2024 USL/NWSL/USOC/MLS Next Pro Referee Discussion [Rs]

⚽️// Referee abuse and assault is unacceptable.#PRO | #LeadingTheWay pic.twitter.com/vi05wJ8lSB

— PRO (@PROreferees) July 29, 2024

I'm told this statement was brought about in response to multiple instances of referee assault this weekend in USL play. Anyone know when/where? Completely flew under my radar.

 

Still waiting and hoping to some day hear a story about a referee in the USA defending himself from an assault. Either fighting back and knocking out the people, or using pepper spray in his pocket, or sprinting to his bag and taking out a gun that he has a concealed carry permit for (wouldn’t be surprising considering how cops become referees). I’ve seen it in foreign countries but never here.

But knowing how this all works, I bet if some PRO ref did this in USLC or USL1, spraying an assaulting player with pepper spray, he gets banned from refereeing in PRO ever again

 

I am guessing this was out of camera view since someone would have posted anything recent by now?

It's also the first time I've seen a public statement reference "written".

 

LIVE STREAM: MLS NEXT PRO: Real Monarchs vs Vancouver Whitecaps 2 | July 28, 2024 (youtube.com)
Start at 2:02:39. Interesting situation. Think the crew got it mostly correct but I'm not sure how they missed #51 for Vancouver.

 

Thanks for posting the link. This is a good exercise as a referee... watch the ensuing mass of players once, live, as if you were the center or the AR, and try to pick out and document everyone who "deserves" a card of some kind.

Without re-watching, or pausing, it's really tough to get anywhere close to them all. You can get better with practice, but it's difficult to prepare for ahead of time without a video like this. I presume there will be follow-up sanctions based on video evidence, though.

 

POSTGAME: Robbie Neilson was perplexed by the referee's handling of last night's final moments:
"I don't understand how the referee didn't go back and change his decision. It's honestly one of the most baffling things I've ever seen in my time in football. It was wild." #COYR pic.twitter.com/wS4gr1cRnM

— RBLR Rowdies (@RBLRRowdies) August 4, 2024

So, uh...was it opposite day yesterday? Ref signals Rowdies ball, Monterey takes the throw in and scores. #ThatsSoPRO (raw video, go watch the @RBLRRowdies post for annotation) pic.twitter.com/5zqSAhHHop

— The Unused ⭐⭐ Substitutes ⚽ Show 💚💛 (@UnusedSubsPod) August 4, 2024

Is there a more charitable explanation of what happened here or did the ref just let the wrong team take the throw in? It led to an equalizing goal in the final minutes

 

Well, he does clearly change the call and point the other way as the throw is taken. Optically bad, but nothing against the rules there.

Bigger question is why did he change the call? Could be he got feedback from the AR. Could be he just got mixed up and pointed the wrong way at first. Could be he had no idea who it went out on and was always going to give it to whoever picked up the ball.

Changing the call before a restart is totally within the laws of the game, though unfortunately no way not to make it an awful look if it leads directly to a goal.