Stiggypop Blog - Some Referee’s Make Useful Comments to Players

Before considering a few useful comments that you might make to players on the field of play, you might think about a few general hints. Some of them you may already know about, but it will do no harm if you think about all of them.​

• First of all, remember that your bearing will reflect your confidence. Do not slouch your way onto the field before the tossing of the coin, because if you do the players will notice it and your game will not proceed in the best possible way.

• Are you aware of the difference between confidence and arrogance? The first is your friend; the second is definitely your enemy. Nobody likes an arrogant referee, except those players who enjoying causing you some grief.

• Never watch the ball that is kicked high into the air. The sure thing is that the ball will come back down again. Your eyes need to be focused on the dropping-zone, for that is where the next infringement may occur.

• When a long pass is made forward, try to get into the useful habit of immediately glancing across to your active assistant. He may immediately flag for offside. On the other hand, he may have momentarily lost concentration and is not ready to help you as well as possible. As the referee, you need to know such things.

• If you get so close to the action that you find yourself watching the ball and players’ feet, then you may be too close. Try to hang back a little so that you can take in the fuller picture, including the hands and arms of the players contesting for the ball.

• Remember that if a player is tripped it will be his natural action to put his arms out forward to protect himself as he falls to the ground. If he is taking a dive his arms may well be held out sideways or even backwards in a theatrical manner. This is another situation where you can benefit from not being too close to the action. A hang-back position of ten to fifteen yards often allows you to see more of the real action you are trying to control.

• There is too much holding and pulling in some games. Ask yourself this question: In how many situations can one player grab hold of an opponent’s shirt accidentally? The answer is surely ‘almost never’. Remember also that a straight arm is a very powerful lever to hold off an opponent, so beware of the player who prefers to wear a long-sleeved shirt and hold his shirt-cuff in the palm of his hand.

• In every team there is at least one player who is a potential cause of trouble for you as the referee. Try to recognise in the early stages of the game who this player is and attempt to control his behaviour, including his comments. If you deem it worthwhile, involve the captain of his team who may be a help to you.

• We are now well into the realms of exchanging words with players. You are well advised not to involve yourself in conversations with players during the game. If you do allow this to happen it is quite possible that you will lose your concentration — which could be exactly what some players want, but you don’t!

• If you need to offer a word or two of advice to a player about his behaviour or his attitude, say your chosen words quickly and firmly and then move promptly away from him. This may well deter him from dissenting your decision.

• If a player vociferously confronts your assistant, intervene quickly. Do not let the incident pass unchallenged. I once heard a referee deal with such a situation very effectively by saying to the offending player, “Don’t argue with him. Try me. I’ve got red and yellow cards in my pocket.”

Let us now consider some comments that have been used to good effect at suitable times in the game by referees on the field of play. They are not offered in any particular order, so we simply invite you to consider each of them and decide if any of them are for you.

1. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ occasionally, but do not overdo it. A good example of ‘thank you’ might be when the player taking the throw-in has reached just the place where you want the throw taking. A similar occasion might be when the player is wondering where the free kick has to be taken.

1. “It takes two to make an argument, I won’t be one of them.” Then move quickly away.

1. “You’ve tripped him. You’ve pushed him. If I don’t caution you now, what will you be doing next?”

1. At a dissenting comment about offside: “I think you were offside, and my colleague clearly agrees with me.”

1. “You leave me no option but to caution you.”

1. Said to two players who are intent on fouling each other: “You’ve won one each. I shall win the next one!”

1. “Steady, please.” Said as players come together at corner-kicks or in the midfield dropping-zone.

1. “Keep your arms down, please.” Said to players in the goalmouth just as the corner-kick is taken.

1. “Keep the game moving, goalkeeper,” when he is taking his time about the goal-kick.

1. “Let’s go!” Said when you want the free-kick taken without too much delay.

1. “Come on, now! You know what’s expected of you.”

1. “Another infringement and you’re in trouble!” Don’t specify what kind of trouble, as this enables you too keep all your options open.

1. “I might have missed that one. Sorry. But I won’t miss the next one!”

1. “OK, you might think I’m blind. But I’m certainly not deaf!” Again, keep your options open.

1. “Be careful! You are right on the edge!”

1. “Steady! You’re in the last chance saloon!”

1. “Think it! But don’t say it!” This may avoid the use of a card.

1. “You may not think so, but I do.”

1. “Captain, have a word with Number Six before it’s my turn.”

1. “Careful! I’m a magician. I can easily change yellow into red!”

Source: Ted Ring – BENCHMARK Newsletter (November 2011).
A joint publication between Sheffield & Hallamshire County Football Association and the County Referees’ Association.

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