A down side of the game we love

For the majority of us junior referees handling games in the local parks it doesn’t get any easier when it comes to player’s discipline.

Why?

Well my mere mortal opinion is that the world we live in doesn’t lend itself to accepting that people make mistakes and can learn from them. This is in part due to pressures that when we make mistakes which we all do, we are penalised and often chastised!

TRUE?

So isn’t it human nature to argue or ideally debate a case that we are not wrong knowing that if we can prove an innocence and defend ourselves successfully we thus avoid being punished in whatever format such punishment takes. The answer is of course yes.

That being accepted, then there may never be a resolution to the constant dissent we get on the football pitch! It maybe therefore doesn’t amaze me why the act of contesting every decision appears to be an accepted part of everyday football. We see it on the TV and the professional parks, when it has almost become an art, goading the officials to the extreme.

For those of you who were lucky enough to listen to Lee Cable at the October society meeting, he reflected on games when he was a top level referee where club officials gave directives to players to constantly distract and annoy him. What a farcical situation!

One of the biggest frustrations I find is when at the end of the game when it is likely (not always) to hold a sensible dialogue with a player and he, in response to my comment about the unnecessary back chat that went on during the game says "you’ve got to appeal for everything ref or you get nuffin". (SIGH…..) Is there no, genuine football playing enthusiast that plays to enjoy the game, the taking part, the exercise, the camaraderie, the atmosphere. I’m not sure there is.

Regards
Mike