The Ref Stop

Junior/Youth U18 Cup Final

Russell Jones

Russell Jones

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Sensible game management or 'bottling it' ... you decide

Half an hour in to the last ever match for both of these U18 teams. Blues score a contentious offside goal to take a 2-0 lead. I'm fully backing my NAR who's in a perfect position to give the (non) decision.

Red keeper starts to mouth off at the NAR, I tell him clearly "not another word". He keeps going so I caution for dissent. As I show the card, he starts with the sarcastic clapping. Twice previously this season in other matches I have carded that kind of behaviour as dissent by action. On this occasion, given the circumstances (cup final, last game, no obvious reserve keeper) I simply tell him in no uncertain terms that he's on VERY thin ice for the remainder of the game. Don't hear another word from him and Blues go on to win 4-1. What do you think guys??
 
The Ref Stop
Most will disagree on here as they love a card or two, but I say its doing the decent thing. I've done similar things and made it perfectly clear this is the players very last chance and one wrong step and they are walking. It normally does the trick.
 
Dissent is always your judgement. You would well have been within your rights to get rid of him, you tried to go for the alternate, and it seemed to work. Refereeing seems to be more about presenting the match than holding players accountable these days, so I don't think anybody could criticise what you did.

Potentially backing yourself into a corner if somebody else clapped later in the match. Given it was all sort of the one incident, I don't have any problems with your approach, you tried to do the best thing by the game and it seemed to work
 
I had my first ever adult cup final on line today and was total opposite credit to my gaffer as he had already cautioned the player for dissent and had given him plenty enough prior warning to his unfortunate send off
 
If you have been consistently carding for the clapping throughout the season, then I think you know the answer to whether you bottled it or not.

If it's a card, it's a card, regardless of occasion etc......don't fall into the trap of believing that just because it's a final you have to compromise on your own standards.
 
Russel, I can see where you've come from man management wise, and you have gotten away with it.

BUT, IMO - I would be cautioning here. Who gives a damn it's a cup final. In fact, as it's a final, there should be a good crowd there. This big crowd has just seen this player quite clearly undermine your authority, as has any league officials, management, players, and other officials.

Caution him a second time. Show everyone who is in charge, you are within your rights, and I bet the reaction wouldn't have been so bad as you had thought.
 
Personally, he would be walking. Most players know me well enough that anything like this immediately after a dissent caution will be their last action on the pitch that day. And those that don't know me well enough? That's when they get to know my tolerance.

Cup final or not he would be walking. But... Can see why you've done it like this and many would agree with you. I sadly do not though
 
Have to agree with the faction who would send him to the line - it's a visual act that everyone can see - done to undermine your authority totally.
 
Appreciate all the input. Will bear it all in mind next time something similar happens. I take (some) comfort from the fact that all other players and spectators will have seen me strongly react and 'take action' against the second show of dissent, rather than just ignore it. Even though that action did not involve a card it certainly made my displeasure clear.

On the plus side, at least I can't be last week's referee given that matches are all now finished in my part of the world ;)
 
I have cautioned all season long for the sarcastic slow clap. It wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest that it was a cup final. I would however involve his captain to keep the amount of hassle to a minimum or others will have the same fate
 
Whilst I completely agree with the majority that a second caution should be the outcome I also feel 'match temperature ' could also be taken into account in these circumstances. I'd you've had complete silence for 75 minutes and this happened you could use the big warning and cut the grass approach and probably have widespread approval. If they kicked lumps out of each other all game then that cherry couldn't get out quick enough!
 
The beauty of being a referee is the camaraderie and knowing that somebody somewhere has done exactly the same thing as yourself. We all develop through little things and help from colleagues. I couldn't have got my level 4 this season without the assistance of some fantastic experienced colleagues.
 
Im afraid the sarcastic clapping would be like a red rag to a bull for me !

Game over for the keeper .
 
I'm afraid showing two cards for dissent in the same incident to the same player looks a lot like you, the ref, didn't handle the situation well enough
 
I'm not saying that you can't show a second YC immediately after a first one
I'm just saying that the player is still in his "dissent mode" which you just punished, showing a second dissent card will look like the ref is taking the piss
 
Yacinho said:
I'm not saying that you can't show a second YC immediately after a first one
I'm just saying that the player is still in his "dissent mode" which you just punished, showing a second dissent card will look like the ref is taking the piss
Click to expand...

Absolute drivel I'm afraid......

If the player chooses not to get out of their 'dissent mode' after being told they are being cautioned for dissent......and decides to take the piss out of the referee when the card is shown......then the only person who hasn't handled the situation well is the player!
 
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