“Disciplined Professionals Prepare For Everything”
I am
sure that you will agree that a Lawyer enters a courtroom
prepared for everything and knowing as much as he can about
the case. Before a pilot steps into the cockpit he checks
his airplane and works out all his flight details and
plans.
This same attitude, gathering all necessary information
beforehand, is characteristic of every profession and of
every activity requiring knowledge and skill. Every
“profession” that is except one, that of a Football
Referee. Most referees at almost all levels of the game
imagine that they can just turn up, step onto the field and
referee. They believe that they need no more information
than the names of the teams, the venue and the kick off
time.
I certainly do not agree and I hope that in this article I
will be able to help you, the new or local league Referee.
The
League or Competition
In
addition to league or cup rules and regulations which you
may get in the post or at a pre-season meeting you should
also try and get the team standings before each game.
What will a win or defeat mean for either team?
Will it be relegation or promotion?
What about any “history” between the two teams?
The
Teams and their Tactics
I feel
that what would help you as the match referee would to
simply be in the right place at the right time in order for
you to not get in the way of players and their movement.
You have to know how they are going to play. Before the
game you may be able to remember or find out what each team
does at free kicks near goal. Do they have any “trick”
manoeuvres at a throw-in? What kind of passing game do they
play? Who are the leading goal scorers? The list can be
seen as endless and some of these tactics may be difficult
for you to discover but if you have seen it once with a
particular team then remember it. You can get a lot of this
information by watching teams and asking other referees who
have officiated in their games or seen them play. Try and
find out this information before the game if you can. It
will give you a bit of a ‘head start’.
The
Players
It is
quite often clear that talented players are indeed the
intended ‘targets’ of unfair play. This applies to all
levels of the game, not just the professional game.
As players are out warming up or moving about the field
before kick-off take a minute or two to watch them. Look at
how skilled they may be or which player seems to have a
delicate touch on the ball. Which player knocks the ball
about with very little effort? How confident are the
goalkeepers? Is the coach spending a lot of time with one
particular player talking things over and pointing here and
there?
These are all key players. If you imagine yourself as an
opposing coach or captain and ask yourself, what would you
do to stop these players? The answers you will get will
tell you what you may have to look out for right from the
start of the game. Try and gather information about the so
called ‘hard men’ or ‘destroyers’, whatever they are called
such as the type of player who announces their presence on
the field with a ferocious tackle early in the game. Try
and find out who they are so that when you see the first
unfair challenge you are not caught out by surprise.
Learn what you can about the coach of each team. Is he a
shouter or a moaner? Do they put pressure on a referee
throughout a match hoping to get a favourable decision at a
critical time? Is the coach the sort of individual you can
reason with? Or will he co-operate with you for the good of
the game? (Now that would be nice wouldn’t it?)
2
You need
to know ahead of time so that you can choose the next
appropriate response when the pressure or misconduct
starts. Your immediate response, carefully thought out
ahead of time will stop things escalating.
The
Rest Of Your Preparation
Before
every match you have many other things you need to do in
order “to be ready”. It can be quite a simple list:
-
Kit clean and pressed?
-
Boots, clean and shiny?
-
Whistles (2), each with a different pitch so that you are not affected by a game on the adjacent field where the referee has the same whistle as you.
-
Notebook.
-
Pens/pencils.
-
Flags (for your ‘forgetful’ club assistants).
-
Two Yellow cards, one for easy access and the other out of the way in your shirt pocket.
-
Red card, safely out of sight and fastened away (shorts back pocket is best place so as to give you time to think before using it)
-
Change of £5 (as the home club will not have the correct money to pay you your fee)
-
Arrive at the ground in good time before kick off
-
SMILE AND ENJOY YOURSELF
Till The Next Time,
Happy Whistling!!!
Malcolm L
(The Refwatcher)