Problem with "friendlies" is that as the players aren't registered to a team / league yet, you often get suspended players playing games as "trialists" just to make up the numbers. Plus they think the ref isn't going to caution / send players off because "it's just a friendly, ref !"
Open Age Young referee threatened
- Thread starter TobyTheRef
- Start date
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Yet again we ignore the main issue, it’s not why is a referee refereeing open age football when he should be able to without anyone questioning. It’s why are referees treated like this, he should not have to put up with the abuse. He should be able to go out in his 3rd game and referee open age football without any issues.
But I guess the issue is furthered by referees who ignore this behaviour, some who frequent this forum I might add. And older observers who say back in my day we just got on with it
But I guess the issue is furthered by referees who ignore this behaviour, some who frequent this forum I might add. And older observers who say back in my day we just got on with it
You're right of course, but there's something to be said for being experienced and competent to do the game in question (a big thing in the construction industry where i work).
Is the course and 2 games enough experience in this case? Doesn't seem like it. Harsh reality of football refereeing
It isn't that straight forward. What do you think might happen if a newly qualified police officer, a probationer I believe they are called, was sent out to police potentially volatile areas on his own? It just wouldn't happen, yet we are seemingly happy to send out brand new referees into OA football on their own, it is a recipe for disaster.
it’s only a recipe for disaster because of how players behave, if you have done the training you can referee open age.
'keep on like this, ref and you're going to get a slap' The issue is this someone should not be saying this. Doesn’t matter if he’s done 5 years as a referee someone is still going to say this. THIS IS THE ISsue
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This isn’t black and white like you seem to try and imply
one
RefChat Addict
You are right in saying that player behavior issues should take priority. But that is where I would stop agreeing with you. I was going to post something similar but then, this is a referee forum and most referees here are commenting and pointing out things we can help to prevent referee abuse. Its the things we have most control over. Curbing player behavior is mostly on football bodies.
Completely disagree with your statement above. Referee courses and training are very short and are never aimed at putting a new referee directly in the middle of adult games. They rely a lot on learning on the job. They assume (or at least the ones I was involved in) that new referees are 'eased' into it. It's not too different in any walk of life. A fresh graduate doesn't become a CEO straight away. A pilot does not fly an A380 (or any large plane) straight out of completion of training.
Appointing a fresh referee to pen age because "if you have done the training you can referee open age" is just putting one's head in the sand and not acknowledging evil exists in the world, despite everyone knowing evil is wrong.
In that case newly qualified refs could ref on the premier league
I started at 28, had some life experience behind me, and even thought open age AR on a Saturday afternoon, and youth middles on a Sunday morning was a bit daunting at times.
Completely ridiculous reply and you ignore what I’ve said. Refereeing 15th tier Sunday league football is a completely different thing
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Maybe think before you reply
Yes but that last sentence goes both ways. You can’t accuse certain referees on this forum and say they turn a blind eye which is part of the issue, when what they are doing is suggesting ways of preventing the issue.
Player behaviour does need to be improved, but that is out of our control. And it isn’t completely different. You said “if you have done the training you can referee open age”. There’s no extra courses for PL referees. They do the same basic course, and work their way up. So it’s the same training, just used in different ways.
Using the same logic, I can drive on a motorway because I’ve had 3 driving lessons and know how the car works. Or I could fly an A380 because I did flying with the cadets.
Doing the course does not adequately prepare you for refereeing open age football so quickly, and if they have had bad experiences twice before, maybe they could have prevented a 3rd by dropping down a few age groups to adjust.
“Doing the course does not adequately prepare” everyone is a better way of describing it. When I completed my course I had played, coached, been married, divorced and married again plus around 20 years of policing so was more than adequately prepared to referee open age grassroots football.
one
RefChat Addict
You could have just said "married for a couple of years" and that would have covered it all
15th tier Sunday league football is also completely different to youth.
No it was well thought out... you just missed the meaning.
You're arguing that experience doesn't/shouldn't matter yet I've put a situation where experience really does matter. Presumably that doesn't suit your narrative.
The crux of the matter here is that not one size fits all. There are some referees who are able to go out and jump straight into OA and there are those that aren't.
Even the best behaved teams can cause an ill equipped referee problems if they don't have the experience or developed the skill set.
Genuinely the word for word perfect explanation.
RefRyanAus
Active Member
I dont think anyone is condoning or overlooking the very poor behaviour. However, refereeing is a challenging pastime and building skills and resilience to better manage games (and players) is a core skill most of us develop over time. I think we can all agree that we probably need to find better ways to introduce, progress (and protect) new referees so that they are at less risk of losing game control and confidence, particularly in early and unregulated fixtures. Of course, easier said than done with the limited resources available and some of the very bad will that exists today.
Of course they shouldn't be saying that. But you have a situation where a brand new referee is faced with this situation and is scared or ill equipped to do anything about it. Even some very experienced referees would be intimidated in that situation, but one who has very little practical experience is in a very difficult position.
By the way, posting in capitals to try and hammer home a narrative that you want to make isn't really appropriate (especially when your CAPS locks seemingly broke half way through), nor is telling a mod to think before they reply.