Into The Book - EPISODE 1 - March 18, 2022
Welcome to the 2022 Adult / Amatuer Season with CRO. We are excited for what this season is going to offer referees and what can come from this great opportunity. We hope to provide this type of message for you all throughout the season. We will focus on our Points of Emphasis as well as looking at situations and common threads during matches across each weekend of Matches. In this first addition we will show some examples from professional matches. The article below is a sample of the educational material sent to the PRO Referees and we feel that it is extremely relevant to the matches that you all will be working. The points of emphasis line up with what we are using for our season and can help you all start of the season strong. We look forward to getting video of your matches from this season in future editions. Now, without further delay, let get 2022 fully underway!
2022 Points of Emphasis - Mobbing / Dissent by Action - Bench Decorum & Behavior - Delaying the Restart - Persistent Offenses.
MOBBING / DISSENT BY ACTION (DT)
Approaching a Match Official in a very aggressive manner, spiking the ball into the ground or waving / throwing the arms are all acts of visual dissent that are public and erode the authority of the Match Officials. This is unacceptable behavior and demands a calm and confident approach but a strong reaction. When it comes to mobbing, every player who comes to the Referee in an aggressive manner is at risk of being issued a yellow card. Be intelligent about who is issued the caution or cautions, but do not ignore clear acts of visual dissent.
We want to see this limited if not eliminated from our game. We know that as referees we will not always get the decision correct, but we have to be allowed to work in an environment where we are not crowded or mobbed after plays, no matter how big or small. We have ways to correct mistakes as referees, we have ways to confirm correct decisions should there be doubt, but players are not a part of that process and although they will be present and around, they can not physically impose themselves on you as the referee throughout the match. We must stand up for ourselves as referees and not allow this to take place without being addressed.
Every moment of approach by a player must be Yellow Carded and below you have an fantastic example of how that approach can be taken. But IGNORING THIS IS NOT AN OPTION.
After a correct decision not to award a penalty for a handball offense when a defender deliberately plays the ball into his own arm using his head, several players surround the Referee. They do not approach in an aggressive manner, and this situation is manageable.
Note how although the referee did not produce a Yellow Card in this case, the actions of the players were not ignored and were clearly addressed. The Referee takes a moment to let the game and players settle and then deliberately speaks to the captain of the team and visually shows him AND everyone that this mobbing is not acceptable and could result in the issuing of a yellow card.
Like in the last example, the Referee makes the correct decision by awarding a direct free kick and issuing a yellow card for the challenge. However, in this situation, the players approach the Referee in an aggressive manner. Take a stronger approach to this kind of behavior and issue a yellow card to the player (or players if need be) who approach the most aggressively. Do you have to card all of them? No, but at least one of these players should receive a card and then you go from there with what you feel fits best based on the next moments of the situation. Not carding one of these players for behaving in this way and mobbing the referee like this is not optional.
Here you see an areal view of what mobbing the referee can look like and what it can lead to. Not only does the referee get quickly and aggressively surrounded, one of the players in green throws his arm clearly in the direction of the referee and then a mass confrontation ensues because of the temperature of the players. A Yellow Card is expected to at least one of the players in green for their part in this as mobbing the referee and such visual signs of dissent is not acceptable and should be punished with a yellow card.
The Referee here does a great job of creating some space in a calm and confident manner so that he is not surrounded by the players and then chooses a good place to stand his ground remaining calm and confident. Our recommendation is to use visual and verbal cues so that everyone is clearly aware of what you as the referee are indicating. Creating space for yourself between the players and motioning for the players to move away from you is helpful to paint a clear picture as to what you need the players to do and why a Yellow Card is or will be issued. It also lets everyone know that more players are now in jeopardy of receiving a Yellow Card should their actions continue.
The player who is most aggressive in their hand motions and is directly in front of the referee (#10) should be issued a Yellow Card for his actions and clear dissent. The Yellow card can be produced when you feel it is best, however we want to ensure that it does not lead to confusion or more aggression so encourage that for the first caution issued for this type of behavior in the match, if at all possible to use your tools to make it very clear as to why you are producing a yellow card it will serve you best. This will also help eliminate further incidents of this by both teams as they are now fully aware of your expectations of behavior.
2 - Delaying the Restart (DR)
Use intelligence and feel what the game needs however, understand that what we have allowed in the past has generally been very generous regarding this type of player behavior. Three points that stand out here in this topic.
Kicking and / or Throwing the ball away from the spot of the foul or area the ball is in is not acceptable and should be dealt with according to the laws of the game - Delay Restart - Yellow Card
We will touch on the possible moments that you might be able to manage this without a caution and through proactive management or a public warning
Players running in front of the ball to stop the free kick should be Cautioned if it clearly impacts the teams ability to play the free kick should they be attempting to do so. This is Delaying the Restart.
If the player is already in front of the free kick and does not made a good faith effort to move back to the required 10 yards or moves closer to encroach on the free kick, this generally falls under Failure to Respect the Distance unless the referee deems is clearly Delaying the Restart
ALL members of the Referee crew must be aware of their surroundings as these things will happen quickly, and not always be visible to the Referee.
The key is when possible and when it is marginal, use preventive measures and/or management of the situation. However, on clear examples of delay, it is expected that a yellow card is issued. When clear, take a strong approach when players deliberately take longer than necessary to put the ball into play, take longer than necessary to leave the field of play when being substituted and when players kick or carry the ball away on a free kick or other restart when it is not their ball.
In all 4 cases listed below these are clear situations in which the ball is kicked or thrown away after the whistle has been blown. All of these situations should be dealt with uniformly and strongly with a Yellow Card for Delaying the Restart as these actions are clear.
2 Points we expect to surface from this:
We expect the question in response to this to be, well what if the player is on a Yellow Card. The player has made a choice to do something they know is a Yellow Card Offense, they have taken that risk. If it is marginal or we as referees are able to use preventative measures, then we want to see that done. However each player is responsible for their own actions and deliberate and clear actions like this come the punishment of a Yellow Card.
Players on the opposition to point and raise the issue to the referee and in some cases, wrongfully so. It is our duty to manage the players in these moments and not be baited in to scenarios you feel you have to act because of pressure from a player or coach. You as the referee are the captain of the ship and if it is not right to give a caution but it is better suited to use management in that moment then do so, if you must give a caution then you must. Players begging for the opposition to be carded throughout the game should be reminded that they are acting in an unsporting way and should that type of behavior continue there is a caution for Unsporting Behavior - Lack of Respect for the Game, available to them should they choose to take it.
The player clearly and deliberately kicks the ball across the field after the whistle is blown. There is no other option but to Yellow Card the player for Delaying the Restart. If you deem this to be Dissent because of frustration or the player makes a remark about the free kick being given, you would be able to write this up as Dissent by Action.
The player who committed the foul then, clearly and deliberately kicks the ball away as the white team is attempting to set up a free kick. After kicking the ball away he then encroaches on the Free Kick. We recommend more active management here as this clearly impacts the opposing teams ability to restart the game and not dealing with this type of behavior will be eroded the referees ability to adjust player behavior moving forward as players will loose trust in the referee to protect the game from this type of behavior. We would not expect a double yellow in this case, but a Yellow Card and then should the player encroach and the referee is able to address it with a one to one as a last warning that would be best practice here.
A player throwing the ball away and the Referee needing assistance to identify the correct player seeks assistance from the AR on the far side of the field who was alert and had the information ready for the referee to act.
The player clearly kicks the ball away after the foul occurred and player. The player clearly and deliberately kicked the ball away and the referee rightfully produces a Yellow Card. We like the visual and verbal communication to the player to identify and paint a clear picture of what happened. Even the commentator is able to understand why the card was produced. But we feel a slightly more calm and measured approach would have been even better.
In this scenario the player who committed the UB - Stopping Promising Attack Offense (#4) also kicked the ball away as she continued her movement to her position as she is receiving the Yellow Card. Use practical Refereeing here. Unless these two things are clearly and obviously separate moments in time and done by the same player, we would not want to see 2 Yellow Cards produced in this type of moment for the same player. We would however like to see the referee bring the player over, remind them that they can not kick the ball away in a one to one brief and calm moment with the player as best practice here though.
Had the player committed the UB-SPA offense and then turned to the referee to argue their point and then as they were walking away, then kick the ball away it would be clearly two separate moments and in this case we would want to see a second yellow card. One for US-SPA & one for Delaying the Restart.
3 - Persistent Offenses (PO)
Every team will have a key player or key play maker who becomes a target of the opposing team. Small fouls by a team to stop this player from executing their duties can build frustration not only in the player, but also in the entire team. A whole-team approach (including the AR and 4th) is needed to identify when someone on the field is being targeted AND / OR fouling consistently and persistently. Use management to set up the team to prevent future fouls, and then be ready to pull the trigger at the next opportunity if appropriate.
We recommend setting up players visually should you be preparing to give a yellow card for Persistent Offenses. As referees it is not written in the Laws of the Game that we become the story teller or artist painting a picture of the game, however that is what is required of us in these types of moments. Those who succeed in getting their point across for ALL participants in the game to take note of are often able to easily and expectedly produce a Yellow Card for Persistent Offenses with limited pushback from the players and coaches. However, if you are not able to paint a clear picture for the players and are not able to tell them the story of the game, you will often times be met with confusion and possible dissent and frustration from the players. Do not always expect them to know what you know. You must convey the message somehow, not always the same way and not always can we act preventatively, but when provided with the oppruitnity we MUST ensure we are aware enough to take it.
If you or a crew member identifies PO then ensure if that is a foul not worthy of a Yellow Card in its own merrit that you bring the player to a neutral space and signal that you are aware of the pattern of fouls and that the player is risking a Yellow Card should the pattern continue.
A great use of visual techniques to indicate that the referee is aware that there is a team pattern of fouls against an individual player on the opposing team and that the repeated fouls must stop or they are at risk of receiving a Yellow Card. Should another foul or repeated fouls occur, we MUST produce the Yellow Card to keep the integrity of the game and our credibility in tact.
Great explanation by the narrator in this clip. As a reminder - Should another foul or repeated fouls occur but this player and we have made the “No More“ signal with our hands, we MUST produce the Yellow Card to keep the integrity of the game and our credibility in tact. if you are able to do this in a way that is clear that you want that behavior to stop but you do not give the “No More“ Signal, you give yourself a little bit of leeway should you need it later, but only a little bit. Persistent Offenses, are Persistent Offenses and should be dealt with accordingly.
Here the Referee Produces a Yellow Card for PO, however does not indicate on the previous foul that the player is in danger of receiving a caution for PO. This creates confusion on the players part and then frustration leading to dissent. Although we may believe the players should know where they stand with foul count, we can not expect that they do. We must use the ideas in the other videos to help us indicate that we are on the verge of producing a card for PO if at all possible should we be approaching that point.
4 - Bench Behavior
This is one that starts from the moment you check teams in. You MUST ensure that teams are adhering to rules set out by the leagues they are participating in. The foundation is built on arrival and at first interatction.
Details such as the # of rostered players, which coaches and team officials are allowed in the technical area, where fans are allowed and more are so important to having a successful match. If we want success on the field, we must have our house in order off the field. All crew members MUST participate and be aware of this aspect of our duties. We all must be prepared to not only identify issues or areas of concern administratively, but also being active in correcting those points. Setting the right tone before a game with calm and confident interactions with the teams and administrators as you go through your pre-game procedures will create the best environment for Referees, players, coaches and administrators to work in as you go through the match.
The teamwork must fully kick in to gear when the match starts as there are many things to juggle. Many referees have different standards, however the laws of the game have helped to clarify and standardize our approach to technical / bench area behavior. Take time to deal with aggressive and public dissent from coaches. Yelling and waving arms is not acceptable. Understand that in sport we must have a degree of empath for emotional outbursts at certain moments of the game. HOWEVER, if those in the technical / bench area cross the line from emotional outburst to clear Dissent, it should be dealt with accordingly. We should work with those who are being reasonable, but those showing dissent on the touchlines or acting with improper behavior MUST be warned / cautioned / sent off based on their words and actions. Referees who have fourth officials or ARs working with technical areas can not leave their teammates in the cold. Check in with them, help them and back them when they need your assistance! If we deal with in uniform manner as referees it will become excepted by teams and make all our jobs that much easier.
We are particularly focused on the VISUAL behavior displayed by the coaches and the LANGUAGE they use in the referees direction.
We have a few rules of thumb that have served us well and fall in line with league expectations as well as the Laws of the Game and have listed them below. Please be aware that these are recommendations and do not fit every scenario carbon copy. Do what suits the game and the moment, but also be aware that if you are stopping the game for something caused or created by someone in the technical area more often than not, action must be taken when called for.
If the Center Referee identifies an issue and chooses to address the bench / technical area quickly and in a “Fly-By“ manner or play is stopped for a extended period of time (injury / substitution / goal scored / ect.), use your tool kit and address what needs to be addressed in the best way that fits the moment. If a warning or misconduct should be issued, then do so, but if it is a moment you can create report while addressing something with the team coaches, then we 100% encourage that.
If it is administrative - someone warming up with a ball on the side lines, players sitting too close to the touchline, ect. We recommend taking the time at an appropriate stoppage, clearly stating what you need to change in a calm / confident manner both visually and verbally as the referee and then restarting play when addressed. If the 4th official or AR calls the referee over for an administrative type moment, same applies. If there is clear pushback then a warning or Yellow Card could be produced, but we want to see Referees giving the team an opportunity to correct the issue, at the adult amateur level in particular, first and then on second time of coming over and addressing the same issue we would expect a warning or yellow card.
If the Center Referee identifies an issue with behavior and chooses to or is required to address it by stopping the match for the issue, a warning at minimum but are generally expecting to see a Yellow or Red Card to be given to the person or persons creating the disturbance within that moment as it is taking time and attention away from the game and brining attention to the technical / bench area.
If you can wait for a stoppage like a Goal Kick / Free Kick / Throw-in / Ect. and then go to the bench area to address the issue that is always prefered, but if it needs to be immediately addressed then stop the game. These types of stoppages are not stoppages that would take and extended period of time and should not be looked at in the same way as the first point made above.
If the AR or 4th official brings / becons the Referee over to address something in the technical / bench area, the expectation is that the AR or 4th Official has either already provided a warning or in that moment, the behavior displayed by someone in the technical area (Coach, administrator or player) is worthy of a Yellow or Red Card. Referees being called over should be expecting to give a Yellow card or Red Card if being asked to stop the game and address the technical area. Referees should not be caught off guard when asked to deliver this type of punishment for behavior. If the referee needs more information to make a decision AR & 4th officials should be prepared to give the reason and a recommended punishment.
Referees should be fully prepared to support the 4th officials and ARs working with the technical areas as they become powerless to help the Referee if that relationship is undermined, broken, ignored. Referees do not always have to follow the advice given, but they should be ready to back their ARs and 4th officials if they are being asked to issue warnings or misconduct to those in the technical area for sound reason.
4th officials and ARs should have a Reason and recommended punishment for moments they are becoming over a referee. The referee may not have seen or heard what happened as they would be focused mostly on the match and players on the field. Reasons should be delivered with confidences, with use of the considerations or clear language to describe what the person has done and the recommended misconduct. This does not have to be and should not always be a prolonged conversation, Referees should be ready to take on the information, disseminate it and act decisively unless something stands out and should be questioned for clarification or the action described does not match the recommended punishment.
AR’s on the side opposite to the bench area are not off the hook. They often have the best view across the field and should they see something that clearly needs to be addressed they should get the attention of the referee, subtly or not based on the moment, and provide the information they have. it is not acceptable that they see something throughout the match and then do not provide the information to their team members. Their team members should note that it is to help, not to undermine that an AR across the field might provide informaiton to the crew on something as it is not always possible for the 4th to see everything to their left and right, particularly at the far end of the benches.
This Type of Behavior is clear and obvious and should immediately be addressed by a Yellow Card. The Visual nature of this is unacceptable and brings disrepute to the game and if it is not dealt with, will erode the referee’s credibility and the integrity of the game.
If the coach is using abusive or extremely offensive language along side these gestures, you would be within your right to produce a Red Card should you deem it necessary.
In this moment, whether the Referee is correct or incorrect in issuing a Yellow Card should be set aside for this current topic as that will be covered in a later article and we are focused specifically on the Technical Area Behavior.
We stated above, when emotion crosses in to clear dissent we must act. In this moment, you see that play out. Both the Head Coach and assistant coach have shown clear visual and verbal abuse towards all members of the referee crew after the referee correctly gave a foul, but chose not to issue a Yellow Card. The gesturing and posturing of both coaches is done in an extremely aggressive manner and the words used should only be repeated in the match report for administrative use.
We chose this clips because there will be times at which we may or may be incorrect in our decision on the field and the pressure that coaches and players are under to perform is very real at various levels across the soccer pyramid. However it does not (and we can not) excuse this type of behavior. All persons involved in the match (Referees Included) have a responsibility to remain professional and ensure they are in control of their emotions. This is not the image the sport of soccer wants to see at the park or on TV. We must maintain control of ourselves at all times and it is clear in this moment that both the head coach and assistant coach have stepped over that line and should be Sent Off for using offensive / abusive language and actions towards the referee crew + Deliberately leaving the technical area to dissent and remonstrate towards a match official.
We recommend empathy in all scenarios, but we also must have standards and a firm grasp on what is acceptable and what is not within our sport. The Technical area will remain a focus for us as we work to not only address the topics and issues we referees face, but also how we should take responsibility and ensure we are holding ourselves and our crew members accountable to equal standards we set for the coaches and the players.
THE LEAGUES WANT MISCONDUCT IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED ON THE FIELD IN THESE FOUR TOPICS AND DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY. IF YOU AS THE REFEREE DO NOT IDENTIFY AND DEAL WITH IT ON THE FIELD IT, IS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DEAL WITH IT OFF THE FIELD! WE MUST HAVE A UNITED AND CONSISTENT FRONT ON THESE TOPICS. WE WILL COURSE CORRECT AS NEEDED, BUT FEEL EMPOWERED TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUES YOU FACE AND WE AS ADMINISTRATORS WILL SUPPORT YOU!
We look forward to a successful season and putting these Points of Emphasis in to Practice, More topics and educational instruction will be released throughout the year!