1ST Game

[Phil Hart]

Hi All,

I had my first game as a level 9 trainee last weekend, a tough 2nd vs 3rd West Sussex Saturday league game. The first 20mins flew by not really having to blow my whistle then my first mistake, forgetting to look at the assistant referee who was signalling for offside. I realised a good 10 seconds after in which i had already gave a free kick to the attacking team just past the half way line. I thought it would be too late to award the offside... i was kindly reminded by the defending team's captain that it would not be fair if the attacking side now score from this. Hands up my mistake!

I found that in every goal kick both teams kept asking for the free kick as both teams had 2 big stocky players competing for every ball, to me it looked 50/50 everytime, both had hold of each others shirts, nudging each other etc so i allowed play to go on unless it was a obvoius foul - is this correct?

Another mistake on 39mins when there was a obvious free kick in which i for some reason blew my whistle a good 5 seconds after to award it, not sure why i delayed the whistle but made myself look a bit silly and the players had a good laugh about it.

I blew for half time with the score 1-0, it seem a lonely place to be at half time so i tried to reflect on the first have and thought i better watch the game a bit harder. I started the 2nd half and within 10mins i gave my first penalty, it was a very crowded area the attacker went to shoot, dummied and a defender slid in and took him down inside the box. As obvious as it was i still had the defending team giving me a hard time.

I gave another penalty, this time to the other team about 10mins later. The attacking playing was through on goal took the ball just inside the box on the far left and the keeper went for the ball but tripped him.I blew for the penalty straight away and had all of the attacking team screaming for a red card, i awarded the yellow card to the keeper for the fact that 2 defenders managed to get in the the goal area to cover the goalkeeper - is this what anyone else would of done?

The home team lost 6-2 in the end but for the last 20mis of the game when they really fell behind they started to give me a really hard time. I had a quiet word with a couple of them and that put a stop to them being so direct to me.

Overall it wasnt too bad, there was a couple of times that i thought to myself - why am i doing this. I have another game this weekend in the same league, this time it is 1st vs 4th so i expect another competitive game. I need to be alot more vocal and confident as the knowledge is there but it is just putting it in place.

Any feedback?
Phil

 

[Gaz]

Hi Phil,
I hope you dont mind me commenting here, I'm not much more experienced than yourself but I've done a fair few games now and I think the memory of that 'first game feeling' is still fresh.
It sounds like youve had a good solid game, all the decisions you made (e.g. penalties, correct decision in the end with the offside, etc) were correct so it sounds like just a case of being confident (but not arrogant) with your decisions! You know your stuff, you just need to be confident and assertive with it. Personally, I like a referee who can admit the mistake like the offside, but only if it is a glaringly obvious one -dont do it too often or with marginal decisions, or the players will question you every decision.

I think if you realised you're not going to get everything right in these early matches, or possibly not even for years/ever, but youre going to learn at least two things from each game (positive and negative) <- i sit down after a game and write down two things I've done well and two I could improve, and what I'm gunna do next game. not everyone is as anal as me, but the idea is to learn as much as you can in this first season i think and thinking what I did right and wrong has definitely helped me (and certainly my confidence).

To answer your questions:
->tugging 50/50 = no foul. it happens so much that if you gave it every time, you wouldnt have a game. obv if one player is tugging then you blow up and give DFK.

->offside = i personally dont let club linesmen do these, because i feel im opening myself up for some cheating linesmen and some confrontation. I do make a point of mentioning in my pre game speech to the captains something along the lines of "make sure your defenders dont stop with their hands up for offsides, if in doubt im gunna give the advantage to the attacker, and im definitely going to miss the odd one. make sure your team know". i then do exactly the opposite and if Im in doubt blow for an offside. the advantage to this is that iv had pretty much zero conflict from attackers/defenders on offside decisions.

->blowing slowly = i think this happens, particularly early on when you are getting used to the whistle. if you play (sounds like you do) you can get a grip of when fouls are more likely to occur and be ready with the whistle in your hand. sometimes they catch you off guard- at least you whistled and got the foul right

->half time = i ALWAYS go inside to the loo at half time (whether i need it or not). gives you a nice welcome break, if youve had a shocker you can go out a fresh man after a trip to the loo, and otherwise allows you to quickly gather yourself and get concentrating for the second half. no awkward standing around. if thats not possible, maybe just take five, open your book and remind yourself whos kick it is, and get ready to have a good second half.

->vocals - always always ALWAYS speak to the players during the game. builds your confidence in yourself, allows you to sell decisions more easily ("watch the hands. WATCH the HANDS! *whistle*) and generally gets you involved in the game. it can be anything, usually warning players youre about to blow like above, but even "good header" "good tackle" "unlucky fella" etc can get you involved.

->dissent - with dissent, just speak calmly to the players, remind them that you dont want to book them but theyll leave you with no choice, if they carry on then dont be afraid to get the cards out. can help if one player has been particularly vocal for a while and doesnt respond. sounds like you managed it well here though

One final tip for early on is "on it first and last ten". As it says on the tin, you are concentrating hard and ready to blow up for fouls/offsides/etc in the first and last ten mins of each half. This opening ten can really help you get to grips with the game, keeps your concentration up after half time and near the end, and if you are confident then the players will see that and unconsciously respond to that. Best tip anyone ever gave me (at least so far!)

Other than that, enjoy it! Youre not going to get everything right, but if you get it mostly right the players will respect you after the game (and you will respect yourself). then youve got it! And apologies for the essay but hopefully you found some of this useful!

Gaz

 

[Ross]

Wow! Not want you want in your first game, but from what I've read you handled things well. We're all our own worst critics, so you're probably being harsher on yourself than you need to be

It does help to critique your performance, but don't do it too much.

Being vocal with players, comes with confidence, the more games you get under your belt, the more confidence you'll have.

Stick at it and let us know how your next game goes, just be sure to take what you learnt from this game into the next one.

 

[Arran Williams]

take key points from here then work on them in your next game, come back and lets us know

 

[Phil Hart]

Hi Phil,
I hope you dont mind me commenting here, I'm not much more experienced than yourself but I've done a fair few games now and I think the memory of that 'first game feeling' is still fresh.
It sounds like youve had a good solid game, all the decisions you made (e.g. penalties, correct decision in the end with the offside, etc) were correct so it sounds like just a case of being confident (but not arrogant) with your decisions! You know your stuff, you just need to be confident and assertive with it. Personally, I like a referee who can admit the mistake like the offside, but only if it is a glaringly obvious one -dont do it too often or with marginal decisions, or the players will question you every decision.

I think if you realised you're not going to get everything right in these early matches, or possibly not even for years/ever, but youre going to learn at least two things from each game (positive and negative) <- i sit down after a game and write down two things I've done well and two I could improve, and what I'm gunna do next game. not everyone is as anal as me, but the idea is to learn as much as you can in this first season i think and thinking what I did right and wrong has definitely helped me (and certainly my confidence).

To answer your questions:
->tugging 50/50 = no foul. it happens so much that if you gave it every time, you wouldnt have a game. obv if one player is tugging then you blow up and give DFK.

->offside = i personally dont let club linesmen do these, because i feel im opening myself up for some cheating linesmen and some confrontation. I do make a point of mentioning in my pre game speech to the captains something along the lines of "make sure your defenders dont stop with their hands up for offsides, if in doubt im gunna give the advantage to the attacker, and im definitely going to miss the odd one. make sure your team know". i then do exactly the opposite and if Im in doubt blow for an offside. the advantage to this is that iv had pretty much zero conflict from attackers/defenders on offside decisions.

->blowing slowly = i think this happens, particularly early on when you are getting used to the whistle. if you play (sounds like you do) you can get a grip of when fouls are more likely to occur and be ready with the whistle in your hand. sometimes they catch you off guard- at least you whistled and got the foul right

->half time = i ALWAYS go inside to the loo at half time (whether i need it or not). gives you a nice welcome break, if youve had a shocker you can go out a fresh man after a trip to the loo, and otherwise allows you to quickly gather yourself and get concentrating for the second half. no awkward standing around. if thats not possible, maybe just take five, open your book and remind yourself whos kick it is, and get ready to have a good second half.

->vocals - always always ALWAYS speak to the players during the game. builds your confidence in yourself, allows you to sell decisions more easily ("watch the hands. WATCH the HANDS! *whistle*) and generally gets you involved in the game. it can be anything, usually warning players youre about to blow like above, but even "good header" "good tackle" "unlucky fella" etc can get you involved.

->dissent - with dissent, just speak calmly to the players, remind them that you dont want to book them but theyll leave you with no choice, if they carry on then dont be afraid to get the cards out. can help if one player has been particularly vocal for a while and doesnt respond. sounds like you managed it well here though

One final tip for early on is "on it first and last ten". As it says on the tin, you are concentrating hard and ready to blow up for fouls/offsides/etc in the first and last ten mins of each half. This opening ten can really help you get to grips with the game, keeps your concentration up after half time and near the end, and if you are confident then the players will see that and unconsciously respond to that. Best tip anyone ever gave me (at least so far!)

Other than that, enjoy it! Youre not going to get everything right, but if you get it mostly right the players will respect you after the game (and you will respect yourself). then youve got it! And apologies for the essay but hopefully you found some of this useful!

Gaz

Thanks for this Gaz - some great points and feedback here which is just what i wanted. I have another game this weekend so i will give you an update as to how it went.

Thanks
Phil

 

[Phil Hart]

Wow! Not want you want in your first game, but from what I've read you handled things well. We're all our own worst critics, so you're probably being harsher on yourself than you need to be

It does help to critique your performance, but don't do it too much.

Being vocal with players, comes with confidence, the more games you get under your belt, the more confidence you'll have.

Stick at it and let us know how your next game goes, just be sure to take what you learnt from this game into the next one.

Hi Ross,

I see your from Cornwall - same here, where abouts? Do you referee in Cornwall at all or have you?

Phil

 

[Ross]

Hi Ross,

I see your from Cornwall - same here, where abouts? Do you referee in Cornwall at all or have you?

Phil

Not from Cornwall originally, moved down last July. Living in Par, not far from St Austell. Where are you from? Not reffing down here as my knees are goosed!

 

[Phil Hart]

I'm now living in Bognor but lived most of my life in Falmouth. Played for many clubs in Cornwall - Falmouth Town, Truro City, Penryn, Constantine, Helston and Porthleven. Shame your not reffing there as there are some good leagues.

 

[Ross]

Hoping to get out and about to sample a few games