Referee’s - Toughen Up Please. Set A Good Example For Kids!

Now then, is it me? A question I may ask quite often but did you know that in football under new laws recently introduced, only one player from each team, the captain, is authorised to approach the referee to discuss major decisions or key incidents? When the captain is the team goalkeeper, they may nominate an outfield player to approach the referee in their place!

This is to prevent players from surrounding or ‘mobbing’ the referee, and yellow cards should be shown to players who are not the captain and who approach the referee to protest. There is even a guideline of players staying 4 metres away from the official!

Captains are also expected to take responsibility for ensuring their teammates stay a reasonable distance away from the referee!

So why do authorities change the laws to protect officials, and nothing changes? But more importantly, why are officials so weak that they do not apply the laws? If a player had been booked for any offence, and then got booked for protesting to the referee or booked twice for arguing with the referee, they would then be sent off.

If this were to happen on a regular basis, players and managers would soon learn, and the dissent would surely stop. All we need are stronger referees to show yellow cards and stop the grief they get – or do they secretly enjoy the abuse and confrontation they have to put up with? Who knows, but I know what I would be doing if I were a referee.

As the title suggests, kids love football and aspire to be top players; they grow up thinking that barracking and swearing at officials is normal and part of the game. Like it or not, players, you are role models! Referees, you are the people that can do something about it!

C’mon, referees, how much abuse, and that’s not 4m. Oh and don’t forget the kids are watching.