A&H

Advice please...

M

MK93

New Member
So Saturday was my 2nd ever game, and again I’m pleased with how it went. One major incident that I’m pretty sure I dealt with correctly, was the CAR stuck his flag up when the striker was offside, yet the ball was played to the onside winger so I said play on... the defending team just stopped dead as if I blew up and they went and scored so I had kids and parents screaming at me that the flag was up. Was a legit goal but started doubting myself due to the uproar, the assistant put me at ease after the game tho when he said I was correct.

Couple of questions so I know what to expect going forward...
Is it normal in youth football for them to do an actual registration of the players before the game to check neither were cheating? The managers requested it for this game.
Also, after the game the away manager came and asked why I didn’t conduct a ‘respect handshake’ before the game... I double checked and it’s not in the league rules to do so, but what’s the process of this? Line up like they do in pro footy and walk along shaking hands?

I’m hoping to change from youth to open age after a few more games but my main worry is my communication with players and knowing what to say. I remember in training I was told not to say something along the lines of “be careful or you’re going to get yourself cautioned” - but what would the correct alternative be?

While I’m here... what are the main real differences with open age compared to youth? I don’t get nervous for youth games at all really but I can tell I’ll be a bag of nerves for the first few OA.

Cheers.
 
The Referee Store
1. Play to the whistle......

2. Registration of players is nothing to do with the referee.....most leagues have a process where managers can ask to see registration cards before kick off, but it’s not something for us to get involved with.

3. Handshake should be covered in competition rules.....or maybe is a CFA policy.....if in doubt, just do it anyway.

4. Never talk yourself into a corner.....”do that again and I’ll book you”.....alternatives could be “ you’re treading the line player, be careful or you might not like what happens next”.....really anything that leaves with wiggle room.....

5. Imagine that stroppy 15 year old is now in his 20s, several inches taller, several kilos heavier, but still with the same belligerent attitude......that’s open age football.
 
3. If you are doing the respect handshake, this is what I do:

A couple of mins before kick off, I’ll blow the whistle, as if for the coin toss, and line up both sides either side of me at the centre circle. If they are used to doing the respect handshake, the first few will trot over on the whistle, and then the rest will follow. With both sides lined up, I’ll check that the front player from each side is the captain, and tell them to wait at the end and will do the coin toss. Then I invite the home team to come by and shake my & everyone else’s hand. Handshakes over, I keep the two captains, toss the coin and we are good to go.


When doing the kit check earlier on, I may well tell both sides that this is what is going to happen.

The above is when I’m on my own.

I often work as part of a team of three in a different league- there the changing rooms are by the pitch, we all line up outside the changing room on the edge of the pitch, ref & Assiatants lead the two teams out, after about 10 yards, we stop and turn to face “the crowd” (one man & his dog) and do the respect handshake their.

Just develop a system that works for you.
 
On the youth league I do, the teams are required to both show registration cards before the game and do the respect handshake. We get both teams lined up across half way and the managers show each other the cards and the relevant player sticks his hand up to show who he is. They are then lined up ready for the handshake. The home team walk round and shake the away team's hands, then the manager's and mine, followed by the away team. This only takes a couple of minutes, and we are then ready for the coin toss. I can then check players' equipment in passing as they walk past me.

Well done on over-ruling the flag! Football 101 - play to the whistle!
 
When I do the toss I bring my CARs in and say Offsides
These gentlemen put their flags up I am already looking at them I blow offside.
These gentlemen will put their flags I will shout overuled there will be doubt that I am over ruling please drop your flags
I am not looking at you if you think it is offside keep your flag up someone will start screaming ref ref ref I will look and make a decision
I can also give offside.
Please flag when the player becomes active.
Leave all fouls and missconduct to me.
(for youth) I don't mind encouragement but no coaching please.
On players registration If I get a team sheet I record names and numbers. Not my problem if a player is not registered. If a complaint is made re age I would play the game and tell the complaining coach to take it up with the league. I am not going to demand a D.O.B from a minor because if the team is trying to pull a fast one the kid would be in on it so what proof is there if a coach and child say there are elligble for U15s how can I prove they are not.
Handshakes just ask when you introduce yourself to the coaches, you'll find as they get older it becomes less formal and they just line up and play!
 
I would recommend giving club linesman brief guidance on when to flag for offside as you will find massive disparity in their opinion on what is active. I tell them only to flag when player has touched the ball or challenged a defender and elaborate this point by saying that is trying to tackle or block clearance or pass, jumping for header, chasing or hassling defender. I also ask him to flag if one offside attacker is chasing ball and 50/50 challenge with keeper looks likely. this works pretty well for me as some of the club linesman know offside laws from years ago that have been superceeded.
 
I think all competition rules should forbid the use of substitutes from acting as CARs
 
Pre-game with my AR's.

Offside, boundaries are your priority. Be sure to wait and see if a player is going to play, interfere or gain an advantage. Better to be slow and right than fast and wrong. I know that a deliberate play by a defender is hard to see from the side. If you aren't sure, flag it and if I saw a deliberate play, I will wave it down calling "DELIBERATE PLAY!" Be certain to follow the ball to the goal line. Strange things happen and we have to be there to see if the ball went in. We will make eye contact on nearly ever stoppage. If you need me, motion me over. Please do soft signals (flag in hand of direction you think it is going, etc) and I will do the same. If we disagree and I'm certain, I'll indicate it. Let's signal together. If it's in your area or my view was weak, I'll likely switch and go with you. If you see a foul that I couldn't see and you think calling it would be consistent with what I've been calling, flag it and keep the flag up. If I look at you during the run of play after a challenge, it means I'm not certain and want to know what you thought of it. Flag it or give me a head shake telling me you think it was fair. On PK's, let's be certain. These are KMI's and we must be right.
 
These are referees functioning as an AR. I think that means CAR? if I understand the acronym correctly. A 3 official team is a huge boost when everyone is on the same page. A centered a conference tournament championship on Saturday with a GREAT crew. It was a highly competitive game and it was a fun game to work with a great crew working together. Now... also on Saturday I watched two of the best high school team in the central USA play (son is on one team) and saw a great example of a CAR not working with the CR leading to issues. Flagging fouls that CR was letting go everywhere else on the pitch calling out what he thought on said fouls and why they should be called from in front of the away team's bench. It undermined the CR, lead to confusion as to what was being called/not called and was a great example of why you should go by the "assist not insist" when working as an AR. You are there to assist the CR not call a different game. One play in particular sticks out... CR 10 yards away from a challenge looking right at it. AR 10 yards away at a 90 degree different angle. CR clearly had a good view and did not feel PIADM for a high boot was warranted. Play continued for a second and then AR flagged it and then began calling out "that's a high kick". That is not helpful in my opinion.

I have an all city tournament tonight on the schedule with two referees that I know with me in the middle. Should be a hotly contested high energy game with a great referee team. Looking forward to it. Should be fun!
 
CAR = Club Assistant Referee (Sub, manager, parent, passer by, that sort of thing)
NAR = Neutral Assistant Referee (Qualified Official)
 
Big Cat said:
CAR = Club Assistant Referee (Sub, manager, parent, passer by, that sort of thing)
NAR = Neutral Assistant Referee (Qualified Official)
Click to expand...

Thanks!!!
Most all games around here are 3-ref systems with NAR's then. We only use a NAR when an official no-shows. CAR's are not allowed to call offside, fouls or direction of kick's/throws. They only tell us in-bounds/out sounds like we are spoiled over here :)
 
Hoosier Ref said:
Thanks!!!
Most all games around here are 3-ref systems with NAR's then. We only use a NAR when an official no-shows. CAR's are not allowed to call offside, fouls or direction of kick's/throws. They only tell us in-bounds/out sounds like we are spoiled over here :)
Click to expand...
Very spoiled! Around here although you can be a NAR as soon as you qualify, it's very unusual to get the opportunity to be a middle ref with NAR's until you're level 5 - which will take referees at least 3 years of grassroots football with either CAR's or no AR's to get to. Although I would typically let a CAR indicate direction of throw and offsides, even if I sometimes have to overrule.
 
On the handshake - I normally say to the teams "line up, Champions League style please" they all know what I mean and often get a joke about "are you going to play the music ref?"

Its also a handy way of checking the equipment prior to kick off. Go along the back of the team and check the boots, then round the front and check for jewellery, bands etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top