The Bstard
Active Member
Taken from my latest blog post, here.
In a recent match between Green and Blue, I’ve had a lovely conversation before the game with Blue’s old-boy defender. We’ve had a laugh, and on the pitch he’s pretty much the same – ‘Get off the ref’s back, you’re not helping. He ain’t changing his mind, is he.’ He’s not the best player – age has given him a bit of footballing awareness, but it’s taken away pace and he’s basically a lump of a centre back.
It’s 1-1 after 60 minutes, but Green are clearly dominant – and look dead certs to win.
A ball goes through for their rapid centre forward. He easily beats old-boy for basic, and old-boy desperately lunges and just – just – clips the heels of the striker. The striker takes another three steps before falling theatrically, the ball going straight to the keeper. Old-boy is incensed at the striker, telling him how unsportsmanlike he is, yelling at him. I have to agree. The striker tells me to send him off, which irritates me more. I call old-boy over and he looks at me. ‘Yeah, I know I’m off, he says.’ ‘No,’ I say, ‘I’m only booking you.’ – I’ve got an excuse, and I can tell off the striker in the same exchange: ‘the striker slowed to make sure of the contact, and to go down. He lost control of the ball in doing so, so there was no clear goalscoring opportunity. The keeper was always getting their first.’ Mostly bullshit, really. But good man management – I keep Blue on my side, instead of a soft-ish red. I keep Green – mostly – on my side by explaining myself. It helps that I know they have no real firebrands to give me grief. I tell off the Green striker for making a meal, publically, because I have no other way of rebuking his unsportsmanlike conduct.
Later in the game, I have no excuses I can make when the other centre-back takes out the same striker when he’s two yard from going around the keeper. You can only pull that trick once, unless it’s 4-1.
The argument here is, yes, law and all that, but a referee on the park doesn't always follow law. I don't want to send players off for 'technical' infringements (DOGSO and 2nd Yellow) at that level, whereas I always will for 'dangerous' infringements (Spitting, Violent Conduct, Serious Foul Play).
For more, see my blog post, here.
In a recent match between Green and Blue, I’ve had a lovely conversation before the game with Blue’s old-boy defender. We’ve had a laugh, and on the pitch he’s pretty much the same – ‘Get off the ref’s back, you’re not helping. He ain’t changing his mind, is he.’ He’s not the best player – age has given him a bit of footballing awareness, but it’s taken away pace and he’s basically a lump of a centre back.
It’s 1-1 after 60 minutes, but Green are clearly dominant – and look dead certs to win.
A ball goes through for their rapid centre forward. He easily beats old-boy for basic, and old-boy desperately lunges and just – just – clips the heels of the striker. The striker takes another three steps before falling theatrically, the ball going straight to the keeper. Old-boy is incensed at the striker, telling him how unsportsmanlike he is, yelling at him. I have to agree. The striker tells me to send him off, which irritates me more. I call old-boy over and he looks at me. ‘Yeah, I know I’m off, he says.’ ‘No,’ I say, ‘I’m only booking you.’ – I’ve got an excuse, and I can tell off the striker in the same exchange: ‘the striker slowed to make sure of the contact, and to go down. He lost control of the ball in doing so, so there was no clear goalscoring opportunity. The keeper was always getting their first.’ Mostly bullshit, really. But good man management – I keep Blue on my side, instead of a soft-ish red. I keep Green – mostly – on my side by explaining myself. It helps that I know they have no real firebrands to give me grief. I tell off the Green striker for making a meal, publically, because I have no other way of rebuking his unsportsmanlike conduct.
Later in the game, I have no excuses I can make when the other centre-back takes out the same striker when he’s two yard from going around the keeper. You can only pull that trick once, unless it’s 4-1.
The argument here is, yes, law and all that, but a referee on the park doesn't always follow law. I don't want to send players off for 'technical' infringements (DOGSO and 2nd Yellow) at that level, whereas I always will for 'dangerous' infringements (Spitting, Violent Conduct, Serious Foul Play).
For more, see my blog post, here.
