The Ref Stop

My first (and currently only) red card incident.

Raider025

The ref on the opposite side of the pond
I remember it so vividly, even though it happened a year ago at this point. Tournament final, U-13 boys, one team from my state, one from Canada (didn't have much tolerance for canadian teams, as a prior game i worked with 2 U15 girls teams from Canada, one team gave me an earful.)

On this one play, the balls travelling down the right wing and he's unmarked, going to go all the way for sure, so who else but the goalkeeper from the Canadian team decides to challenge him. He slides in to try and take the ball. The striker running the ball sees it coming a mile away, but somehow the goalkeeper knicks the ball and the kids leg (or so it seemed, it was downpouring and fairly hard to tell as I wear glasses still.) Meanwhile, the striker keeps the ball and ends up scoring to make the game 2-0.

Now for the fun part. The goalkeeper from the Canadian team stays on the ground for a couple extra seconds, but I head over to caution him because he's trying to make a meal out of a minor injury, which frankly I think he brought on himself. So as he's being helped up, I show him the yellow card, to which he promptly replied "yeah give me a yellow... I don't give two s**ts." Somehow that yellow card magically changed to a red card for OFFINABUS (back in the US, we actually have directives to not tolerate any swearing in youth matches). Wonder how that card changed colors on me ;).

Oh and then, even better yet, the coach saw me give him the red and STILL tried to sub him on after the fact, to which my AR had to inform him the keep was sent off already. Canadian team ended up losing 3-1.
 
The Ref Stop
Let me see if I understand this......

You went to caution the GK for feigning injury.....but play was stopped because a goal had been scored......the GK expressed his displeasure at this in robust terms and you promptly sent him off?

A few questions.....

Why did you feel a caution was required, and what specific offence were you cautioning for?
You couldn't see the challenge properly because it was raining and you wear glasses?
You don't like Canadian teams?
 
Let me see if I understand this......

You went to caution the GK for feigning injury.....but play was stopped because a goal had been scored......the GK expressed his displeasure at this in robust terms and you promptly sent him off?

A few questions.....

Why did you feel a caution was required, and what specific offence were you cautioning for?
You couldn't see the challenge properly because it was raining and you wear glasses?
You don't like Canadian teams?
No I just needed to get this out there. Let's see if I can still remember a few things :p
I cautioned him because he was causing dissent. When I was going back to him to assess the situation he had both his arms over his head acting like I missed something huge, which I thought fit dissent, least in the US sense of the term.
I could still see a majority of what was happening, just saying that I'm not 100% sure but I had a hunch since the keeper went for the ball.
And no I don't have bias against canadian teams, but back then, my experiences may or may not have had a hand in allowing less tolerance towards them. Don't get me wrong I didn't call a one sided game, the home team got a few fouls but they were really respectful.
 
Blimey you were going to book someone for putting his hands on his head!?
No it was more or less inflamatory in my opinion because it was a final and the team was losing, so I was prepared to give it for time wasting.
 
No it was more or less inflamatory in my opinion because it was a final and the team was losing, so I was prepared to give it for time wasting.

Sorry, just trying to make sense of it here, why would the goalie of the losing team time waste? Especially in a cup final?
 
Sorry, just trying to make sense of it here, why would the goalie of the losing team time waste? Especially in a cup final?
I don't think he intentionally did it, but either way he stayed down for quite awhile after he was hit and he immediately got back up, so either way he was going in for time wasting or feigning injury.
 
I'm pretty sure that the reasoning for cautioning the GK has changed at least 3 times in the space of the last hour?!
 
I'm pretty sure that the reasoning for cautioning the GK has changed at least 3 times in the space of the last hour?!
If it appears that way I sincerely appologize. Like I said, this was about a year ago so my exact reasoning has been lost to time, just the incident in of itself sticks out to me.
 
I don't think he intentionally did it, but either way he stayed down for quite awhile after he was hit and he immediately got back up, so either way he was going in for time wasting or feigning injury.

I appreciate where you're coming from, but I think the card should and could have been avoided. In reality you can't (or perhaps wouldn't) book somebody for time wasting if it was their own team who they're hindering, and especially at that age, you can't be sure that he wasn't genuinely hurt. He may just have got up quickly - while still in pain - when he realised that he was delaying his team
 
I appreciate where you're coming from, but I think the card should and could have been avoided. In reality you can't (or perhaps wouldn't) book somebody for time wasting if it was their own team who they're hindering, and especially at that age, you can't be sure that he wasn't genuinely hurt. He may just have got up quickly - while still in pain - when he realised that he was delaying his team
My thoughts exatly. Now that I look back on it, the caution was very trivial. Doesn't excuse the language, but I see that now, being a year wiser.

Also, thanks for understanding and not impaling me for being a jerk :).
 
My thoughts exatly. Now that I look back on it, the caution was very trivial. Doesn't excuse the language, but I see that now, being a year wiser.

Also, thanks for understanding and not impaling me for being a jerk :).

Indeed, the red wasn't at all unjustified and I'm sure if this happened again you would approach it differently and handle the situation better - we live and learn!
 
Indeed, the red wasn't at all unjustified and I'm sure if this happened again you would approach it differently and handle the situation better - we live and learn!
Its the point of the forums isn't it? To help fellow referees better themselves through sharing knowledge and their experiences.
 

I appologize if it came off like that. I'd have preferred to get feedback on 2 things.

1.) That this incident warranted any action, which after some reflection I have saw that maybe I was a little harsh on the yellow, which duly turned red after a players action.

2.) If this incident happened again, what could I possibly do diffrently to resolve this. This is only my 3rd season being a referee, so I am still relatively new to this scene and wish to learn more about these kinds of situations.
Again, I appologize if I sounded like I was trying to brag, it was 4 in the morning my time when I wrote it so I wasn't completely aware of the tone.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Okay, padfoot has been removed from the conversation.

Let's just have a pause here; a fellow referee and forum user comes here with a situation. We are a supportive community of referees, we help and support each other and when needed provide learnig points in a way which is constructive. We happily provide advice and suggestions, but attacks are not acceptable. This is why we all love this forum.

@Raider025 you have nothing to apologise for.
 
@Raider025 If this " " " " incident " " " " happen again :

1/ Don't consider it as time wasting (from the losing team on a final ?!) unless it had actually delayed the start of the game, here there's been a goal, so the start isn't immediate
2/ If the GK really seems to be "inured" of he's simulating, (but you actually can't guess so just keep you YC in your pocket), go and see him "Hey what's wrong ?" "blablabla" "Oh I didn't see anything in this challenge, can only give what I see, hope you understand, let's get on with the game mate"

Here you go
 
If it appears that way I sincerely appologize. Like I said, this was about a year ago so my exact reasoning has been lost to time, just the incident in of itself sticks out to me.
Don't you give cautions for 'embellishment' in the US? I'm sure I've seen it done in the MLS before now?
 
I appreciate where you're coming from, but I think the card should and could have been avoided. In reality you can't (or perhaps wouldn't) book somebody for time wasting if it was their own team who they're hindering,

Of course you can, though I'd be a bit slower too.

I suspect the OP just isn't describing the situation appropriately.

Personally I don't see how that comment is OFFINABUS either. If you have to have zero tolerance on swearing, fair enough. But if you're not in that area, then just follow the LOTG. Differentiate between swearing while making a comment and actually being abusive. The LOTG stopped stating 'foul language' is a red card offence a long time ago.

And seriously? Get over your anti-canadian bias. Stating you have less tolerance towards them when you're referring to a match with another team is effectively stating that you were biased that match.

You often find that teams in a different area than you're used to expect different tolerance levels from referees or play the game differently. As the referee it's your responsibility to administer the game appropriately. Deciding that all Canadian team need harsh treatment because one team once gave you a bit of dissent is just absurd - both the principle and the logic behind it.
 
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