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Anyone else find it extremely annoying how uninformed non-referee's are on the LOTG?

Dino Ref

Well-Known Member
Firstly sorry if this isn't in the right place or not allowed. Feel free to lock / delete if so.

During lockdown I've had more time to watch and discuss football with people. Be it friends, family, social media etc. One thing that has stuck out to me is the complete lack of knowledge for the laws of the game.

The decision that pushed me to make this post just came from an incident earlier today where Danny Welbeck hit the post on a penalty and it came straight back to him. The referee gave an indirect free kick - Correct decision. The two commentators on sky had no idea why the referee had done so. In my opinion this is a big issue as their job is to inform viewers and discuss the game. I remember earlier in the season when Carragher went on a rant after Newcastle got given a penalty against Spurs. During this rant he fires off names and complains that the law needs changing. At no point does he mention IFAB which, as we know is the one place he should be directing his rant to. Even premier league players and managers do not know the laws. I understood Sunday league players not fully knowing the laws but I find it baffling that these people in high places can be so uninformed. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard a commentator or pundit justify either no card or a red card by saying "it's reckless".

Before the season got postponed I had one game where I heard a shout from the bench that was a red card. As I had my back turned I couldn't identify who shouted it. I explained to the manager that if we couldn't identify who said it than he would receive the punishment. Red card issued to him and the entire bench kicks off with coaches and him saying "what rule is that". I explained the rule to him once more and was met with more grief. Granted I expect this a lot more at this level as football should be inclusive without barriers but I still find the lack of knowledge on basic laws un-explainable.

Last week I saw a football twitter account with 150k+ followers ask how a player wasn't offside because the ball got played backwards. I know that twitter isn't the most intelligent place but 150k is a lot of people, even if only some are influenced by said person.

Apologies for the thread if it's not allowed and if it is apologies for not having formatted it better. Just wanted to rant a bit.

I'd like to hear your thoughts and ways that the situation could get fixed. For myself I believe that educating pundits, commentators, players and managers would be the best. Explain to the viewers the rules and why a decision was given. Granted it may not get as many clicks as encouraging controversial opinions but it would help a lot more for us and everyone else in general.
 
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I’m with you!

I have absolutely no vested interest in either Brighton or West Brom, yet I was shouting at the television and hitting the sofa in frustration when I heard the “I think Welbeck may have been in an offside position” comment.
SO frustrating!

The ignorance of commentators and especially ex-pros never fails to astound me.
I also note that several high profile voices have asked for more ex-pros to be involved in refereeing or VAR. This is a prime example of why this would be an awful idea.
 
You are not alone.

Players, coaches, fans, parents... it’s insane they don’t know the ”rules”.

Formula 1 - the whole team, they know the effing rules...
Imagine a table tennis final with a player that doesn’t know they have to throw the ball up 6 inches...

Footy is nuts!
 
Well it really depends on what you mean by 'non-referees.' If you mean people who are actually paid to prognosticate on the game at a professional level then yes, it annoys me intensely (and I've mentioned it on here, more than once).

However, if you're talking about your average spectator or fan then no, it doesn't annoy me to an excessive degree. It's a bit frustrating sometimes, is all.

For one thing, I may be as old as Methuselah but I can still (vaguely) remember the time before I started refereeing, when I was just as uninformed as most people, despite having played the game for years and years.
 
It's no a problem unique to football. Golf & Rugby. Participants in the former just make it up as they go along and rugby spectators all claim to know what's going on, but most have little more clue than me
 
I saw Dave Jones, the former Cardiff City manager, at a Society meeting and he announced that as he "was a professional footballer so didn't need to know the rules".
American Football commentators and "experts" take a big pride in understanding of their Laws and interpreations so they can come across as "professional". Pity this doesnt extend to football here. But then the whole UK media is geared up to promote argumentative reactions.
 
I saw Dave Jones, the former Cardiff City manager, at a Society meeting and he announced that as he "was a professional footballer so didn't need to know the rules".
American Football commentators and "experts" take a big pride in understanding of their Laws and interpreations so they can come across as "professional". Pity this doesnt extend to football here. But then the whole UK media is geared up to promote argumentative reactions.
That's a great comparison. There's a clip on youtube I saw the other day of an NFL match with thousands of views where one of the commentators called that a team was about to take a free kick. Doesn't sound that special, but it's not quite the same thing in NFL and this was something like only the 4th free kick in the last 50 years - it's such a situational thing to do, and everyone was so impressed with the commentator calling it!
 
I went along to watch "Judgement Day" at Cardiff's Principality Stadium. A double-header of the 4 Welsh rugby teams. The guy in front of me asked me about a decision made by the referee. I told him I didnt know the Laws of Rugby that well - ask me one about football. His response was "I will enlighten you. I used to be a top area coach" and throughout both games explained in great detail what the issue was, the respective Law and what will happen. I would've been impressed had he got one decision correct!
 
I saw Dave Jones, the former Cardiff City manager, at a Society meeting and he announced that as he "was a professional footballer so didn't need to know the rules".

I've heard other footballers say similar, and I just don't understand why it is so widely accepted that they don't know the regulatory requirements of their trade (i.e. the laws) for which they are so highly paid.

I've said it before, but if an electrician blew your house up because he hadn't kept up to date with the latest wiring regulations you wouldn't accept him saying that he didn't need to know the regulations as an excuse for your smouldering house. Yet a footballer saying that he didn't know about this law or that doesn't even seem to raise eyebrows, certainly not outside of referees anyway. It is ridiculous.
 
andy gray was a perfect example of ex players not knowing the rules.; no rules in football 17 laws
They may be called the Laws of the Game, but the fact remains that they are the rules by which the sport is played. I'm sure I used to do the same thing years ago, but now when I hear referees say this I just think it makes them sound pedantic and pompous.
 
I wonder how much players and club officials need to know about the laws.
A knowledge of 11 and 12 would be good, but beyond some knowledge we surely don't expect the in-depth level we need?
When considering the materials to use when addressing groups of players and/or club officials, I use the analogy of motoring law. Most of you are drivers, so are aware of the UK speed limits (and penalties for non-compliance) but how many know in detail the revised law re phone usage while the engine is running, or the legal minimum tyre depth regs? How many know the law in respect of using e-cigarettes whilst driving a work vehicle?
There are probably motoring sites which attract 100+ assorted replies on any of those subjects, but life's too short for me to check😊
 
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I wonder how much players and club officials need to know about the laws.
A knowledge of 11 and 12 would be good, but beyond some knowledge we surely don't expect the in-depth level we need?
When considering the materials to use when addressing groups of players and/or club officials, I use the analogy of motoring law. Most of you are drivers, so are aware of the UK speed limits (and penalties for non-compliance) but how many know in detail the revised law re phone usage while the engine is running, or the legal minimum tyre depth regs? How many know the law in respect of using e-cigarettes whilst driving a work vehicle?
There are probably motoring sites which attract 100+ assorted replies on any of those subjects, but life's too short for me to check😊
"Ref, I think you'll find that this ball is just below the minimum weight of 410g, please can we change it?" 😂
 
Chas makes a good point above.

Last night with the Fulham handball. I'm seeing everyone complain. While I think it should stand in a footballing sense. In law it cannot and the correct decision was made. I feel bad for both Fulham and the officials but I think here they did the correct thing in the laws of the game.
 
Chas makes a good point above.

Last night with the Fulham handball. I'm seeing everyone complain. While I think it should stand in a footballing sense. In law it cannot and the correct decision was made. I feel bad for both Fulham and the officials but I think here they did the correct thing in the laws of the game.
it was absolutely the right decision in line with the laws.

but its completely against the spirit of the game to have goals like that disallowed.

his arm is against his side, down and pinged at him from close range. hate the way the law is written

Pleased to see this, hopefully a step in the right direction
 
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Agreed - the massive amount of changes made for the 16/17 season seems to have opened the floodgates, with IFAB tinkering every year in a vain attempt to placate the game's 'shareholders', resulting in confusion (even more so when flip-flopping like this!)
 
For myself I believe that educating pundits, commentators, players and managers would be the best. Explain to the viewers the rules and why a decision was given. Granted it may not get as many clicks as encouraging controversial opinions but it would help a lot more for us and everyone else in general.

I don't think it would work tbh.

One of the problems that stops this happening is referees themselves at all levels, but especially ex-referees, or 'referees turned pundits'.

Also, I think the fanbase isn't happy to critically consider scenarios and situations. A lot of the times an identical situation can be handled differently based on game temperature and tempo, man management, refereeing style and so on, but fans don't seem to like those answers, they want it in black and white whether it is a detriment to the game or not.
 
Also, I think the fanbase isn't happy to critically consider scenarios and situations. A lot of the times an identical situation can be handled differently based on game temperature and tempo, man management, refereeing style and so on, but fans don't seem to like those answers, they want it in black and white whether it is a detriment to the game or not.
You missed but then complain when law is black and white and applied rigidly.

VAR is a great example

We want VAR
They get VaR
We don't want VaR
Then in games that have no VaR "if we had VAR..."

Fickle I think is the word 😂
 
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