Benches!

[PinnerPaul]

I know I shouldn't but I do get wound up by the same old from the benches when I'm senior.

The two that get me are 1) When ref gives a foul and they shout - 'Come on lino, you have to help him out there' - how? what? - How the hell do you undo a decision by the ref?

2) Play to my left approaching me, ref up with play, so of course my priority is the offside line cue the coach ''Is that all you're going to do all night, look at that f****ing line?'

Aaaghhhhhhhhh - honestly more moans from benches last night than the players who accepted most decisions without a word.

 

[Grayson]

Tuning them out is all part of the fun/experience. I’m sure we’re all selectively deaf.

 

[Justylove]

I know I shouldn't but I do get wound up by the same old from the benches when I'm senior.

The two that get me are 1) When ref gives a foul and they shout - 'Come on lino, you have to help him out there' - how? what? - How the hell do you undo a decision by the ref?

2) Play to my left approaching me, ref up with play, so of course my priority is the offside line cue the coach ''Is that all you're going to do all night, look at that f****ing line?'

Aaaghhhhhhhhh - honestly more moans from benches last night than the players who accepted most decisions without a word.

1) Witty reply is "I'll tell the ref to stand in the dugout and ref the game as you've obviously got everything right from in there." Said with a smile, it either shuts them up or gets a laugh

2) Answer - "priority is the line. You'd be pretty unhappy if I flagged/didn't flag your player offside (delete as appropriate depending on if they are attacking or defending your line) because I was looking at something else wouldn't you?"

 

[afronaut81]

This is something I have to learn to ignore:

I was lino the other night. Gave two [clear] offsides which clearly aggrieved a disagreeing manager - cue "ref come on! You have to sort this out". I'd have happily walked away if it hadn't been detrimental to the other two officials.

Saying 'just ignore it' is easier said than done for me and the game moves too fast to give lengthy explanations. Equally I find any retort I give just leads to a snarky reply that makes things worse :-(

 

[socal lurker]

An option is to say, "happy to explain that one at half time." Obviously, only if you're willing to explain the play, but it makes it harder for them to demand more right then. And more often than not they are just venting in the moment, so they won't ask at half time. And if they do, it's no longer in the emotional moment.

 

[Nij]

I know I shouldn't but I do get wound up by the same old from the benches when I'm senior.

The two that get me are 1) When ref gives a foul and they shout - 'Come on lino, you have to help him out there' - how? what? - How the hell do you undo a decision by the ref?

"Help him with what? He got it correct on his own." has got many players and staff to stop with pointless appeals and given us further credibility that we're agreeing on decisions.

2) Play to my left approaching me, ref up with play, so of course my priority is the offside line cue the coach ''Is that all you're going to do all night, look at that f****ing line?'

What would you do if a player said that verbatim to you as the referee? I don't presumption "nothing", so why not flag at the next stoppage to alert the middle for the same action?

 

[RustyRef]

Even worse as 4th official, at least you can run away every now and then. I've used the comms excuse a lot, "sorry lads, can't afford comms kit at this level so can't tell him he's wrong even if I thought he was".

Was AR on a game recently where a recent ex Premier League player was the manager, he wanted me to tell the referee that he'd got a free kick wrong right on the other touchline in front of AR2. I just said "how do you propose I do that Matt", he laughed once he realised we had no comms and we were fine for the rest of the game. Somehow you have to make them realise that you aren't refereeing the game and may not even agree with the decisions, of course without throwing the referee under a bus.

I used to tell my assistants, and 4th officials when I had them, to not create problems for themselves trying to defend me. If I've given a free kick in a neutral area, or not given it, and they thought it didn't look 100% then don't say I'd got it right and just use the "from this angle it looked a bit soft but he's got the opposite angled view" type argument. Just don't do it when there's a chance a goal will come from it (refer to the previous don't throw under the bus comment ..!)

 

[Kes]

When ref gives a foul and they shout - 'Come on lino, you have to help him out there' - how? what? - How the hell do you undo a decision by the ref?

Made me LOL when I read it. I feel your pain mate. I've always thought the same.

The singular most stupid (and frequently said) thing that a coach/bench can say to an Assistant Referee.

If I've got time to respond, I always say "Okay mate, explain to me in your own words exactly how you picture me doing that then".

 

[Grayson]

It's up there with the exact opposite when you've seen something clear as day across the pitch (like a 9 on 5 elbow), but "can't go getting involved there, lino." Ok boomer, pipe down.

 

[PinnerPaul]

"Help him with what? He got it correct on his own." has got many players and staff to stop with pointless appeals and given us further credibility that we're agreeing on decisions.


What would you do if a player said that verbatim to you as the referee? I don't presumption "nothing", so why not flag at the next stoppage to alert the middle for the same action?

Good points Nij

 

[Jtpetherick1]

I've been 4th with comms a lot and will often give a little 'Chris [ref], the home manager thinks you've got that wrong', and then to the manager 'he says 'ok''. With a push to talk comms system its even better as you can give the impression of their concerns being noted without even bothering the three on-field officials.

 

[Grayson]

Wish I could like this multiple times @Jtpetherick1

 

[RobOda]

The two that get me are 1) When ref gives a foul and they shout - 'Come on lino, you have to help him out there' - how? what? - How the hell do you undo a decision by the ref?

That's always fun, especially when you get a referee that doesn't brief you pre-game, and a foul occurs but he says play on. Do you step in? Do you keep your mouth shut?

 

[socal lurker]

That's always fun, especially when you get a referee that doesn't brief you pre-game, and a foul occurs but he says play on. Do you step in? Do you keep your mouth shut?

In that context, if the R makes clear there is no foul, then I don't think you can flag for him--that would seem to cross the assist/insist line. (But if it was ref I was really comfortable with, then I might flag, as those few individuals would know I was only flagging because I knew I could see something they could not.)