A&H

Poor, poor game

SM

SM

The avuncular one
Had a really poor game today. Last placed team, being spanked every game against a handy team. It was over within 10 minutes. Left me with 80 minutes of complete boredom and disinterest.

Made a few silly mistakes due to lack of concentration in the second half, but essentially they meant nothing (not big decisions, piddly little ones Bout directions of throws etc, but annoying all the same).

I have had a cold and didn't really feel into it - figured adrenaline would kick in at some point. It didn't. Would have cried off sick, but due to a lack of refs locally and it looking like I was cherry picking, I went through with it. :(

How do you guys cope with crap one sided games?
 
The Referee Store
lol I stick by the word crap - I have never seen a team so unable to kick a ball 10 yards without it missing its target. There was a 20 minute period where I remained in one half of the pitch. Even when the keeper (of the losing side) had the ball he would shank it straight out for a throw in. Heads dropped, arguing with each other (more than me), it was just shot after shot after shot. I wasn't counting, but if someone told me that the winning team had taken 100 shots, I wouldn't be surprised! I haven't seen a hammering like that outside of kids football.

It was so bad that if I had to do games like this every week, I would knock it on the head. Start to pay more attention to the gardening!

I freely admit I didn't have my best game, far from it. Checking the GPS, I covered 9 km during the game, which surprises me given the type of game being played. Certainly was not a work out physically and HR averages were way down.
 
Second game I had today, a decent u11 affair, as decent as they can be at that age. Started the second half and checked the watch thinking we must have played a while, 3 minutes and blooming 20 seconds gone!! I swear I thought 20 minutes had passed!! Was a loooooooong second half. Not for the want of the lads trying!
 
When its a crappy one sided game, I use it kinda like a training exercise, to question my positioning and my view and to sharpen my anticipation skills
 
SM said:
Had a really poor game today. Last placed team, being spanked every game against a handy team. It was over within 10 minutes. Left me with 80 minutes of complete boredom and disinterest.

Made a few silly mistakes due to lack of concentration in the second half, but essentially they meant nothing (not big decisions, piddly little ones Bout directions of throws etc, but annoying all the same).

I have had a cold and didn't really feel into it - figured adrenaline would kick in at some point. It didn't. Would have cried off sick, but due to a lack of refs locally and it looking like I was cherry picking, I went through with it. :(

How do you guys cope with crap one sided games?
Click to expand...


Hello SM,

I had a very one side open age Ladies match a few weeks back. Like you, I found it difficult to make instant quick decisions for those 50/50 throws and GKs.

Think its because in a well contested match you are making decisions at a much more frequent rate so get in a rhythm as it were.

I found it helped to concentrate on something that wasn't dependent on the competitive nature of the match - positioning for example.

No easy answer - its difficult, more so if you're not 100% as you say.
 
Positioning was not really something I could concentrate on. Spent most of my time in one half of the pitch - I have never seen a keeper shank/slice a ball out of play so much on my life. :D
 
When a game starts going into double figures I'll just run about everywhere, even the most basic of goal kicks sprint into the area as if it's the hardest sell in the world, try get a decent workout from it otherwise I'll be miserable, the worst kind of games in my opinon
 
I agreed to referee for a club at the start of the season taking in both their U15 teams because they kicked off at 1pm.

The decent team (incidentally play in the lower division - sneaky placement of players?) are foul-mouthed and disrespectful both on the pitch and off it. Management duo are horrendous and I've managed to make excuses for their past few games (and the weather has helped, too). If I continue with them, they'll end up getting included on a misconduct report because they'll cross the line I'm sure.

The not very decent team are dreadful. Nice lads and they turn up every week but the game is over after 10 minutes and the heads and minds have gone. In every sense these games are dreadful to ref. I struggle to maintain focus and concentration for the full game. It's usually, the 2nd half that is the worst, as time appears to drag and the game is non-competitive. I see improvement, their spirit is good at the start and any goal is celebrated like a victory but it doesn't help me.

I appreciate the good workout, fresh air and the money but it is a struggle to perform at my best. I always play it straight and don't 'invent' offences or issue cards to make it interesting but I sometimes wish the winning team would just withdraw a player or two and voluntarily play 9v11 for some part of the game (equipment replacement/toilet break/injury treatment/drinks break? - as long as they inform me when returning to the FOP). Goal difference doesn't count in this league so a win is 3 points at 1-0 or 21-0.
I'll try a few of the suggestions above to see what difference it makes on Sunday.
 
David Sutton said:
I agreed to referee for a club at the start of the season taking in both their U15 teams because they kicked off at 1pm.

The decent team (incidentally play in the lower division - sneaky placement of players?) are foul-mouthed and disrespectful both on the pitch and off it. Management duo are horrendous and I've managed to make excuses for their past few games (and the weather has helped, too). If I continue with them, they'll end up getting included on a misconduct report because they'll cross the line I'm sure.

The not very decent team are dreadful. Nice lads and they turn up every week but the game is over after 10 minutes and the heads and minds have gone. In every sense these games are dreadful to ref. I struggle to maintain focus and concentration for the full game. It's usually, the 2nd half that is the worst, as time appears to drag and the game is non-competitive. I see improvement, their spirit is good at the start and any goal is celebrated like a victory but it doesn't help me.

I appreciate the good workout, fresh air and the money but it is a struggle to perform at my best. I always play it straight and don't 'invent' offences or issue cards to make it interesting but I sometimes wish the winning team would just withdraw a player or two and voluntarily play 9v11 for some part of the game (equipment replacement/toilet break/injury treatment/drinks break? - as long as they inform me when returning to the FOP). Goal difference doesn't count in this league so a win is 3 points at 1-0 or 21-0.
I'll try a few of the suggestions above to see what difference it makes on Sunday.
Click to expand...
I know exactly the kind of team you mean. The strong team after every goal giving it big licks "let's get 20" or asking their keeper if they want a shot outfield, incredibly ungracious in victory. It will probably draw criticism but I'd rather the pitch was waterlogged or the match was close but abandoned after a 19 man brawl. They're what I've found to be the worst part about refereeing youth football. No spirit, no progress for anybody including yourself. Dire dire dire. If that's what you face every week my advice from older peers is to jump ship and find pastures new if you want to improve, can barely handle one of those games a month.

Sorry about the rant, think you can all guess who's U14s school game just finished 17-0 with no payment...
 
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