A&H

Funny comeback remarks

Morten

Morten

Member
During a game on saturday, one particular player kept making remarks on my refereeing, complaining he didn't get the freekicks he claimed he was due. Gradually, his remarks got to the point where I gave him a talking to. It helped somewhat, especially as I could follow it up with a booking (the only YC in the game) 5 minutes later when i came in late and from behind.

Anyway, when he, before the booking said "the level of your refereeing is really poor", I had the perfect comeback, but I did not dear to say it. He had missed a sitter earlier in the game, and I really wanted to say "that may be, but at least I haven't missed an open goal today".

Reading storries from professional referees, I am surprised by the tone they allow themselves with the players. Anyone here with any experience with these types of comebacks when players are complaining about your performance?
 
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The Referee Store
I have experienced this a few times where you really want to rub thier noses in it when they make a mistake but then your better judgment wins... I hate my better judgement sometimes.

I tend to just go with, if there're loosing (and this works for gobby managers too): "if you spent less time worrying about what I was doing and more time worrying about getting in the game then you wouldn't be loosing"

If they happen to be winning but still moaning then I say "if you weren't chewing me so much about decisions and concentrated on scoring it would be 'X-X' by now"
 
To be honest with you I did once upset a player.... This player was a 40+ year old man by the way.

He came on as a sub in the second half and spend the next 10 mins chewing my ear about everything. I was going to book him for his next quip but he told me "I was having a poor game" to which I replied "I'M having a poor game !? You've been on the pitch 10 mins and touched the ball once ! Lets be honest, who's having the shocker ?"
He genuinely got really upset and said "there's no need for that ref". He subbed himself not long after claiming injury, sulked for the rest of the game and wouldn't speak to me in the pub after !
 
So many times I have had a smart remark and had to bite my tongue except once in particular. Exactly as described in the first post I did tell a player quietly that he was the one that missed the open goal after he chewed my ear for 80 minutes. OMG he went ballistic as if I had sworn at him, he squared up to me, embellished and loudly retold what I had said. They seem able to hand it our but cannot take it.
 
You have to be careful.

I was out with a level 4 (Ryman U18) and losing defender was having a moan at end of match.

Ref replied "6-0 wasn't it number 5?" - just sounded belittling and not very professional IMHO.
 
Gave a team a pen, they missed,defender encroaching, retake, missed. Manager at the end of the game 'you lost us the game there ref, stonewall pen when player x pulled down player y, but you didnt give it'

8 bookings in the game, 4 for dissent so my patience was thin, the temptation to say, 'probably not because the wildness of your penalty takers efforts would have lost you the game'. I bit my tongue tho, it hurt
 
One time, a particularly mouthy U19 team, and I mean like I've never experienced before
Second half, captain who already got himself a yellow for dissent makes an absolutly horrible throw in, I reverse the throw

Him "Come on, what ?"
Me "Both feet on the ground please"
Him "Oh yeah this is Champion's League"
Me "Well, you expect Champion's League refereeing, better start to do good throw ins"

He blushed and I didn't hear anything from him for the rest of the game
 
This goes on at all levels all the time. If a player can give it he has to take it and if he can't tough.
 
One of mine accidentally slipped out the other week, after a midfielder was constantly whining just after every single decision.

A player goes down injured, and while we're stood around the same guy makes a beeline for me, starts whining again.

I stopped him and said 'have you seen me kick a ball today? Well? No. And I don't see you with a whistle, so let's crack on with it eh?'

It worked for all of 5 minutes but got a laugh and his team mates gave him some stick.
 
The only thing I can remember doing was telling a player to 'f**k off' under my breath after he'd give a bit of stick ... Opposition captain (who'd won the free kick) said 'oi ref, no swearing yeah?' I responded 'Ohhh what's this, one rule for you lot and another for me?' A cheeky grin, I, he and the player that was fouled had a little chuckle amongst us ... Then cued the kick to be taken

I think there's a massive differance between a laugh and a joke and then retaliating ... Reminding a player of a missed kick or something is retaliating and unprofessional ... A joke I.e. My little story above ... Just creates a good fun atmosphere
 
Mentioned this before:
First semi-pro line appointment, spectator behind me tanked up on alcohol been berating me first few minutes and goes "This is the problem wi' SFA, our linos dinnae even huv pubic hair!" It took all of my strength to resist turning around and saying "It's just shaved, your teenage daughter prefers it that way"
 
A player I'd already cautioned + warned used his body well on another occasion, burst through and missed an absolute sitter.
Worried about getting a second yellow, he came up to me and asked "Did I do anything wrong there, ref?". "Yes, I'm afraid," I replied, "you just missed the easiest chance I've ever seen" :D Thankfully he saw the funny side!
 
A player whilst forming a one man wall at a free kick asked me if he looked OK, I replied, very tall and handsome, he laughed.
 
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