So there I was, enjoying my time on the line in last nights cup final. Half time whistle blows. Lovely.
We walk back out and get the game underway. Greens (attacking), Blues (defending). The ball has been pumped upfield by the greens goalie, the drop zone is ten yards inside the blues half and about ten yards out from myself. Green and blue both jump to challenge. Green looks at the ball, then the player, then the ball again... He bundles over the blue, referee looks at me and I give the signal for the free kick (to blue). Player reacts angrily. "What are you on about lino". "Player, you've gone through the back of him".... "But I wasn't even facing the ball". "Which is why you've gone through the back of him".... I look at him, he looks at me.. there's a pause... he's thinking... "Ah f**k off lino".... He then throws his arm up in the air and turns his back to me... The little tinker!!
I flag the ref over, he approaches and turns next to me, facing the field of play. I explain what was said. "It's your call DB". "Red, all day long". "you sure"?. "Absolutely. I won't be spoken to like that, in that situation!" Player gets dismissed (he's unhappy). A few shouts from the crowd on my side, nothing like I expected though. They obviously heard it. The rest of the game, not a peep.
10 minutes before full time, it's 1-1. Referee awards a penalty. I remember his pre match briefing regarding the procedure. Before the ball is kicked, the keeper is 4 yards off his line and subsequently saves the shot. I flag, penalty retaken. Keeper does exactly the same thing but the ball goes in the net. Queue the shouts from the bench.
Greens went on to win 3-1 with 10 men.
You know what annoys me? As a player, I don't put myself in these situations. If I did, I would accept whatever disciplinary sanction came my way. But the guys I've been officiating recently just seem to have no regard whatsoever for their own actions.
There's a few ways that you can get away with telling me to f-off. In the instant I blow the whistle, if it is frustration, I will manage it. A quick word and maybe a caution would be suffice depending on the nature of the player. Perfectly manageable situation. Absolutely depends on the nature of it. But I certainly won't tolerate being told to f-off when I am in conversation with the player and the incident had passed. That is completely manageable by the player.
All parties at the game agreed with my my "match-changing" decisions. The ref, asst, 4th official (RDO) and the head of the youth competition who was behind the goal for the penalties. Yet, it was me that ruined the game. The penalty was to even it out... Y'know, all that rubbish!
We walk back out and get the game underway. Greens (attacking), Blues (defending). The ball has been pumped upfield by the greens goalie, the drop zone is ten yards inside the blues half and about ten yards out from myself. Green and blue both jump to challenge. Green looks at the ball, then the player, then the ball again... He bundles over the blue, referee looks at me and I give the signal for the free kick (to blue). Player reacts angrily. "What are you on about lino". "Player, you've gone through the back of him".... "But I wasn't even facing the ball". "Which is why you've gone through the back of him".... I look at him, he looks at me.. there's a pause... he's thinking... "Ah f**k off lino".... He then throws his arm up in the air and turns his back to me... The little tinker!!
I flag the ref over, he approaches and turns next to me, facing the field of play. I explain what was said. "It's your call DB". "Red, all day long". "you sure"?. "Absolutely. I won't be spoken to like that, in that situation!" Player gets dismissed (he's unhappy). A few shouts from the crowd on my side, nothing like I expected though. They obviously heard it. The rest of the game, not a peep.
10 minutes before full time, it's 1-1. Referee awards a penalty. I remember his pre match briefing regarding the procedure. Before the ball is kicked, the keeper is 4 yards off his line and subsequently saves the shot. I flag, penalty retaken. Keeper does exactly the same thing but the ball goes in the net. Queue the shouts from the bench.
Greens went on to win 3-1 with 10 men.
You know what annoys me? As a player, I don't put myself in these situations. If I did, I would accept whatever disciplinary sanction came my way. But the guys I've been officiating recently just seem to have no regard whatsoever for their own actions.
There's a few ways that you can get away with telling me to f-off. In the instant I blow the whistle, if it is frustration, I will manage it. A quick word and maybe a caution would be suffice depending on the nature of the player. Perfectly manageable situation. Absolutely depends on the nature of it. But I certainly won't tolerate being told to f-off when I am in conversation with the player and the incident had passed. That is completely manageable by the player.
All parties at the game agreed with my my "match-changing" decisions. The ref, asst, 4th official (RDO) and the head of the youth competition who was behind the goal for the penalties. Yet, it was me that ruined the game. The penalty was to even it out... Y'know, all that rubbish!
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