LOTG Modifications

[SamGamgee]

From Bob Evans' blog I read the following and have a question:

"Imagine these instructions:

• Not every denial of a goal-scoring opportunity should result in a red card. (Translation: forget the laws; you can pick and choose who gets a red card.)

• Change the emphasis of decision-making in offside situations when the score is heavily in favor of the attacking team. (Translation: give the losing team a break.)

• Don’t add minutes for time lost if a late goal could create a controversy. (Translation: cheat the losing team out of their entitlement of time.)

• Work with players, rather than issue red cards for verbal abuse, and earn compliments for issuing only a yellow. (Translation: tolerate a bit of temper and language from players, especially star-players.)

• Keep the second yellow in your pocket, especially as the play-offs approach. (Translation: we want all the players to feature in the play-offs, irrespective of their behavior.) "

Now for my question: Have any of you received/heard/perceived/hinted at any of these rule modifications while involved in refereeing youth matches?

I don't referee at a high level, never have and never will (by choice), but I am concerned about this issue.
.

[campton]

In my opinion, 1-3 are never to be thought about. Sure, at a low level you can modify DOGSO because the kids do not know what it is.

#4 is IMO a you have to be there. If a player makes a mistake, then fouls, he should get a bit of a break. I play, i know how a temper can flare up for an instant and result in a caution. I think if the referee provides a bit of lee-way in issuing dissent cautions depending on situations it can really benefit the game and the player. But a stern talking to is always in order.

The last one is ABSOLUTELY NO. If you hold your cautions and send offs the match will end in chaos. The match should be called the same no matter what part of the season. This applies IMO to youth, amateur, and ESPECIALLY professional/international matches. If we change the rules for a few games, we would become the NFHSO :p.

[Rufusabc]

That's why the MLS is a joke. If the referees have been told to influence the game to this degree then what we have is WWE.

The 2006 MLS final was the last match I watched in that league. The game was a disgrace, Bob Bradley's behavior was a disgrace and yet he's named the MNT coach after that display.

Can you imagine Landycakes in the Premier League?

I think Mr. Evans is correct when he says it makes our jobs that much tougher when younger players see the pros allowed to behave in this fashion.

[SamGamgee]

I was mainly interested to see if any of these 'modifications' have trickled down to the lower levels, and if so, how they got there. I can't for the life of me imagine that our state admin would ever encourage those ideas. I was just checking.
It won't be long before the players and coaches start to reflect these ideas via complaints & questioning during a game.

[pacref]

At one of the leagues I work at, we were given the "orders" that we should hold our cards when we were working "developmental" games and when we worked Showcase tournaments. There was no rationale other than the developmental players were learning, and a red card would prohibit that person from showing their talent.

IMHO, if it deserves a card, it doesnt make a hill of beans what the competition level is.

The spectators will get you either way, but you can get fined if you dont follow this leagues guidelines

[campton]

At one of the leagues I work at, we were given the "orders" that we should hold our cards when we were working "developmental" games and when we worked Showcase tournaments. There was no rationale other than the developmental players were learning, and a red card would prohibit that person from showing their talent.

IMHO, if it deserves a card, it doesnt make a hill of beans what the competition level is.

The spectators will get you either way, but you can get fined if you dont follow this leagues guidelines



See, im always the guy who'll say "this is ridiculous" and be on the "follow the LOTG" train. But i think there is some truth to the developmental stages. Sure, VC, SFP, DOGSO, and some major things cannot be taken lightly. But at a developmental low level u-13 G match im not going to send off a girl for a second yellow lightly like i would in a high level u-13 G match. I do think there is a time and place for tweaking of your officiating style. At a high level, there should be no such thing. I think at college showcases you shouldn't because the kid should know that he/she needs to know the LOTG in order to play collegiately.

[SamGamgee]

The spectators will get you either way, but you can get fined if you dont follow this leagues guidelines

Care to expand upon the last part of the above? I have never heard of getting fined for not following league guidelines. Or for that matter, I have never heard of a referee getting fined.
Thanks,
dlb
.

[campton]

Care to expand upon the last part of the above? I have never heard of getting fined for not following league guidelines. Or for that matter, I have never heard of a referee getting fined.
Thanks,
dlb
.


I would quit refereeing.

[pacref]

fines and/or no assignments for not following the league directives. Plus at one time a coach could blackball you.

[ctreferee]

pacref, i have never heard of a league fining referees, also if they were giving me directives to not give cards they wouldnt need to be pulling my assignements, i wouldnt be working them. Also if your assignor is worth his salt no coach will be "blackballing" anyone.

[falcon.7]

pacref, i have never heard of a league fining referees, also if they were giving me directives to not give cards they wouldnt need to be pulling my assignements, i wouldnt be working them. Also if your assignor is worth his salt no coach will be "blackballing" anyone.

Welcome to CT high school soccer. Before the state tournament all participating coaches fill out a little form along with their rosters where they can list 4 officials they feel are "qualified" to work tournament games and 2 officials "whose services [they] reject".

Begins with "b" and rhymes with "tureaucracy".

[ManiacalClown]

I think the word you're looking for starts with a 'p' and rhymes with bolitics.

[Alberto]

I was told at the Sun Bowl many years ago with a large group of other referees to be judicious in the issuance of cards since these players were here to showcase their talents to college coaches. That was complete and total nonsense. An act which deserves a caution needs to be dealt with by the issuance of a caution. Most referees going to the tournament are seasoned and represent the best in their respective states. No one is going to be issuing cards without merit.

I still stand by the LOTG and feel that statement insulted the intelligence of referees and was counter to the spirit and the LOTG particularly since implementation of this philosophy at the professional level in the US had been a catastrophe.