one half from the same player starts to ring that bell for me.

“Just a foul by blue 7”

Etc

If you find your brain going “hang on… I’ve said blue 7 a few times” then there’s your next step.

Click to expand...

A few players were on the final warning but then seemingly stopped so I think it had the desired effect, but by that point I think the Home Team felt that I was letting things go a little bit.

This is not FIFA 24, you have no controller, only a whistle and cards.

Sometimes you just have to get a card out and be damned for it.

Or tell them to get on with the game, reminding them that it is a physical game