The Ref Stop

Persistent Infringement

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RefereeX

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Level 3 Referee
This is a weak area of my game - identifying persistent infringement. I was pulled up on my last observation as having missed a caution for persistent infringement.

I've been told to say the offender's number in my head every time I award a free kick and this will help me tot up who is being a naughty boy, but often in the heat of battle I forget.

Does anyone have any other useful tips of tricks to help identify persistent infringement and deal with it?
 
The Ref Stop
Don't do it myself mate but a colleague of mine swears by writing the player's number on the back of his hand/wrist. Obviously a biro needed ... 😉
 
Persistent offenders should stand out like a sore thumb. You can count them up but what does that achieve?

Remember no set number or pattern of offending is considered persistent. Some operate on a 3 fouls = warning and 4 = caution but if 1 is in the 1st min, another in the 38th the next in the 61st and the last in the 89th I don't see that as persistent but I might go after a player who commits the same borderline foul twice in quick succession or 3 or 4 fouls over a short time frame.

What were the circumstances of your "missed" persistence?
 
I've always been bad at this as well. It is easy when the player is charging around like a bull in a china shop, but much less so when a player is doing it subtly.
 
JamesL said:
Persistent offenders should stand out like a sore thumb. You can count them up but what does that achieve?

Remember no set number or pattern of offending is considered persistent. Some operate on a 3 fouls = warning and 4 = caution but if 1 is in the 1st min, another in the 38th the next in the 61st and the last in the 89th I don't see that as persistent but I might go after a player who commits the same borderline foul twice in quick succession or 3 or 4 fouls over a short time frame.

What were the circumstances of your "missed" persistence?
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Observer told me it was the players 5th infringement in the 82nd minute after infringements in 7th, 32nd (handball), 62nd and 74th minutes.
It was a stonewall reckless caution anyway so I've no issue with him saying I missed the caution for it but it felt a little harsh to say it was missed persistent offending. (I did have a word with the player regarding totting up after this 82nd minute offence and told him his next foul risked being a caution.
 
RefereeX said:
Observer told me it was the players 5th infringement in the 82nd minute after infringements in 7th, 32nd (handball), 62nd and 74th minutes.
It was a stonewall reckless caution anyway so I've no issue with him saying I missed the caution for it but it felt a little harsh to say it was missed persistent offending. (I did have a word with the player regarding totting up after this 82nd minute offence and told him his next foul risked being a caution.
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Total fouls in game?

One thing I do is discuss prematch with ARs to help identify persistent offenders as part of my teamwork approach to the game.
And I discuss it at half time. Anyone standing out persistently offending. Then have those players fresh in the mind if they further offend
 
JamesL said:
Total fouls in game?

One thing I do is discuss prematch with ARs to help identify persistent offenders as part of my teamwork approach to the game.
And I discuss it at half time. Anyone standing out persistently offending. Then have those players fresh in the mind if they further offend
Click to expand...
12 against each side, so 24 total.

Yeah I've already decided on doing that in my pre-match.
 
If they’re all small nitpicky offences, it can be hard to pick up. Especially if the first 3 are within opening 25 mins and the 4th is in the 88th min. And even then, is this really persistent?

I struggled with this at times, and I never truly got my head around it until L3. I didn’t actually do anything in particular to make it click. I just sort of relaxed in my games, and that helped massively. But that is easier said than done.

It gets easier the higher you get, as comms make this a hell of a lot easier. Add in the addition of a 4th official, and you have 3 other people who can help you spot in.

I wouldn’t worry, you aren’t the only one.
 
The way I’ve operated now due to being pulled up by a coach and taking there advice, is writing on my hand. The first not great foul they commit I will write their number on my hand, if it is borderline caution I will call them over as well and instead of just writing there number I will put a tick next to it. If it isn’t borderline I won’t speak to them, but the next time they do a not great foul I will then call them over and put a tick next to their number on my hand. Third time they go into the book for Persistant Infringement
 
Evans and Bellion's book For the Good of the Game, has an excellent chapter on PI. They did an analysis of how many fouls take place in an average game to look at where it makes the most sense to caution. As I recall, they came down at 3 fouls in a half or 5 in a game. (I'd look it up, but you may have read about those fires in Southern California in January . . . ) I very highly recommend the book, not just for PI but for a lot of very good insight on how to think as a referee.
 
For me there a lot of things impacting a PI. Number of fouls by one player is only one of them. Here is list that has some of already mentioned above.
  • Number of fouls by the same player
  • Intensity of fouls, the last and each previous ones
  • Intent in the foul(s) and it's impact
  • Spread of the fouls (minute of the game)
  • Intensity of the game - also in regards with what phase. Last 15 min are critical
  • Atmosphere of the game, local derby, what's at stake, history between teams or players etc
  • Target of the foul for all of the above points. (Eg same opponent fouled by 3 different players in the first 15 minutes with the two teams having history)
And there is more. I, like many others, have struggled at times. The problem is more with recognising 'this is the same player'. The advise I was given was get to know the players (and their physical appearance) right from the moment you arrive at the ground. And pay attention to the fouler as well as the foul. This made perfect sense to me as I generally struggled with this with team I had not refereed before (and don't know the players). And I usually ddint miss PI for players with distinctive physical appearance (eg, the 2m tall centre back).
 
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If i notice a player foul 3 or 4 times i warn them "next time it's a yellow". And i always make sure i show the yellow regardless of how long is left.
 
RefereeX said:
This is a weak area of my game - identifying persistent infringement. I was pulled up on my last observation as having missed a caution for persistent infringement.

I've been told to say the offender's number in my head every time I award a free kick and this will help me tot up who is being a naughty boy, but often in the heat of battle I forget.

Does anyone have any other useful tips of tricks to help identify persistent infringement and deal with it?
Click to expand...
When still working in the middle as a Level 3, struggling with exact same issue, press ganged my girlfriend to watch from the stands and text me at half time the numbers of those with 2 or more fouls 😀👌
 
Step 1 Find a partner that wants to watch you referee.

Step 2 Find an alternative to record fouls yourself...
 
JamesL said:
Total fouls in game?

One thing I do is discuss prematch with ARs to help identify persistent offenders as part of my teamwork approach to the game.
And I discuss it at half time. Anyone standing out persistently offending. Then have those players fresh in the mind if they further offend
Click to expand...
Great advice. Thanks.
 
“Blue 8, just a free kick”

“Foul by you, red 4”

Etc.

I find just saying it out loud helps it sink in.
 
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