Filed under: Dave Clarke, Soccer Refereeing | Tags: abuse at matches, assistant referee, FA Respect, officials, Ray Winstone, referee
The FA’s latest move to promote respect for referees in grassroots football has resulted in a video with Hollywood hardman Ray Winstone playing the roles of good and bad parent.
The programme provides a series of tools for leagues, clubs, coaches, referees, players and parents from grassroots to elite football to ensure a safe, positive environment in which to enjoy the game. These tools include agreed codes of conduct, in-service training for Referees, Respect club packs, spectator sideline barriers funded by the Football Foundation and ensuring captains work with referees to manage player behaviour.
The question is will it work?
Already this week I’ve seen Premier league superstars showing disrespect for the referee. In my own leagues our linesman was called names by a 12-year-old which went unpunished.
As coaches we all have a responsibility to accept the word of the referee. If you have a grievance talk to the referee at the end, and don’t let your players see. The players will have forgotten the bad offside within minutes of the game ending so don’t remind them of it.
If you feel angry just walk away for a minute or two and gather yourself together.
Watch this video, sometimes it’s good to see how bad it can get. I’m sure most of you have witnessed this kind of behaviour. I know I have.
