A&H

Is Respect really working and what can be done to improve it?

At what age does Respect appear to be less effective?

  • u7-11

    Votes: 1 8.3%

  • u12-u14

    Votes: 4 33.3%

  • u14-u16

    Votes: 7 58.3%

  • u17-u18

    Votes: 4 33.3%

  • OA

    Votes: 5 41.7%
  • Total voters
    12
DanRicketts

DanRicketts

Well-Known Member
Level 7 Referee
From many posts it shows that there are still plenty of issues to be dealt with such as parents in youth football.

What other powers could be given to officials to help make the Respect system better?
 
The Referee Store
IMO, the respect campaign will never work for youth football. Purely because the spectators, managers and players all see it as 'same old thing to sign every year' without having a look at it. I think harsher sanctions should be in place to punish breach of the respect campaign to help referees because with the current system, I'm feeling little to no protection from the FA. Dissent doesn't change, parents abuse just gets worse (look at the salford incident last year) and in my opinion, the whole thing needs to be rethought out. Has the potential to be brilliant, but unfortunately, it clearly isn't going to be effective because coaches, players and spectators do not give a sh*t.
 
The secret to gaining respect while refereeing is to referee to the letter of the law and communicate why you are doing what you are doing when you do it, but in an informative non-aggressive manner. Do that for a couple of seasons and teams will not argue with your decisions. Coaches and captains will manage theor players behaviour and your life will be a lot easier.

Don't try to manage the players. Don't make allowance for their age. Don't be intimidated by coaches and spectators. If coaches abuse you, get rid of them and report their misconduct. If spectators abuse you, report them to the home team club official and ask for them to be removed. If they refuse to move, threaten to abandon. You don't have to be arsey about things, just speak calmly and clearly.
 
I think there needs to be a top down approach, every week the pundits on motd etc constantly moan about referees (like the apparent offside in the build up in west ham vs man city). If they could get a referee on there to be a refcam it would really help! Especially if they could put lee dixon and pat nevin in their place I would be very happy!
 
There isn't realy a national campaign up her as far as I'm aware, it seems to be a league specific thing where teams sign up to certain behaviours.

I've stopped reffing for this season for a few reasons but I now open up changing rooms and pitches etc so I watch a lot of games and on Sunday I really felt sorry for the u13 game referee. It was 2-0 to whites with 10 minutes to go, when reds score two goals in 2 minutes that the whites complained were offside - I was virtually in line with both and they were legit goals, but these foul mouthed parents who were in the opposite end of the park felt they were offside and went mental, especially after the second goal!

The referee sent to two parents away and the reds actually won 4-2 so was quite a comeback. After the match the referee left for his car and was getting more abuse. After he left the two parents came back to the changing rooms to wait for their sons and they gathered the boys around and said "instead of us getting sent away, you all surround the referee and shout at him." This really shocked me.

Then one of the boys said what if he sends us off, to which the coach replied "as long as you don't swear he can only give you a yellow and he won't book you all so just do it."

This is under 13's that are being taught this - is it any wonder there is need for a respect campaign with adults behaving like this!!!!!!
 
I hope you made a note of the team and would consider reporting it! I contacted my cfa after reading a report on club website about a game and the description of the referees decision making. Didn't help that the goalkeeper, who was sent off was related to the manager/report writer!
 
Respect is broken, as I witnessed last weekend when doing an U9's game as a favour for the club where I coach: I had to call managers in and to one team state he either shut his parents up, or they will have to leave, or I will abandon. Couldn't believe it. At youth level, I think there is an onus on us referees to be tough when required. My concern here is that it will often be a 14 or 15 year old in the middle, who may not have the confidence to stand up against managers / coaches / parents. Club support is needed, but I think that would come - albeit begrudgingly - if they started being hit with fines when people are being dismissed from the area, misconduct reports come in for managers, the booking count for their players drastically increases. I have no hesitation in booking at youth when needed - all ages - although refrained last weekend during the mini-soccer game (although rethinking my policy on that after last week). Tough love is needed.
 
On a change of subject....... Ross .......have I just made the 32000th post on the site ? If so what is the prize for this achievement? :)
 
Beezer said:
On a change of subject....... Ross .......have I just made the 32000th post on the site ? If so what is the prize for this achievement? :)
Click to expand...

I think the count that shows is a few hundred away from the true figure!

And I think you get a sense of achievement as a prize ;) or sense of shame and "must get out more". You decide :)
 
Back to the original point .......my beleif is that until the county Fa s begin to hit teams and players harder for misconduct and violent conduct offences this situation will not improve
 
Ah yes. Championship manager was awesome. Women just don't under stand!
 
I used to play a football game on the Spectrum .!!!!!........(tumbleweed blows through ....) you used to have to put a tape in........................ ( more weed ....) and then a run code of some kind , just little dots moving round the screen then the final score then you picked your team for the next game................. riveting stuff
 
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