The Ref Stop

Assistant referee , importance

callmemyref

callmemyref

Well-Known Member
Is it important to be good assistant referee?

Is it important to be able to have you flag signals looking professional?

Why?
 
The Ref Stop
A good A/R makes my job easier in the middle. An A/R I can trust lets me handle other aspects of the game, as I can trust him to manage his zone and I know he'll back me or help me if I miss something etc.

Having sensible, professional flag signals makes things easier not just for me to identify, but for the players and the crowd as well. Would you trust an A/R using the flag as if he was landing a helicopter? No.
 
If you want to progress in the game. Yes. I'd say its important.

If you want to be involved with finals, also yes. It at least increases your chances to get involved with the big games.

If you are going to assist then do it well, why wouldn't you?

Signals are important. Not looking the part can influence people's belief in your decisions. Someone who does look like they know what they are doing etc.
 
Absolutely yes it’s important to be a good, reliable and credible AR.
Professional flag signals go hand in hand with being a good AR.

First and foremost though, pride should dictate that you be the best AR you can be.
If you’re just going through the motions and not striving to be the best match official you can be, then there may be some questions to ask yourself about your motivation and ambitions in the game.
 
its like anything, if you are going to do it, you find it in you to do it the very best you can.

That plus, the good book gives you illustrations on how to flag. They put them in the book for a reason.
 
I'd imagine so. If it comes down to a close decision about who to promote between referees, bearing in mind up to l3 a promotion as a Ref includes promotion as an assistant, and all other marks were pretty much even then I reckon performance as AR could be a decisive factor.
At L4 for example, you get promoted you will be assisting on the National League. So if you are rubbish AR, it doesn't matter how great a ref you are because at that level the risks of a really poor AR out weight the benefits of a great ref as all l3. Referees (to an extent) are good referees, else they wouldn't be there.
 
I always do my best to be professional as an AR - mainly because when I am in the middle, that’s what I’d want from mine.

We are all ok the same team, much like the two playing teams - we want to perform well and enjoy the game too.
 
It's important to be good at anything you do. Otherwise why do it at all?

Even if you are doing it for the money only, you must provide the money's worth and "earn it".
 
SurreyWolves said:
I always do my best to be professional as an AR - mainly because when I am in the middle, that’s what I’d want from mine.

We are all ok the same team, much like the two playing teams - we want to perform well and enjoy the game too.
Click to expand...
And this raises another point. Occasionally people pass us in the promotion schemes, so you might run the line for someone who in the future will run the line for you.
Human nature dictates that they ain't going to be on board in your team if you weren't in theirs.
Your performance directly affects the referee's and so it affects their marks too. So could be the difference between survival/demotion.
 
callmemyref said:
Is it easier for a good A/R to progress as a referee, rather somebody who is bad in flagging?
Click to expand...
Assuming you’re doing your best when acting as an AR then I’d say it goes hand in hand with progressing as a referee.

If you’re struggling with identifying offsides, throw ins and FK’s in your area then you’re likely to struggle with foul recognition and correct restarts etc when you’re in the middle.

I’ve not had huge experience of working with neutral AR’s but when I have, I view them as referees in their own right and want them to get actively involved in their area of credibility (defined in my pre-match)
 
Interestingly the recent RA session with Jake Collin (AR for Mark Clattenburg at Euros Final and also CL Final) was asked a similar question.

The actual question was along the lines of how is it possible to stand out as an AR.

His answer was flag/signal as if you were on the PL on every game, do the basics correctly, follow referee's instructions and be professional off the pitch at all times.

Doesn't really matter if its 5 or 50,000 watching you, that attacker you flag offside is still going to be really annoyed if you've got it wrong!
 
callmemyref said:
Is it important to be good assistant referee?

Is it important to be able to have you flag signals looking professional?

Why?
Click to expand...
Yes. If you give the referee bad advice, especially at big decisions, like goal/no goal, offside, breakaway DOGSO, then you ruin the game, and make the officials look stupid.
Yes, if you look like you don't know what you are doing, everyone thinks you don't know what you are doing. Even if you get calls right, people will not believe you and see #1.
As above, plus, as an assistant, you can't really get anything right, only wrong. You make so few "decisions" in a match as an assistant - and when they come, they are often big ones. If you get a throw in wrong, you make the officials as a team look daft. If you don't flag a handball, miss a goal off the bar, wrongly call an offside... these are the decisions that turn games.

As an AR you don't have the luxury of being in the game like the referee, who can run in and out, has contact with the players, can feel the decisions, and talk his/her way out of wrong decisions or let the game flow... As an AR it's a whole different kind of concentration. And if you want to get to finals, get promoted etc. you really need to concentrate, as there are another 50 assistants ahead of you concentrating for 96 minutes.
 
I think the pre-match is massively overrated. It's largely a 'made up' competency. Whilst it's entirely warranted for the 'team' to get into the right mindset before the game, I see no reason why any of it should change from one week to the next, except the depth of discussion (to take into account the Level of the game and the relative experience of the game). Of course, I expect to be in the minority with this opinion... many Refs are very precious about their own spin, but most other competencies are infinitely more important

Good Assistants are obviously gonna influence the Ref's performance (and vice versa), but that's a not relevant to my point. Just sayin...
 
Last edited:
Pre-match is to cover key instructions and those that may be different to standard expectations. No referee covers, nor should, every possible scenario. ARs are expected to know those. Who covers keeper slightly carrying the ball out of PA in every pre-match? No one I know, yet if an AR calls it or not call it, we ask what were your pre-match instructions?

The best ARs I know don't need a lot of instructions. They can read between the lines from whatever instructions the get, normal conversation with the referee or watching the referee in action to understand expectations on rarer incident.
 
The degree of lining experience of each AR will dictate the amount of information the referee needs to cover.
In England currently the observers at many levels are not attending the pre-match instructions (part of the Covid protocols) but when we do I would expect referees with experienced AR's to cover issues like signalling to confirm a goal, what to do if wishing to talk to the referee about something during the game, what to record and when to do so, and some guidance about technical area occupants' behaviour.
With less experienced AR's, guidance needs to tease out what is required to manage their part of the game in conjunction with the referee.
Horses for courses!
 
Big Cat said:
I think the pre-match is massively overrated. It's largely a 'made up' competency. Whilst it's entirely warranted for the 'team' to get into the right mindset before the game, I see no reason why any of it should change from one week to the next, except the depth of discussion (to take into account the Level of the game and the relative experience of the game). Of course, I expect to be in the minority with this opinion... many Refs are very precious about their own spin, but most other competencies which are infinitely more important

Good Assistants are obviously gonna influence the Ref's performance (and vice versa), but that's a not relevant to my point. Just sayin...
Click to expand...
Hmm… the right pre match can have a massive effect with ARs with limited experience, ability or self-control.
 
one said:
Pre-match is to cover key instructions and those that may be different to standard expectations. No referee covers, nor should, every possible scenario. ARs are expected to know those. Who covers keeper slightly carrying the ball out of PA in every pre-match? No one I know, yet if an AR calls it or not call it, we ask what were your pre-match instructions?

The best ARs I know don't need a lot of instructions. They can read between the lines from whatever instructions the get, normal conversation with the referee or watching the referee in action to understand expectations on rarer incident.
Click to expand...

This. "If the ball gets struck by lightning then I want you to...." Stick to the important stuff? Not everything.

Also, pre matches that go on for ages. Why? Stop!

The best pre matches I've heard are clear, concise and avoid lengthy explanations of what's required. If you're describing any sotuation in detail then thats too much. Short, clear instructions on the key things is the key imo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top