At the end of a recent game, the losing coach shook my hand and whilst doing so said ‘**** as always Ref but at least **** to both teams today’. It was said in a joking way and I do know this coach from many other fixtures so just accepted it as a bit of friendly banter. Of course I realise this is one of those ‘you have to be there moments’ but it has got me thinking after the event about whether I should have been more offended. Not sure whether I am being overly sensitive or whether I should just take the reference to consistency as a compliment!
I wish I had been able to whip out one of those witty come backs some of you more experienced refs use like ‘yes mate.. the referee was well matched to the quality of the teams today’ but I can never think on the spot like that. I accept it probably wasn’t my best game this year but at the same time, definitely not the worst. Oh well… onwards and upwards I guess.
Easy for members on here to tell you to just ignore it Ryan, but that's one of the things that's wrong with the game in my opinion.
For as long as we make it "okay" for coaches/players to insult us without consequence, it'll continue. There was no need for him to say that to you, no matter how "jokingly" (which was his way of trying to disguise it).
I agree with the advice that a witty comeback or flippant response probably isn't the best thing to do in the shoes that you were in, (and of course, once you say it, the encounter can escalate and you wouldn't have a leg to stand on
) but based on the fact that you're young and were compelled to post this on here, it's my guess that it clearly offended and/or insulted you (?)
I'd have done one of two things:
1. Replied - "Please don't insult me again, even as a joke".
or
2. Replied - "Thanks for the insult" ... and showed him a red card.
Irrespective of some of the advice given on here to just effectively ignore it, you'd have been well within your rights to do either of the above.
He'd be unlikely to push out an asshole comment like that again next time you meet ...
As ever, just my own opinion mate ...