Churchman
Retired, but occasional line runner
There are occasions when I can understand players getting frustrated with referees. Last Saturday being a prime example.
No names, no pack drill - but....
I went to watch a local parks team I regularly watch, they have four teams and it was their second team playing. I'm not a member, and none of them even know my name. I just enjoy proper job football.
The ref, clearly an appointed ref, was very unfit - partly through age, partly not. I noted a number of things which, when I was assessing, I would have pulled him up for, sharply. His fitness meant he wasn't in position to see much happening, but, when two incidents did occur it was clear that he did have a line of sight and yet simply opted to make a compromise decision. One was to turn down a penalty claim when a player was hauled down (something I could see clearly from the far end of the pitch).
The second was to agree that a keeper had illegally impeded a forward and fouled him, giving the foul and a free kick just outside the penalty area. However, even though the keeper had prevented a clear goal-scoring opportunity (the player had played the ball past him and simply had to side-foot it into the net) he chose to give another compromise decision, and cautioned the keeper. Even the home team were astonished at the decision!
A third incident took place which he couldn't see because he simply wasn't anywhere near play. A home team player had his foot/ankle stamped on in the build up to a corner, but before the ball had even reached the corner quadrant (my opinion is that it wasn't deliberate). The ref was still in the centre circle. The player was upset, understandably, but the ref was completely unable to intervene in any meaningful manner - the coach subbed the player shortly afterwards as it had riled him. If the ref had been close he might have had a view, or at least the player might have believed he had a view, and he could have been calmed down or the stamp dealt with - whichever was deemed to be the right decision.
One one occasion a (club) linesman correctly gave offside (I was in line, it was obvious - three days camel ride offside, as a mate of mine used to say) - half the players (even some on the attacking team!) were begging him to "look at the lino", but he simply wouldn't even look at him, let alone acknowledge him, let alone signal play on. Fortunately it didn't lead to anything. But we can't leave things to fortune.
The caution of the keeper highlighted another issue. During the second half the ref got very card happy, and several players were cautioned (most perfectly deservedly so). I counted five on the home team alone. But he didn't note down a single one of the numbers/names. I'd spotted this when he'd cautioned an away player earlier - so I was trying to remember the numbers of those he had cautioned, but despite making a mental note to do I could only remember four of them, and even then that was not having the stresses of refereeing the game. Indeed, he didn't even make any clear effort to look at player's numbers. Given the way he was waving the cards around this was going to lead to trouble at some point. One away player probably should have had a caution, but the ref didn't give it - was it because he thought he might have cautioned him already, didn't know, and if he did so again someone would remember?
Both teams wanted to play football, this was clear; it was a competitive game, rumbustious even; but, because he never appeared to be in control, and gave off 'grumpy' rather than 'confident' vibe, he wasn't in control of the game, and it was only the common sense of the players that kept things relatively calm.
At the end of his gentle stroll around the pitch for 90 minutes (no added time despite several stoppages for injury and for substitutions - I was checking, you can't take the referee out of a man) we then had the final joke in the box. Before the teams were in the changing room he was shouting for his money - I could hear him from 70 yards away. Having clarified it was on its way he then proceeded to turn around, walk across the pitches to his car, have a drink of water, and go across to another game which was about to start in order to referee that one as well!
So, as I say, there are occasions when I can understand players getting frustrated with referees.
No names, no pack drill - but....
I went to watch a local parks team I regularly watch, they have four teams and it was their second team playing. I'm not a member, and none of them even know my name. I just enjoy proper job football.
The ref, clearly an appointed ref, was very unfit - partly through age, partly not. I noted a number of things which, when I was assessing, I would have pulled him up for, sharply. His fitness meant he wasn't in position to see much happening, but, when two incidents did occur it was clear that he did have a line of sight and yet simply opted to make a compromise decision. One was to turn down a penalty claim when a player was hauled down (something I could see clearly from the far end of the pitch).
The second was to agree that a keeper had illegally impeded a forward and fouled him, giving the foul and a free kick just outside the penalty area. However, even though the keeper had prevented a clear goal-scoring opportunity (the player had played the ball past him and simply had to side-foot it into the net) he chose to give another compromise decision, and cautioned the keeper. Even the home team were astonished at the decision!
A third incident took place which he couldn't see because he simply wasn't anywhere near play. A home team player had his foot/ankle stamped on in the build up to a corner, but before the ball had even reached the corner quadrant (my opinion is that it wasn't deliberate). The ref was still in the centre circle. The player was upset, understandably, but the ref was completely unable to intervene in any meaningful manner - the coach subbed the player shortly afterwards as it had riled him. If the ref had been close he might have had a view, or at least the player might have believed he had a view, and he could have been calmed down or the stamp dealt with - whichever was deemed to be the right decision.
One one occasion a (club) linesman correctly gave offside (I was in line, it was obvious - three days camel ride offside, as a mate of mine used to say) - half the players (even some on the attacking team!) were begging him to "look at the lino", but he simply wouldn't even look at him, let alone acknowledge him, let alone signal play on. Fortunately it didn't lead to anything. But we can't leave things to fortune.
The caution of the keeper highlighted another issue. During the second half the ref got very card happy, and several players were cautioned (most perfectly deservedly so). I counted five on the home team alone. But he didn't note down a single one of the numbers/names. I'd spotted this when he'd cautioned an away player earlier - so I was trying to remember the numbers of those he had cautioned, but despite making a mental note to do I could only remember four of them, and even then that was not having the stresses of refereeing the game. Indeed, he didn't even make any clear effort to look at player's numbers. Given the way he was waving the cards around this was going to lead to trouble at some point. One away player probably should have had a caution, but the ref didn't give it - was it because he thought he might have cautioned him already, didn't know, and if he did so again someone would remember?
Both teams wanted to play football, this was clear; it was a competitive game, rumbustious even; but, because he never appeared to be in control, and gave off 'grumpy' rather than 'confident' vibe, he wasn't in control of the game, and it was only the common sense of the players that kept things relatively calm.
At the end of his gentle stroll around the pitch for 90 minutes (no added time despite several stoppages for injury and for substitutions - I was checking, you can't take the referee out of a man) we then had the final joke in the box. Before the teams were in the changing room he was shouting for his money - I could hear him from 70 yards away. Having clarified it was on its way he then proceeded to turn around, walk across the pitches to his car, have a drink of water, and go across to another game which was about to start in order to referee that one as well!
So, as I say, there are occasions when I can understand players getting frustrated with referees.
