Game and Player Management

[Citiref]

Any advice/tips/philosophies/etc., on game & player management would be appreciated. I have a GU12 match this weekend, and I expect it to be a tough one so I decided to come here and seek advice so it doesn't end up in a brawl. :)

Joking aside, the reason I ask is because improving my game & player management is one of my goals to work on this year. And there's a lot of people with tons of experience here, so what better resource than BS?

So, here goes:

1. Broad question: What are some player management techniques that you have found useful and work?

2. What measures can you take as the Referee when the game starts getting heated and fouls increase to prevent it from getting out of control?

3. What are some tips for recognizing and dealing with and managing persistent infringement by 1) one player fouling many, 2) many fouling one and 3) from many against more than one?

It's late and that's all I could come up with, so please feel free to add anything you have found useful in managing the players, game and different situations.

Thanks

[Tarheel Ref]

Could you explain for me GU 12? My first impression was girls under-12 but then you go into match control and preventing a brawl. Obviously I'm not sure what level of play or age of the players you're asking about.

As for general control issues regarding PI, I'll find the team captain and explain to him or her...loudly enough that other players from BOTH teams can hear...that if the fouls continue, the captain will be cautioned for allowing his team to continue that behavior. Saying that loudly enough for the opposing team to hear allows them to know that you understand and are addressing the issue and can help prevent retaliation.

[Citiref]

Yep, it means girls under-12.

[Alberto]

U12 girls are never a problem. Girls in general are much more respectful and are much less challenging when it comes to match amanagement issues than boys. Even older girls U16 and older pose much less risk.

[Gary V]

Did no one get the joke about U12?

As for general control issues regarding PI, I'll find the team captain and explain to him or her...loudly enough that other players from BOTH teams can hear...that if the fouls continue, the captain will be cautioned for allowing his team to continue that behavior. Saying that loudly enough for the opposing team to hear allows them to know that you understand and are addressing the issue and can help prevent retaliation.

Why caution the captain? Simply state loudly enough for all to hear, "All right gentlemen, that's enough fouls. It must STOP. Let's start playing soccer."

Then if it doesn't stop, caution the player that committed the foul for PI. It could be his first, if it falls into a pattern of fouling.

It's a little less clear what to do when you have many players committing fouls against many opponents. It would be best under those circumstances to be sure that the player that gets cautioned for PI for committing the "next" foul has already committed at least one foul before.

Note: Perhaps your warning about committing fouls will work, and the next foul isn't for several minutes. Then you can defer a PI caution until later, when a pattern reappears. That's why you never say, "The next player that commits a foul will be cautioned."

[Doug the Ref]

One of my favorite moves was on a U16 boys game. Had one player that was just on the edge. I had made comments to him but his play kept on the edge. He had reached my limit. After the ball went out for a goal kick, I positioned myself directly between the ball and the player, facing directly at the player. As he looked to find the ball before it was kicked, I pulled my yellow card out of my left pocket and slowly put it into my right pocket. The whole time, I was starring directly at the player in question. He got the point and I did not have any more problems with him the rest of the match. I'll usuallytry to talk to players for control purposes, but this case needed a visual aid.

[macheath]

At progressively higher level games, you need to do two potentially contradictory things: see how the players want the game played (up to a point), and call things more tightly in the early stages. If you let a lot go early, and it turns out that doesn't work for game management, it is a lot harder to tighten up later; its easier to go the other way, and loosen the reins gradually in line with the players' abilites and expectations.

Also, let them know early what you want. Not debate or discuss--tell them. If you see people getting elbows up too high, say loudly, without stopping play, "Keep the elbows down!" or whatever. Keep it short and firm. On any harsh foul, especially if you issue a caution, it may be a good thing to say, loudly, "I've got it. I don't want to see any retaliation."

If things start to get away, then talk to players and the teams. Last year, in a well-played boys U-16 match, chippy fouls started in the later minutes, in a closely played tie game. When a foul occured that was over the line, I gave a caution, but I also said loudly, "Gentlemen, it has been a well played game up to now. It is up to you whether it stays that way." Etc.

The important thing is to establish your parameters early and communicate them. If you've done that, and they misbehave, take control of the match. It is nice to be liked by the players, but not at the expense of match control.

[campton]

Also, let them know early what you want. Not debate or discuss--tell them. If you see people getting elbows up too high, say loudly, without stopping play, "Keep the elbows down!" or whatever.



In situations like that, where the referee calls instructions during the match, i find that it ALMOST ALWAYS aggrivates the players. I know this may not be correct, but in the players mind it will go like this


"HIS ELBOWS ARE UP?!!! CALL THE DAMN FOUL!"

I think letting the players know you're letting him "get away" with it will end up creating some dissent and disrespect.

[Tarheel Ref]

Yep, it means girls under-12.

OK well I don't work those games much anymore, but I do know that compared to the higher levels, those games are FUN. The girls are there to learn to play the game and enjoy the greatest sport in the world. What screws that up, however, is their parents mostly.

Let the players know in your pre-game inspection that you're there to help them. If they have any questions or problems, tell them that they can ask you anything at any time the ball is out of play and you'll help them out. If you keep them focused on the game and not what's coming from the sidelines, you'll do OK. If one or two of the players do get upset about something, it's pretty easy to change the subject by distracting them with an off-topic question or statement about the ribbons in their hair or whatever. That'll help calm them down.

The sidelines, however, are a completely different beast as the girls' parents think they know more about the game than you or the coaches. Generally, when issues arise at this level, I find that it's due to the parents telling their kids what to do and why. If you get too much parent involvement from the sidelines, ask the coaches to help you calm them down. Cheering and encouragement is OK, technical direction (coaching) is not and detracts from the game and their coaches' ability to teach. The coaches would probably appreciate your directive to the parents to shut the hell up and just cheer for their kids as it's an issue they face every week.

Let us know how it goes for you. I'll be rooting for you to have a good time out there. Remember, talk to the players and tell them what you expect rather than doing the authoritarian thing and everything should work out.

[Tarheel Ref]

Did no one get the joke about U12?

Why caution the captain? Simply state loudly enough for all to hear, "All right gentlemen, that's enough fouls. It must STOP. Let's start playing soccer."

OK sorry my sense of humor switch must have been turned off.

The reason I single out the captain SOMETIMES in cases like this is that the captain is usually one of the best players on the team and one the others look up to. None of them should want to do something that will move their captain and best player closer to watching from the parking lot, AND the captain is the team leader and should be able to help me control the players before I start with the cards.

That being said, I don't WANT to caution one player for the actions of another and never have. In my case the threat has almost always been enough to slow down the fouls and if they do continue, I'll caution whoever commits the foul that breaks the camel's back, not someone else...by that time, they've forgotten about my earlier admonition anyway (in one ear and out the other generally).

Talking to the players and letting them know that I'm aware of what's going on and willing to let the plastic fly is generally enough to get us back to playing the game. Even in the Latino leagues, a loud "No mas" with my hand in my front right pocket generally does the trick.

MACHEATH: you wrote that "Also, let them know early what you want. Not debate or discuss--tell them. If you see people getting elbows up too high, say loudly, without stopping play, "Keep the elbows down!" or whatever. Keep it short and firm."

This is actually part of my pre-game instructions EVERY game. Short and sweet: Keep you elbows down, keep your spikes down, and play the ball. That way, if it does start up, I know that I've already covered this problem.

[NHRef]

The captain things only work at older ages, mostly with younger teams the "captain" is randomly picked for the coin toss and all players will get a chance at it during the season.

Older/premier teams yes, captain is usually picked as a leader, however sometimes its a player vote and then who knows what you get

[chrisrun]

This is actually part of my pre-game instructions EVERY game. Short and sweet: Keep you elbows down, keep your spikes down, and play the ball. That way, if it does start up, I know that I've already covered this problem.

Do you think this really helps? Don't the players already know this? I can understand maybe some specific instructions, like "Be sure you are at the halfway line when you want to sub". But "Play the ball"? Does this really influence player behavior, or does it just go in one ear and out the other? And if that's the case, have you really covered the problem?

[GKbenji]

Don't underestimate girls' games, especially high levels of play from around U14 up. I have had a few real doozies that just about got away from me.

Do realize that girls will extract their revenge differently than boys if they feel they've been aggrieved. Boys just go at it then and there, you show cards if needed, and it's done. Girls will wait and bide their time, sometimes until later in the game, sometimes until weeks later! Tough for a referee to prevent that, if the retaliation for last year's cleating happens in the first 5min of your game!

As for heated games, sometimes you need to "take the air" out of match. Lower your "trifling" tolerance, and stop play for a foul if they so much as look at each other crosseyed. This accomplishes two things: 1) send the message that there are too many fouls and you are tightening up, big time; 2) gets them angry at you rather than each other. You become the bad guy to both teams, at least temporarily, and deflect attention from the guy who hacked them last.

After a bit, after yet another complaint about a ticky-tack foul I just called, I'll say something like, "Look, are you guys willing to just play soccer?" If you judge they are, you can loosen back up again.

[Tarheel Ref]

Do you think this really helps? Don't the players already know this? I can understand maybe some specific instructions, like "Be sure you are at the halfway line when you want to sub". But "Play the ball"? Does this really influence player behavior, or does it just go in one ear and out the other? And if that's the case, have you really covered the problem?

Yes the players should know this, as they should know to be at the halfway line for substitutions.

By telling them specifically to keep their elbows and spikes down, I let them know that I will be watching for these types of dangerous plays and fouls and will not tolerate it, setting a standard for them before play begins. I'd rather let them know that I'm concerned with the players safety as opposed to how they substitute or whether they keep their shirts tucked in all the time. When you tell them to be at the half line for subs do they follow that instruction every time?

As for whether it influences players' behavior or not, well, sometimes it helps, other times it doesn't. If play devolves into these dangerous situations, however, I'm able to tell them that I warned of this type of play before the match so they shouldn't be surprised if and when the cards come out.

[falcon.7]

Realize that players don't have time for complicated explanations and verbatim reading of the rules. When you talk to them, tell them the facts concisely and in language that they can process quickly. As a runner, I can tell you that trying to figure out quarter mile splits for the next day's workout while in the middle of an 8 mile run is almost impossible. The same holds true of players who are focusing on the game.

I was recently at a camp, and I asked about dealing with dissent and managing players and I got some great advice. One of the mentors said, "Talk to the players and treat them how you want to be treated, and how they deserve to be treated. If they're making the game miserable for everyone else, treat them like they are. If they're out there to play soccer and work hard, show them the respect they deserve".

Hope this helps.

[Citiref]

Some good advice so far, thanks. And I was just kidding about the girls under-12 game getting out of control -- I've been doing a lot of amateur this year which is one of the reasons I asked.

[Tarheel Ref]

Some good advice so far, thanks. And I was just kidding about the girls under-12 game getting out of control -- I've been doing a lot of amateur this year which is one of the reasons I asked.

Like I said, I guess my sense of humor wasn't working there. With some of the new/potential refs here, I didn't want to assume anything and possibly embarrass anyone (I do that to myself enough!).

Most helpful for me in terms of game management is talking to the players throughout the match...before and during to let them know you're involved and a part of the game, not just a statue in the middle of the field.