Interesting little scenario from a Div. 1 Boys U14 match this morning. (Club linesmen being used) RED vs. GREEN. On a ball clearly last touched by GREEN and being chased toward the touch line by a GREEN player I hear from behind me "LET IT GO, LET IT GO!" As I look behind me, the only player I see that could have been giving these instructions was a RED player. Within two minutes, the same scenario comes up. This time I'm looking right at the RED player when he yells "LET IT GO, LET IT GO!" GREEN doesn't bite this time and actually wins the throw in off a deflection. I blow me whistle and tell GREEN to hold the throw as I call the RED player over to me. I explain to him what he did and why it has no part in the game and that he CAN be cautioned for USB. Player (unfortunately) tells me I have no idea what I'm talking about and that "all the other refs let me do that!" I gave the player the choice of agreeing that MY way was the way we were going to go for this match OR a caution...he choose the latter. This particular league is still in the dark ages and forces the player to be substituted on cautions. When he got to the bench he explained to his coach what an idiot I am and why. Next time we are substituting, the coach (a diehard fan of Celtic and straight from Glasgow to boot) called out to me in a wonderful Scotish accent "Hey referee, (pointing to player) Ungentlemanly conduct?" I give the thumbs up to him to let him know he was correct. Then he said "Well done lad. That's why soccer is better than all those other sports ye play here!" YA BABY! Scott
more seriously, the coach's comment is interesting in that it seems to be encouraging his player, and yet the reality is that this kind of "unsportsmanlike" conduct is permitted in other sports. i recall playing in a basketball game, and having an opposing player behind a teammate of mine clap his hands and put them up for a pass. our guard passed it to him. doh! apparently nothing against it in the rules.
Had a throw-in at a u8 game yesterday. These take a while as the thrower looks for a target (rather than throwing to space and expecting the teammate to get there). Teammates are calling, "Nathan, over here, over here." Then one of the opponents calls, "Nathan, here." I simply told him that he couldn't pretend to be on Nathan's team - and I think he got the message. At least there was no more simulation. I also recall a HS pointy-ball game. (We went to watch our kids in the band.) Coach doesn't like what one of his players did, and grabs him by the face mask to "focus" his attention. I knew then why I liked soccer - and wished there was a red card handy! Blech, I interpreted the "well done lad" comment to have been directed at the ref, not the player.
nat...I LOVE IT when you call me BDZ!!! The comment was indeed directed to me, coming from a gentleman with a true passion for the sport...made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside Scott