A&H

Not so basic tips

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Been a few 'new ref' thread basic tips recently. I thought I start one for a bit more experienced refs who can both contribute to and benefit from. What I am after is a tip which is easy to understand but not so easy to apply (or know when to apply). Mine came to me after discussions in a recent thread.

Most caution are just that, give them and get on with it. But sometimes a well timed soft yellow will do wonders to your game control. And sometimes a poorly timed clear yellow can kill your game control to bits. Get your timing right.
 
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I'll add some flavor on the last one: I think many of train ourselves to not watch punts/GKs in the air and to watch the players to know where the ball is coming down. I found that even after doing that, I would watch other balls kicked up in the air reflexively--which I never realized until someone was observing me and commented on it, and my thought was "but I don't do that!"--but once I paid attention to it specifically realized I did and broke the habit.

I'll add, for once working with a ref team: eye contact. Developing the habit to make eye contact with each AR (or, as AR, with the R) at every dead ball (with the occasional caveat when there is something else you have to be focused on like a potential scuffle).
 
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As you go up the levels (rightly or wrongly) you need to manage the event more.

You may be right in law to stick a card up the nose of the player saying things to you, but if it's completely unexpected to the crowd and everyone else on the pitch, then you are asking for trouble.

Anything that is a surprise to those watching is generally bad.
 
Justylove said:
As you go up the levels (rightly or wrongly) you need to manage the event more.

You may be right in law to stick a card up the nose of the player saying things to you, but if it's completely unexpected to the crowd and everyone else on the pitch, then you are asking for trouble.

Anything that is a surprise to those watching is generally bad.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. I know there some that say this is wrong and you should referee it like any other game, but you often can't. You don't have to attend a mandatory pre-match security briefing with police and stewards at a grass roots game, nor do you have to immediately take the players off the pitch if a certain code word is said on the tannoy system.
 
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Justylove said:
As you go up the levels (rightly or wrongly) you need to manage the event more.

You may be right in law to stick a card up the nose of the player saying things to you, but if it's completely unexpected to the crowd and everyone else on the pitch, then you are asking for trouble.

Anything that is a surprise to those watching is generally bad.
Click to expand...
Building on this point, understanding the importance of body language in communicating your thoughts to ALL involved in the match (players, team officials, spectators, video cameras etc). For example, a quiet word to 'calm down' when passing by a player communicates nothing to anyone else ... whereas a (brief) chat using the 'both palms face down' gesture tells everyone what is going on
 
Hoping these are useful;


Try to be predictable refereeing, but be unpredictable in your movement.


Unrelated;

For grassroots referees who get the odd game in a team, the hardest thing is getting out of the "i'm on my own" mindset. I see it all the time when I'm lining for them, they'll get into all the positions that you take up when you're on your own but not when you're with A/R's. Map out your positioning changes before the game, and try to apply it in the game. I find this pairs well with eye-contact with A/R's advice, if you can't make eye contact with them, you're probably in the wrong position or facing the wrong way. Identify why, fix it if it needs fixing.
 
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Read play, predict where it's going to go and be on the move before play heads to that direction. If you start your run after the ball is in the air for a long attacking pass, then you'd be 10 yard further away than where you should be for any potential incidents, compared to a referee who can read play and moves accordingly.
 
Try to glance a bit longer at the player who just kicked it with an opponent nearby.

I learned I'd follow the ball, which means my eyes would, and I'd miss the contact after the kick.

Players would pull a stunt figuring I'd turn to follow play and give a bump on the opponent.

Even a brief delay to follow the ball does wonders...
 
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