A&H

Player shouts "break his legs" to team-mate about to make a challenge

T

tiest0

New Member
Level 5 Referee
Went to watch a game this morning, quite an intense and well-fought one. One player in the home side was making it particularly difficult for the referee, provoking his opponents and being at times very unsporting.

About midway through the second half, when one of his teammates was chasing for a ball with an opponent, he shouted "break his legs!" loud enough for it to be heard by I think everyone close by in the stands and the benches. The player cleared the ball out fairly, but immediately, chaos and a mass-confrontation erupted. Couldn't see any violent conduct by the player in question, apart from half the opposing team pushing and shoving him and looking like they were about to, yes, break his legs. The opposing coach also took to the field to show his disgust. Referee and lino have a chat, and the player is sent off.

Home team goes absolutely mad, player has to be dragged off the field, claiming that "it must be allowed to motivate your teammate", "it wasn't meant for you, ref", etc.

My question to you, would you do the same? In my view this is an outstanding and impeccable decision by the referee. Language like this has no place on our fields.
 
The Referee Store
It sounds like a very good decision I take it that he had appointed ARs which I feel makes it a bit easier rather than just CARs. I would like to think I would do this.
 
I'm struggling to think which category of misconduct applies in this case.

You might argue 'incitement to violence' in a court of law but I think it's a caution for USB under the laws of the game.
 
Can't this be considered OFFINABUS? I'm confident that that was the referees' reasoning (L3/4 officials, so I guess they know the LOTG)
 
Seems like C1-AA. But if this guy was a thorn the whole game and seemingly caused a mass con then I can see why the ref would try to sell offinabus.
 
What about something like "Pull him down!" or "Trip him over!" to a defender who has an opportunity to bring down a player on a promising break? Obvious yellow (at least) to any player who actually does it, but I don't know if you can justify a card for the shout as well?
 
GraemeS said:
What about something like "Pull him down!" or "Trip him over!" to a defender who has an opportunity to bring down a player on a promising break? Obvious yellow (at least) to any player who actually does it, but I don't know if you can justify a card for the shout as well?
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USB
 
I had 'Snap him' from a coach once...... we had very very serious words.... didn't remove him but he was particularly quiet after that!!!!
As for the OP, its certainly USB but we all know if said action is carried out you know what you should of done!!!
 
DB said:
"Break his legs".... Red card every day of the week! If you don't think so... hang up your whistle and take up tiddlywinks!!!
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Hard, but I suppose you could construe this as offensive.
 
Mintyref said:
Hard, but I suppose you could construe this as offensive.
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Offensive? What happens if the next challenge that goes in actually breaks someone's leg? Of course it's offensive; someone is giving another person an instruction to physically harm an opposition member. Easy red for me. No place for that in the game. I've seen someone deliberately break another's leg; it's not pretty!
 
Heard it at a youth game from the sidelines, match abandoned, report to CFA and safeguard submission. once it's said you have to take it seriously
 
Interesting thread - so far I've been fired by @Brian Hamilton and @DB for not seeing it as a 100% red. I can see the arguments and to be honest I've never experienced anything like this live - so I learn.
 
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