The Ref Stop

When do you become less lenient?

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Oscar

New Member
Level 8 Referee
Hi there,

It's my first season as a referee and so far it's been a bumpy ride to say the least. I referee mini soccer on alternate Saturdays but Sunday's I either referee at Peterborough United academy or League fixtures. My ages groups I work on are usually U11-U13s. Throughout the games I've completed I've had a goalkeepers DOGO and players swearing at me (U13s). However I am yet to hand out a caution or a red and I would like to know your opinion on when I should start being less lenient on the players, and what I should warrant a caution/red at that age?
 
The Ref Stop
Right, couple of tips for you.
Start every game off the same, so advantage, managing players and only really cautioning for obvious caution offenses and managing the ones that you can, if the players are happy to play along with you at that point stay like that, if they just want to play football and be nice then even sometimes an obvious caution can be easily managed. If they have the mentality to not play football and want to be rough and aggressive with each other then you stiffen up your disciplinary sanctions, start clamping down, killing the game, no advantage unless blatant, manageable cautions you caution for to calm it. A point I make is, a tackle that's borderline red card in an aggressive match becomes a red, in a calm match I'd go yellow, shows adjustment to the mood of the game. Just remember that if you caution in a game for a tackle that's reckless you have to be consistent throughout.
Some won't agree with that approach but it works for me
Oh and any player that swears at you should see at least a caution 8/10 times, just remember with that, a frustrated player saying "For f's sake ref" doesn't need a caution and a talking to in that situ helps massively. You'll learn as you progress
 
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Oscar said:
Hi there,

It's my first season as a referee and so far it's been a bumpy ride to say the least. I referee mini soccer on alternate Saturdays but Sunday's I either referee at Peterborough United academy or League fixtures. My ages groups I work on are usually U11-U13s. Throughout the games I've completed I've had a goalkeepers DOGO and players swearing at me (U13s). However I am yet to hand out a caution or a red and I would like to know your opinion on when I should start being less lenient on the players, and what I should warrant a caution/red at that age?
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We would need to know what exactly was said.
For example, "that's a ****ing corner ref", prob wouldn't earn a straight caution (despite being shocking in an u13 match) however "referee, you're a ******" will be seeing a red card every single time.
Def sounds like you should have issued a card by now as it's obviously bad enough that you remember it after the game.
Forget the age group, if you want to swear like the big boys you can serve a suspension like the big boys!
 
Thanks for the advice all things I will definetely take in to my next match. As for the swearing incident, after talking to this player for a foul he committed he walked a way and muttered under his breath 'stop being a pr*** then' straight after the half time whistle was blown. I spoke to his manager and told him he needed to calm him down otherwise I would have to result in booking him. He didn't say a thing again throughout the match and was well behaved. I could tell throughout the first half that he was fustrated with himself so I felt a booking would be harsh as I could manage him differently. Not sure if this was correct however
 
Oscar said:
Thanks for the advice all things I will definetely take in to my next match. As for the swearing incident, after talking to this player for a foul he committed he walked a way and muttered under his breath 'stop being a pr*** then' straight after the half time whistle was blown. I spoke to his manager and told him he needed to calm him down otherwise I would have to result in booking him. He didn't say a thing again throughout the match and was well behaved. I could tell throughout the first half that he was fustrated with himself so I felt a booking would be harsh as I could manage him differently. Not sure if this was correct however
Click to expand...

I'd be leaning towards a yellow card for that one, though I guess that's dependent on your tolerance levels.

In terms of general advice, I'd echo that of @Aled above. As you referee more, you'll start to get a feel of when the temperature is rising, which is when you "kill the game" for a few minutes. Stop playing the advantage, get all set pieces and throws taken from the exact spot and just generally slow it down as much as possible; it often takes the sting out of the game and you can get back to refereeing normally. What it does do is show the players that you're in charge. If the behaviour doesn't improve, then by all means caution as necessary. You can then carry on safe in the knowledge that you've done what you can. If the players want to be idiots, then so be it. I sometimes find that this approach can prevent a caution before the need for it actually arises.
 
Oscar said:
Thanks for the advice all things I will definetely take in to my next match. As for the swearing incident, after talking to this player for a foul he committed he walked a way and muttered under his breath 'stop being a pr*** then' straight after the half time whistle was blown. I spoke to his manager and told him he needed to calm him down otherwise I would have to result in booking him. He didn't say a thing again throughout the match and was well behaved. I could tell throughout the first half that he was fustrated with himself so I felt a booking would be harsh as I could manage him differently. Not sure if this was correct however
Click to expand...

Don't ever not caution a player because you don't think it's in their character or you feel sorry for them, or they're frustrated at themselves because they're not playing well. Your job is to manage the game, not their performance.

Particularly where dissent or backchat is frequent you have to act quickly and publicly for the other players to notice and sub-consciously play ball.

I'm not saying a caution every time, but public displays of authority. Pull a player across to you, take your time, resist the temptation to rush it. Firm your ground and explain clearly, confidently and loudly what you're not happy with.

If there's a next time everybody in the park has seen you bollock him, so the next course of action explains itself.
 
I disagree about managing games. Better to start with 20 minutes where you set your tolerance out nice and clearly; softish fouls being given, no advantage unless it s golden, let nothing go, let them have nothing :) Nice and verbal, don't be afraid to get players over with their captain nice and early if they look like they are getting close to the line.

If a caution is needed or dictated as required; job done, give it. Don't make a rod for your own back by trying to over manage situations early and then struggling to control the game later on in the match. What you don't punish, you encourage <--- Golden words to live by.

Do it correctly and players will often take to this quite quickly, you can then loosen up a bit if the game allows and let them try their best to entertain you with their efforts to play football! It is a lot harder to regain control of the match after players have gotten all het up. Easier to start strict.
 
hold on - (and im saying this slowly and deliberatly as if in disbelief) you are at a professional football youth academy, with players swearing, and have issued no cards? Neither of these thing should be happening.

Did they do the minutes silence last weekend?

Tell you what - next time peterorough come down to Arsenal / Leyton Orient / Charlton, ask to join then and we'll show you how its done. The Ex Select group mentors will be able to advise you, personally!
 
Matthew said:
I'd be leaning towards a yellow card for that one, though I guess that's dependent on your tolerance levels.

In terms of general advice, I'd echo that of @Aled above. As you referee more, you'll start to get a feel of when the temperature is rising, which is when you "kill the game" for a few minutes. Stop playing the advantage, get all set pieces and throws taken from the exact spot and just generally slow it down as much as possible; it often takes the sting out of the game and you can get back to refereeing normally. What it does do is show the players that you're in charge. If the behaviour doesn't improve, then by all means caution as necessary. You can then carry on safe in the knowledge that you've done what you can. If the players want to be idiots, then so be it. I sometimes find that this approach can prevent a caution before the need for it actually arises.
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Caution for calling the ref a "p***k"?
Don't think so.
That is RED CARD in ANY minute of ANY match at ANY age
 
I don't need have a tick list, but anyone calling me one of a number of specific swear words or insults (pr*** being one of them), is getting the changing room key and warming up the showers for his teammates.

Never accept insults like that, even more so from kids of that age.
 
Ok, we've had a bit of a discussion on the dissent - how about the DOGSO? Is the U/11 match 11-a-side?
In Australia, as soon as they hit 11-a-side, the full laws apply. Unfortunately, DOGSO is mandatory if it occurs. You may be able to stretch the argument as to whether there was an OGSO, but if there was, it's mandatory.

Personally I wouldn't consider the above comment a red (but I'm in Australia too, so maybe different standards), but on the other hand I'm generally stricter on youth in regards to dissent than adults.

Could you describe this incident more?
 
It's not mine. Sadly.

@Kes - I might not be your dad, but if you need a spanking....

That sounds weirder than intended. I could make it even weirder with this

;)
 
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