Rant: Amateur Refereeing

yesno1234

Right well I just need to get this off my chest before I go mad. I was at an u18 match tonight, I won't say what league just as I do not want this to contain any personal details which may lead to said 'referee' or players being identified.

The match started off calm, a good footballing affair with two teams up for a good match. This all changed, however, when the away team went ahead, the home team proceed to do nothing but attack and batter the home team. There was a number of incidents, which I will describe in time, but a number of late rash and high tackles were left unpunished by the referee, not even a free was given when a card would have been more than appropriate. But this is not even the worst of it.

In the second half a striker from the home team punched a centre back full force in the back to which a number of players reacted from the home team but there was no punches, kicks etc thrown by the away team which I'm sure in that situation many of you would agree would be hard not to react to. No free, card or even talking to from the ref.

Then when the home team levelled the match a player from their team confronted the other centre back from the away team and headbutted him. The centre back did not react to this however another player from the team did and began to push the player and the player pushed back, handbags stuff no punches kicks etc thrown. The referee then proceeded to send off both of these players for the pushing and nothing was said about the headbutt.

The players from the away team at this point were actually pleading with the ref just to protect their players before someone's leg was broken, the referee's reply to this "go away I have been at this long enough I know what I'm doing"

Despite this, however, he still done nothing to protect the away team and although I was up the far sideline, a number of the forward players were complaining about being punched and kicked. Later in the match the striker which was complaining of being kicked and punched was spat on by a centre back when jumping for a ball.

The left mid from the away team was actually afraid to get on the ball because he was being hurt so badly and the managers had no other choice than to take the player off. He was obviously targeted as he is quite quick and hard to tackle, and he is also one of the smallest on the team. I am all for young lads playing football and I know how hard it is to referee but this is just discouraging players from playing at a time when more and more teams are struggling for players. I mean why would any player play if all there going to have happen to them is be kicked, punched and headbutted and nothing done by the referee to protect them.

Finally in the last minute of extra time the referee pulled the home team on their late two footed tackling and sent off but this good decision was cancelled out by another player again being tackled late and from behind five feet away from the original tackle well after the whistle had gone for the original tackle. The ref done nothing about this second tackle. This player has had to go hospital tonight and has sprained ligaments in his foot which is the best we could have hoped for tbh we thought his ankle was broken.

The away team has made a complaint to the league rightly so but I am fairly sure nothing will come of it as what can they do. All I can say is fairplay to the away side who never once raised a fist or anything to the home side despite being practically assaulted on the pitch, I don't know if I or many of you would be able refrain from reacting. One of the worst things about it was that at no point did any of the home teams ask their players to calm down or anything, but when you have people like this in charge of a team how can you expect any of the players to behave properly. The player sent off for the away team was actually taunted by the parents on the sideline when he went to get changed.

I'm sorry for such a long post, it's just I need to vent somehow but how can people like this ref be in charge of football at any age.

tallaghtmick

I reckon the ref was afraid of the home team as he may have been subject to their abuse before?

yesno1234

tallaghtmick wrote: »

I reckon the ref was afraid of the home team as he may have been subject to their abuse before?

That's the thing though they weren't abusing the ref at all, although they didn't have much to give out about tbh but I know what you're saying. Just discraceful that a lad could have his leg broken and never return to playing football all because a referee did not provide adequate to protection not only under the laws of the game but what you'd be done for if caught by the guards.

gooch2k9

Fair play to them for not losing the heads in fairness. Takes a lot not to react, I know I would have. Hope something comes out of the complaint.

yesno1234

gooch2k9 wrote: »

Fair play to them for not losing the heads in fairness. Takes a lot not to react, I know I would have. Hope something comes out of the complaint.

Tbh that was the only good thing that came out of the match. They are actually a great bunch of lads and don't have a cynical bone in them to hurt another player. Showed very wise, mature heads on young shoulders tonight and their parents should be proud of raising such good lads.

gooch2k9

yesno1234 wrote: »

Tbh that was the only good thing that came out of the match. They are actually a great bunch of lads and don't have a cynical bone in them to hurt another player. Showed very wise, mature heads on young shoulders tonight and their parents should be proud of raising such good lads.

Little bit of that wouldn't hurt though I'd say. Not to the extent of going out to hurt opponents but enough to protect themselves, especially if there are ref/s who won't.

yesno1234

gooch2k9 wrote: »

Little bit of that wouldn't hurt though I'd say. Not to the extent of going out to hurt opponents but enough to protect themselves, especially if there are ref/s who won't.

Well see they're well able to handle themselves and are good and strong, a few them will be playing senior gaelic football for their club within the next year or two and this is a club that hasn't been far off winning all irelands the last few years, one of them is actually already starting for them. One or two of the other lads I honestly would have expected to bury the lads back but to their credit they didn't want to put their team in the situation of being a man down and letting the other players down. It was horrible to see though players of 16/17/18 actually pleading with the ref just to help. I understand what you are saying though.

Edit: The lad who actually had to go hospital tonight is the first lad I would have expected to have retaliated as he has done in the past. Show's that the lad is maturing and he's a great player so it's even better to see him not being sent off for stupid things.

yesno1234

Thought I'd just update this thread because the two teams met again yesterday in a match that all but decided the league.

Different referee but my god fair play to him, he has restored my faith in amatuer refereeing.

Less than twenty minutes in to the game one of their players went in studs up stamping and almost breaking the players leg, fair play to the ref took no bs and sent him straight off. Five mins later another player from their team with another bad tackle when ball was about five yards gone again no bs second yellow red card. The only thing I would say about the ref is in the second half he pulled our team for absolutely everything, probably subconciously trying to even it up.

From what Tallaghtm said above the scenes at the end of the match were very bad, a number of their players screaming in the refs face, so I see the ref may have been intimidated last time although there was only about ten at that match and there was 30-40 at this. Also a number of players were abused by parents/supporters from the other side and one had a ball thrown in his face by a youngish (teenager) from their side, again fair play ref sent him away from the sideline. Lads won 2 1 so fair play to them and well done referee if all of refs could be as tough as him amateur soccer would be a better sport.

mikemac

yesno1234 wrote: »

Thought I'd just update this thread because the two teams met again

our team

From the first post I thought you were watching as a neutral and this was an impartial observation

But it was your team

And maybe there is another fan/parent on the other side who saw the same game and took the opposite view of everything.
Sure isn't that what fans do, homerism comes into it

Mars Bar

mikemac wrote: »

From the first post I thought you were watching as a neutral and this was an impartial observation

But it was your team

And maybe there is another fan/parent on the other side who saw the same game and took the opposite view of everything.
Sure isn't that what fans do, homerism comes into it

If the ref has to brandish two red cards in an U18 game, then there is something wrong. You can't deny that if you are for or against the team in question to be honest.

astonaidan

Weve all played in a similar sort of situation, Theres nothing more annoying than being better than a team but losing to a home ref, Saying that I was involved in a game last year where the team I played for scored a goal which I thought for sure was a foul, Striker jumped into goalie and he dropped ball and striker tapped it in, The ref then allowed the goal and the other team went mad, the goalie started cursing the ref and he sent him off to which the goalie did the logical thing and swung at the ref, took about 10min to get him off the pitch we went on to win the game 1 nil when they had a goal ruled of for dodgy offside, The thing is the ref was a home ref who knew all the lads and the fellow he sent off well and we were the away team. like he was a terrible ref but at least he wasnt a homer

yesno1234

mikemac wrote: »

From the first post I thought you were watching as a neutral and this was an impartial observation

But it was your team

And maybe there is another fan/parent on the other side who saw the same game and took the opposite view of everything.
Sure isn't that what fans do, homerism comes into it

I'm sure there was fans/parents on the other side who took an opposite view but these are fans/parents who abused two of our players coming off the pitch.

Being impartial to a match is not really relevant when you see players being kicked, punched, headbutted and spat on.