New USSF Memorandum

[MassachusettsRef]

On issuing second cautions:

http://www.ussoccer-data.com/Action.lasso?-database=ussfdoc_.fp5&-layout=Topic1&-response=gentop2.htm&-recordID=32956&-search

[numerista]

Recent incidents in several professional matches suggest that referees are hesitating to caution a player who has already been cautioned in the match as this would then require that the player be sent off and shown the red card ... Referees should take care that the pattern of misconduct represented by the two cautions reflects behavior that truly is worthy of the player being sent from the field.


The USSF has missed the boat. A standard like "truly worthy of the player being sent from the field" is completely arbitrary, leaving referees in tenuous position to enforce the rules. Under such circumstances, is it any wonder that they hesitate?

[Ref Flunkie]

The USSF has missed the boat. A standard like "truly worthy of the player being sent from the field" is completely arbitrary, leaving referees in tenuous position to enforce the rules. Under such circumstances, is it any wonder that they hesitate?


Your quote is a bit out of context because the very next paragraph says not to think that the 2nd caution must be "worse or equal to" the first caution. I think it is our job as a referee to try and keep players on the field, but if they are determined to ignore us, then we should not hesitate to give a 2nd caution.

[numerista]

Your quote is a bit out of context because the very next paragraph says not to think that the 2nd caution must be "worse or equal to" the first caution.

... but this is just another statement about what the standard is not.


I think it is our job as a referee to try and keep players on the field, but if they are determined to ignore us, then we should not hesitate to give a 2nd caution.


To me, this sounds like excellent advice for recreational soccer. You only want to send a player off if he or she refuses to be a part of the game.

The pros, however, are different. Players are paid to stretch things to the limit, and that necessitates clear, firm rules. I don't think there's any other way to avoid a situation like the one we have now. Players are taking the law into their own hands; it's ugly and it's dangerous. Did anyone else see how the Quakes-Wizards game degenerated last Saturday?

[BentwoodBlue]

I cannot remember the exact stat but I would try to do it justice. I think last year in the MLS of the 45 or so send offs 7 or 8 were for a second caution. Over the same period in every sanctioned semi pro league there were 1300 or so sendoffs. ZERO of them were for a second caution.
I think this is why this is being adressed.

[njref]

... but this is just another statement about what the standard is not.



To me, this sounds like excellent advice for recreational soccer. You only want to send a player off if he or she refuses to be a part of the game.

The pros, however, are different. Players are paid to stretch things to the limit, and that necessitates clear, firm rules. I don't think there's any other way to avoid a situation like the one we have now. Players are taking the law into their own hands; it's ugly and it's dangerous. Did anyone else see how the Quakes-Wizards game degenerated last Saturday?

I read this thing 2x and I am not sure if the memo says hesitate more before issuing a 2d caution or don't hesitate to give one for bad conduct (or both).

I guess if the second yellow is possibly earned for trivial conduct (like improper sub, a little whining, shirt over the head) don't give the card. But we already knew that, didn't we? Is there some other message???

[MassachusettsRef]

I cannot remember the exact stat but I would try to do it justice. I think last year in the MLS of the 45 or so send offs 7 or 8 were for a second caution. Over the same period in every sanctioned semi pro league there were 1300 or so sendoffs. ZERO of them were for a second caution.
I think this is why this is being adressed.
First, the 1300 stat is not correct. Second, it was reported initially that there were zero second cautions in our 2nd-4th divisions last year, but that turned out to be an error on the part of either USL or USSF in transposing data. There were definitely second caution red cards in the professional divisions last year, because some people on this board were involved in matches when they occurred.

[Ref Flunkie]

To me, this sounds like excellent advice for recreational soccer. You only want to send a player off if he or she refuses to be a part of the game.

The pros, however, are different. Players are paid to stretch things to the limit, and that necessitates clear, firm rules. I don't think there's any other way to avoid a situation like the one we have now. Players are taking the law into their own hands; it's ugly and it's dangerous. Did anyone else see how the Quakes-Wizards game degenerated last Saturday?


There is a lot of levels between recreational and pro ;). Since I don't referee pro soccer I can only comment on non-pro so to say. I do agree that if something is a CLEAR caution, then there should be no hesitation, however everything is not black and white. If a player is getting close to that "line", you should step in with a comment of "Aren't you already playing with a yellow?", or "Careful, any further and you won't be around to finish the game". This indicates to the player that he is getting close to the line...but if he continues to go over that line, you have done your job in trying to keep him around, but he has chosen to ignore you. This is all I'm suggesting that should be done, and I think it is valid even at the pro level. You don't have to make a scene about warning him, or take what should be a cautionable offense and just warn him because it would be his second yellow. Just be sure the player knows where he stands.

[mutinywxgirl]

I cannot remember the exact stat but I would try to do it justice. I think last year in the MLS of the 45 or so send offs 7 or 8 were for a second caution. Over the same period in every sanctioned semi pro league there were 1300 or so sendoffs. ZERO of them were for a second caution.
I think this is why this is being adressed.


Please see this thread from back in April - it discusses what you are talking about. As MassRef said, it was a blatant error on the part of both USL and USSF.

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106880&highlight=card+send+offs

[numerista]

There is a lot of levels between recreational and pro ;). Since I don't referee pro soccer I can only comment on non-pro so to say. I do agree that if something is a CLEAR caution, then there should be no hesitation, however everything is not black and white. If a player is getting close to that "line", you should step in with a comment of "Aren't you already playing with a yellow?", or "Careful, any further and you won't be around to finish the game". This indicates to the player that he is getting close to the line...but if he continues to go over that line, you have done your job in trying to keep him around, but he has chosen to ignore you. This is all I'm suggesting that should be done, and I think it is valid even at the pro level. You don't have to make a scene about warning him, or take what should be a cautionable offense and just warn him because it would be his second yellow. Just be sure the player knows where he stands.

I agree that things aren't black-and-white, and what you say sounds reasonable enough. Here are the reasons why I disagree:

1. MLS officiating is making progress but is still at a stage where very few things are clear cautions. This has two important consequences:

a. At the present stage of development, a top priority needs to be achieving consistency of calls. This goal is undermined by vague memoranda like today's.

b. Because virtually nothing is a clear caution, virtually nothing is inherently worthy of a second caution. That's part of the reason we see so few of them.

2. The referee's job is to enforce the rules, not to keep players on the field. I agree that it's unfortunate if a player gets sent off prematurely, but there are also serious consequences to lax enforcement: it encourages negative tactics and reckless play (two visible problems with MLS).

To wrap up, the yellow card system was put in place to let a player know where he stands ... halfway to expulsion. When a league goes out of its way to avoid second cautions, that standard is weakened. I'd like to see a clear-headed move to strengthen the rulebook, rather than a confusing memo that leaves referees damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[HoldenMan]

In one paragraph they said that the 2nd caution should have nothing to do with the first one, then in the next they said don't forget the 2nd caution is practically a send off so only issue it if the player deserves to be sent off......


The opening line seems like the purpose of the memorandum is to address the fact that a lot of referees shy away from issuing second cautions, however the rest of the text appears to be encouraging this behaviour........

[Ref Flunkie]

I'd like to see a clear-headed move to strengthen the rulebook, rather than a confusing memo that leaves referees damned if they do, damned if they don't.

This point has been debated a number of time. There seems to be 2 sides, one that thinks we should have a rigid rule book where "if you do exactly this, you get that". The other is to give the referee the power to inturpret play and fouls as it pertains to that game. I honestly don't know which side I prefer, and usually flip depending on the day. I just think there are very few instances where a caution ALWAYS has to be given.

[kevbrunton]

In one paragraph they said that the 2nd caution should have nothing to do with the first one, then in the next they said don't forget the 2nd caution is practically a send off so only issue it if the player deserves to be sent off......


The opening line seems like the purpose of the memorandum is to address the fact that a lot of referees shy away from issuing second cautions, however the rest of the text appears to be encouraging this behaviour........

That's what I thought. This memo seems to contradict itself...

Recent incidents in several professional matches suggest that referees are hesitating to caution a player who has already been cautioned in the match as this would then require that the player be sent off and shown the red card. Referees must remember, however, that the purpose of this action is to remove from the field a player who has previously been officially notified through the first caution that the player's behavior is unacceptable and that, upon repetition, the player will not be permitted to take any further part in the game.

Accordingly, referees should take care that the pattern of misconduct represented by the two cautions reflects behavior that truly is worthy of the player being sent from the field. In cases where the player’s conduct on its own would warrant a caution regardless of the player's prior behavior, the referee must consider whether, in addition and looking at the total pattern of behavior within the spirit and feel for the game, the second instance of misconduct rises to the level of a send-off.

Don't these two bolded statements nearly contradict one another? On the one hand, it says "you've already given him his warning - if he does it again, give him his marching papers". On the other hand, it says, only give him his marching papers if the 2nd one rises to the level of a send-off.

[numerista]

This point has been debated a number of time. There seems to be 2 sides, one that thinks we should have a rigid rule book where "if you do exactly this, you get that". The other is to give the referee the power to inturpret play and fouls as it pertains to that game. I honestly don't know which side I prefer, and usually flip depending on the day. I just think there are very few instances where a caution ALWAYS has to be given.

That's an interesting broader context for this conversation. In general, I don't necessarily side with either camp, but in the specific case of second cautions, I do. Because the standard for a second yellow is so vague, referees avoid making the call. This is a case where "interpret the play" simply isn't working.

[ManiacalClown]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I think it would be almost fair to say that at least a third, if not more, of the red cards in MLS this season have been for second cautions. I haven't done the research, but I have the data readily available if anyone's curious.

[soccertim]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I think it would be almost fair to say that at least a third, if not more, of the red cards in MLS this season have been for second cautions. I haven't done the research, but I have the data readily available if anyone's curious.

There have been about 35 ejections this year. 1/3 of this would be about 12. Since there have been about 500 cautions this year, that would mean that only about 2.5% of the yellow cards were 2nd yellows. It seems like 1 in 40 is a pretty small amount, especially if you consider the number of games that get more and more chippy as they progress.

[ManiacalClown]

Well, I looked at the numbers and found the breakdown to be as follows:

Out of 34 total ejections this season...

Second Caution: 13
Violent Conduct: 9
Serious Foul Play: 8
DOGSO: 3
Language: 1 (given post match to Spencer)

That gives us just under 40% of ejections being due to a second yellow card.

1 in 40 yellow cards being seconds seems maybe a little low, but I don't think it can be construed as TOO off base. I'd have to compare it to statistics from other leagues, of course. You have to consider the fact that MLS refs seem to dish out, on average, many more yellow cards then refs in, say, the EPL. Perhaps this is part of the problem? Being too quick to card in situations where it isn't quite warranted...and then because of the dubious nature of the first card, being unwilling to pull the second right away?

[numerista]

1 in 40 yellow cards being seconds seems maybe a little low, but I don't think it can be construed as TOO off base. I'd have to compare it to statistics from other leagues, of course.

Mexico Apertura, through 81 games:
44 red cards, roughly 400 yellows

No data handy on how many reds were second yellows, though.

[numerista]

Dug up the Mexico data for second yellows: 15 through 81 games.

Rough numbers:
~Mexico 1 out of ~26 cautions results in a send-off.
~MLS 1 out of ~40 cautions results in a send-off.

That's a rate roughly 50% higher than MLS, although a portion of that increase is a simple result of Mexico's awarding more cards, which leads to more players carrying yellows.

While MLS's reluctance to caution leads to excessive fouling, Mexico might be leaning too far in the opposite direction, rewarding players for simulation.