Welcome to the 53rd edition of The Corsham Referee monthly International Football/Soccer Referees' newsletter.

Greetings to everyone. 

There are over 1,000 referees of all levels from all over the world that subscribe to this newsletter. 

Keep up the good Refereeing work wherever you are in the world; and my best wishes go to all of you. Editor Julian Carosi.

'''SET PIECES' – I.M.A.G.E. Building.
More 'set-piece' advice by Julian Carosi.

In the previous newsletter (No. 52 November 2007), I reiterated how a game of football/soccer consists of many - what can best be described as 'set-pieces', or jigsaw puzzle pieces that add up to form the whole 90 minutes. Each 'set-piece', if successfully managed, will result in the Referee maintaining control. One of the first aims of every Referee should be to use 'best-practice' techniques when managing 'set-pieces'. Once the standard 'set-piece' techniques have been mastered, the players' confidence in the Referee will rise, and they will more readily accept those awkward (non-set-piece) match-changing decisions, which seem to crop up in nearly every game. Subsequently, the Referee will feel more confident, in the knowledge that at least he has a structured way to deal with the majority of situations in a game of football. 

In this article, we add to the previous ideas on how to manage set-piece throw-ins, how to issue cards, and how to manage goal kicks, by offering some additional considerations on the importance of image making. These ideas are not prescriptive; rather, they will hopefully give you some new things to think about, and encourage you towards adopting a consistent approach by dovetailing them into your own style of refereeing. 

I.M.AG.E.

Image. Imagine two referees arriving at a multi-complex sports venue in readiness for officiating a game of football. Often, the first impression of someone is purely by his or her appearance, and that's why first impressions really do count. Otherwise, why do most of us dress up when we go out if looking for a possible date?

Referee No.1 arrives early dressed smartly, has a smile on his face and wastes no time in introducing himself to Club officials. Referee No. 2 arrives late, is casually dressed, has a scowl on his face, and makes no effort to introduce himself to the Club officials. The contrasting images created by theses two referees are worlds apart. 

Referee No.1 seems to be taking his role seriously, and his body language will instil confidence in the on-looking players and Club Officials. Referee No. 2 seems reluctant and inefficient. His weak body language will encourage players and Club Officials to (later) influence the Referee by either putting pressure on him to give match-decisions their way, or by delivering vocal dissent during the game; this will inevitably lead to conflict.
Referee No. 1 creates a positive impression, which gives onlookers an idea of reliability and professionalism. By creating the right image, it's easy to turn the potentially hostile environment of a football arena into an opportunity to make a lasting and favourable first impression.

Referee No. 2 creates a negative image where players will make up their minds about the Referee’s competence before he has even had a chance to show it!

Maximising impact: Once a Referee has arrived at the venue, there are three distinct opportunities for him to build up his credibility. Credibility is a crucial element in how players and Club Officials will interact with, and judge a Referee. A Referee with little or no credibility will suffer as a consequence. His performance will be poor, and there will be little personal satisfaction to be gained. A Referee, who earns a reputation of credibility, will be able to shine his light on everyone else’s day.
How the Referee goes about his pre-match tasks, the way he warms-up in preparation for the game and his entrance onto the field of play, are three distinct opportunities that can be made good use of. 

There are a number of pre-match responsibilities that a Referee needs to fulfil before each game. For example, check the match balls, inspect the field of play and collect the team sheets. Complete a boot and jewellery check, brief his Assistants, collect any expenses/fees, and talk to Club Officials etc. A Referee, who completes his pre-match duties in a friendly and efficient manner, will impart an image of enthusiasm, commitment and professionalism. A Referee, who rushes to complete his duties in a surly and disinterested fashion, will take his ruined reputation out with him onto the field of play. And furthermore, this reputation will follow him in his career! In short, it’s such an easy thing to be polite, on time and efficient when dealing with all of the pre-match responsibilities. 

Most teams will go through their pre-match warm-up exercises on the field of play at the same time as the Referee. When a Referee does not participate in a visible pre-match warm-up, it sends a negative message to the teams, implying that he is perhaps not as committed to his forthcoming performance as he should be. A Referee’s role should be as a professional – irrespective of what level he is officiating in. Referees have always been a target for vented frustration and anger. It is therefore very important that a professional approach should be maintained at all times. A Referee at the very lowest level, who makes an effort to prepare himself physically before each game, will add a grain of professionalism that will benefit both himself, and the Referee who arrives next week to officiate the same teams. Pre-match warm-ups should be structured so that they actually do prepare the Referee’s muscles for the task in hand. A quick trot back-and-forth across the field with socks rolled down, and then quickly back into the changing rooms will do nothing for the Referee’s physique or his image building!

Imagine a Referee coming out of his changing room prior to kick off. The Referee has his socks rolled down, is smoking a cigarette, and dribbles the ball to the centre circle. When he gets there, he attempts to keep the ball up in the air with his feet for as long as he can. Usually, this is not very long, and he ends up making a complete fool of himself. This image is one that can be seen on most Park playing fields, and is the complete opposite behaviour to that imparted by a Referee who is serious about fulfilling his duties to the best of his ability. In short, the entrance onto the field of play, offers an important opportunity to show both teams and their Club officials what type of Referee they have, and how committed he is to taking things seriously. Be smart, socks rolled up and equipment clean. Head held high, ball in hand and no juggling skills to be seen!

To summarise: The opportunities to build a reputation are not duties that appear in the Law book. They are natural openings that allow a Referee to either make good use of, or to ignore at his peril. 

Attitude: There are two attitudes. The right attitude, and the wrong attitude. An Assessor once said, “I can tell what kind of game a Referee will have, as soon as he steps out of his car onto the tarmac on arrival at the ground.”  And very often, that Assessor’s pre-match assessment of the Referee proved to be very accurate. 
Attitude can be one single strong aspect of a person’s character, or it can be a combination of several minor (but positive) aspects. It can be an infectious smile, or it can be a combination of appearance, timekeeping, politeness, fitness and commitment etc.
Attitude is sometimes a difficult thing to write down or to explain in words. Yet it is a very easy thing to spot for Mr Assessor and the baying crowd! 

As human beings, Referees’ feelings are prone to fluctuate, he same as any other persons. It’s easy enough to see when someone is happy, sad, confident or nervous. These are feelings that emanate from us, even when we try to hide them. When a Referee officiates a football match, he becomes a focal point, and this intense interest by the onlookers, makes it very easy for them to judge how the Referee feels, how efficient he believes himself to be, and how nervous he gets when making important decisions or when dealing with conflict. A confident Referee, who can efficiently deal with all of these, can be said to have the right attitude towards his task. A Referee whose attitude towards the game is negative, will draw further attention towards himself; leading to further degrading of his ability to control the game. Spectators and players are very quick to spot a weakness in a Referee, and once they do, they target the weakness to try and gain benefit for their team.

Attitude is a state of mind that can be coerced by the body towards a positive outcome. If you are feeling a little below par before a game, and your attitude is perhaps not as you would wish it to be, force yourself to take a positive and structured approach to the game. Push yourself to be more particular than usual with every aspect of your pre-match preparation. Prepare your equipment earlier than usual, and leave home in good time to reach the ground. Make a more thorough field of play inspection than you would usually do, and make a greater effort to introduce yourself to Club Officials. Prepare yourself in your changing rooms, adhering to your usual practices but with more focus. Complete a pre-match warm up by trying a little harder to get your body in shape for the match. In short, put much more emphasis in your preparation, and this will increase your positive attitude levels. 

Focus your body and your mind will focus itself. 

Guts (courage): A Referee, who is brave, will earn himself a strong reputation. Protecting the ‘image of the game’ is a current theme within The Football Association (The FA). There are several strands to this theme, three of which are listed below for consideration. For a Referee to take part in protecting the ‘image of the game,’ he will need guts (courage) to make brave decisions. It very often happens (in the areas mentioned below), that some Referees will ‘turn a blind eye’ and ignore incidents, in the hope that they will just go away. 

Simulation: Diving by players has become a scourge of the game. It takes a brave Referee to quickly flash a yellow card for simulation when an attacking player tumbles down too easily in the penalty area. Most Referees in their carer will have chastised themselves on several occasions for not having the courage of their conviction by cautioning perpetrators for simulation. Simulation is a difficult decision to make, especially when players are jostling each other at fast speed. The greatest asset that a Referee has in relation to making the correct decision is his proximity and ‘angle of view’ during simulation (diving) incidents. This is why it is very important for Referees to work hard in achieving creditable monitoring positions when attacking moves approach the penalty areas. The nearer you are when making a decision, the more credibility you will have. Referees are the guardians of the Game, and it is their duty to punish simulation whenever it happens. In time, a concerted effort by all Referees will hopefully purge the game of this blight. A Referee who is prepared to accept that he may (on the odd occasion), punish a player for simulation when no simulation has occurred, is a much better Referee than one who is always too frightened to ever penalise diving, because such decisions are difficult to make! Stop sitting on the fence and letting players get away with cheating. Be brave and punish simulation. And work hard at getting as near as you can when making your decisions. You will need to sell each decision; so be strong and positive and confident whenever you penalise simulation. 

Behaviour of the Technical Area Occupants: (specifically the managers/coaches). Controlling the behaviour of the technical area occupants is something that seems to have been generally ignored over the years. Referees (and more specifically Assistant Referee) at the lower levels have been known to ‘turn a deaf ear’ to abuse and misbehaviour emanating from the technical areas. Ignoring the behaviour of technical area occupants does nothing to enhance the image of a Referee (or the game). Referees are prone to turning off their technical area monitoring radar. The requirements of the game seem to take all of the Referee’s attention; and the technical area occupants are sometimes left to their own devices. Early involvement with a misbehaving technical area can reap benefits for the remainder of the game. 

As soon as a horse starts to run out of control, the rider will quickly pull in the reins to coax the horse back to a manageable speed. This analogy should be applied to managing technical areas. It’s no good intervening in the 40th minute when the trouble started in the 10th minute. By that time, the occupants will have already gauged the Referee’s/Assistant Referee’s high tolerance levels, and any disciplinary action taken by the Referee now, will have to be very strong.

It is not a case of poking your nose into the technical area every single time that one of the occupants moans about the Referee, it is about acting when you really need to. 

As soon as real trouble brews in the technical area, Assistant Referees should try taking this simple stepped approach as soon as they can. Build up your level of assertiveness (as shown below) if the problem continues.

Step 1: Ask the occupants to keep calm. Be polite and use simple words, something along the lines of, “Please can you keep calm and behave yourself.”

Step 2: Tell the occupants to behave themselves. Be assertive, and look the perpetrators in the eye. 
Use words to the following effect: “Please can you control yourself, this is the second time that I have asked you.”

Step 3: Warn the occupants using strong assertive words to the following effect: 
“This is your last warning, if you misbehave again, the Laws require me to bring this to the attention of the Referee.”

If the trouble continues following Step 3, move to step 4.

Step 4: Summon the Referee. Inform the Referee of the misbehaviour of the technical area occupants, and tell the Referee that you have already asked the perpetrators three times to behave themselves. The Referee is responsible for taking the relevant action depending on the severity of the offence. 

Ask: Tell: Warn; then Summon the Referee: 
The 4 steps are easy to remember, so remember to use it!

Players surrounding the Referee: 
Over the past few years, players surrounding the Referee have added to the negative downfall of the image of the game. Recently. The FA have taken post-match action against teams at the top levels whose players have surrounded the Referee following an incident. 
At the lower levels of football, this improper behaviour by players continues to blight the game. When this happens, a Referee has the option of cautioning players. A typical example occurs when a goalkeeper sprints 50 yards to get involved with an incident that has nothing to do with him. In such cases, the yellow card must be shown to the perpetrator. 
When a large number of players from each team angrily surround the Referee, it is nearly impossible for the Referee (particularly if he does not have Assistant Referees to help him) to identify every perpetrator. In such cases, and to aid regaining control, the Referee should quickly caution one player from each side. This will send out a stern message to the other miscreants, and hopefully encourage them to move away from the scene. 

Doing nothing in these types of situations encourages players to continue with this intimidating action whenever they want to. Referees must start being stronger in dealing with intimidation. It’s no good complaining that players’ attitudes have worsened, if no action is taken to curb such behaviour in the first place. 

Don’t be a weak Referee. Be a strong one, and have faith in your own ability. 

Empathy: Having empathy for the game, includes all of the above positive attributes. Empathy is being able to understand and share another person’s feelings. In Refereeing terms, this means that a Referee should be able to gauge the ambience of how the game is being played, and adjust his control so that it matches that of the attitude being displayed by both teams. 

When a game is being contested in a good spirit, a Referee should reflect this in his style of officiating. He should encourage play to continue whenever he can, he should smile and only interject when he really needs to. Conversely, if a game is being played to World War 3 criteria, the Referee should be strict in his application of Law, advantage should be applied to a bare minimum, and his assertiveness levels should be at their peak. Both of these Referees can have an empathy with each of their respective games. If a Referee does not have empathy for the former game, he will contribute to the downfall of the good spirit in which the players are participating. The game will deteriorate, and the Referee will not receive many handshakes at the end of the game! If a Referee does not have empathy for the later game, his lack of control will probably result in a nuclear explosion! 

To build up an empathy in each game, the Referee should focus his attention on how the game is beings played in the first 5 or 10 minutes, and adjust his control accordingly. Some Referees are able to do this automatically, whilst others need to give themselves a moment or two to contemplate how best to adjust their control levels. 

The bottom line is, is that if a Referee turns up to a game dishevelled, does not care what people think about him, is grumpy, and intends to ignore difficult situations (instead of dealing with them head on) and has a careless, negative attitude, it will be impossible for him to have any empathy for the game. This will only result in chaos. 

Conversely, if a Referee turns up to a game smartly dressed, eager and friendly and holds his head up high and brave, his empathy for the forthcoming game will be much the easier to achieve.


Regards, Julian Carosi. 

THE REFEREE'S SURVIVAL GUIDE

A fantastic referee book written by Jeffrey Caminsky from the USA was featured in the 2007 April edition of The Corsham Referee newsletter, where you can get details of how to buy Jeff's book entitled 'The Referee's Survival Guide'. Can be bought from Amazon.com. The book comes highly recommend by me (Julian Carosi) and provides answers to many of your problems on the field of play. Clearly written and easy to understand. The Referee's Survival Guide explains many of the "what's, how's, who's and why's" of life on the soccer field, as well as many of the things for a referee to avoid.

Below is a monthly excerpt to whet your appetite for Jeff's brilliant book.

Rule #7:
When surrounded by flames, do not apply gasoline.

Humans, being proud creatures, are often stubborn when provoked. Some of us—men in particular, although women are not immune from the need to save face or the urge to have the last word in an argument—will simply refuse to back down under pressure no matter how foolish or mistaken we may be. A referee who cannot resist the temptation toward “one-upmanship,” however, may keep escalating an incident until it blows up in his face.
On the highway, a game of “chicken” rarely leads to anything but disaster. We should not be surprised to see the same thing happen on the pitch. Remember that you hold all the cards and have all the power on the soccer field. It costs you nothing simply to walk away from a disagreement, and letting someone else have the “last word” is often a good way of letting a coach or player begin to cool off.

Rule #8
When you smell gas, don’t light a match.

There will be times in your career when you will sense the tension building around you. Late in a close match, for example, the players may become frantic trying to score. When a game is being played for a divisional tide, or between two arch-rivals, tempers often rise at the field for reasons unrelated to anything the officials might be doing. Or perhaps a nasty tackle, or a controversial call at a critical moment of the game, will cause people to lose their focus on the match and lead them to focus on the referee instead.
Whatever the cause, the temper of a match often ebbs and flows quite naturally. Usually, the game itself leads everyone to forget what happened five minutes ago, as they concentrate on whatever is happening at the moment. Be careful, during those times of stress, that you do nothing to heighten already-high emotions or aggravate feelings of anger or disappointment. Often, just keeping the game flowing is all you need to do, but you should always try to avoid making things worse by thoughtless actions or comments.
This does not mean that you should be afraid do your duties on the field, or that you should adjust your calls to suit whichever team is making the biggest fuss. But since you are there to solve problems, whenever possible you should try to calm tempers, and not inflame them.

Many thanks to Jeffrey Caminsky for giving his permission for this article to appear.

SOCCERPEDIA

(A monthly extract from the brilliant book 'Soccerpedia' by my friend Andrew Ward. Arranged in A to Z format, this entertaining and authoritative book offers the chance to get to know the Laws of the Game and its history in detail.  Publisher Robson . Publication Date 28 September 2006: ISBN 1861059833 
Size (h x w) 234x156mm Pages 368  Normal price £10.99 (approx. $20.35) Can be bought from Amazon.com

QUICK FREE-KICKS

Referees are encouraged to restart play as soon as possible. A quick free-kick is one that takes place virtually immediately. Opponents are not necessarily ten yards away, and a whistle is not essential. A word from the referee (or a gesture) is sufficient.

Ian Harte (Leeds United) scored from a quick free-kick when goalkeeper Seaman (Arsenal) was by a post organising his wall (August 2001). Beckham (Manchester United) did the same at Blackburn (August 2001), as did Hasselbaink (Chelsea) against West Ham (February 2002). The referee has no obligation to inform defenders that the kick is going to be taken quickly. The referee’s only obligation is not to distract defenders.
Thierry Henry (Arsenal) scored from a quick free-kick at Aston Villa (January 2004). Henry asked the referee if he could take it, and the referee nodded his consent.

Henry also scored from a quick free-kick against Chelsea (December 2004).
‘Do you want a wall?’ the referee asked.
‘Can I take it, please?’ Henry said.
‘Yes.’
Gudjohnsen (Chelsea) was only a yard or two from the ball when Henry clipped it through a gap into the net.

Quick free-kicks are nigh impossible when the referee has to issue a card, summon a physiotherapist or oversee a substitution. A referee at West Brom cautioned a home player for dissent and was still setting up the wall when Dunne (Manchester City) hit a screaming 22-yard free-kick into the net (January 2005). The referee, committed to a ceremonial free-kick, had to order a retake as he hadn’t signalled with the whistle.

Many thanks to Andrew Ward for giving his permission for this article to appear.

(Telegraph News )

Rugby Referee hits rock bottom (29/11/2007)

Now I don't want to stand accused of being too cheeky, but do you remember the curious case of referee Robert Tustin who has been banned for 18 weeks by an Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Richard Moon, for dropping his shorts at a women's match last month?

Well, fresh information has come to light, namely that the game between Thetford and Peterborough was actually played at Peterborough's Two Mile Bottom ground. No, really. I'm not making this up.

Thetford captain Amanda Walker admits she was staggered: "I have never seen anything like it and I never want to see anything like it again. I have no idea why he did it. It was probably about five minutes from the end of the game and Peterborough had scored a try. We went back for the re-start and as we were repositioning, I saw him walk along the halfway mark to the edge of the pitch where the stand was.

She added: "He took his boots off and then turned and walked back on the ground. I saw the Peterborough team looking at him wondering what was going on. Then he just pulled his shirt down over his behind and then flashed halfway towards the stand and the Peterborough team. He didn't say anything except 'Don't stand on my toes' and then we carried on for the last five minutes. It was quite unbelievable."

Arsenal coach Wenger handed touchline ban: (29/11/2007)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been handed his first touchline ban of his career for his sending off at Seville but could face further punishment from Uefa for his reaction to his dismissal. Wenger will sit in the stands for Arsenal's final Champions League group match with Steaua Bucharest on Dec 12, but the European football governing body could hit him with an additional ban and fine.

Uefa's next disciplinary meeting, a day after Arsenal's contest with Steaua, will decide whether Wenger should be punished for his reaction to his dismissal in Seville on Tuesday night. The Arsenal coach was sent from the dug-out towards the end of the 3-1 defeat against Sevilla after complaining to referee Eric Braamhaar at the over-reaction and time-wasting of Sevilla winger Jesus Navas. He then clashed with fourth official Reinold Wiedermeijer by refusing to move into the stands, choosing to stand behind the perimeter advertising boards. 

Wenger, who called the display of the match officials "absolutely shocking", said there was nowhere else for him to go. Uefa spokesman William Gaillard said: "The case concerning Arsene Wenger will be looked at again, but the rules are quite clear. If you are expelled from the technical area then you have to leave." 

If Uefa decide to hand Wenger an additional ban, he would sit in the stands for Arsenal's match in the last 16 of the competition.

Chelsea charged with failure to control players: (27/11/2007)

The FA have charged Chelsea with failing to control their players following Michael Essien's sending off at Derby on Saturday.
It is the second time this season such a charge has been brought against the club after they were fined £30,000, severely censured and warned as to their future conduct after admitting failing to control their players during the 2-0 league defeat at Manchester United on September 23.
In that instance, Chelsea's players were found guilty of the charge when they fiercely protested the sending-off of Mikel John Obi for a challenge on Patrice Evra.
The Regulatory Commission also fined assistant first team coach Steve Clarke £5,000, suspended until the end of the season, after he admitted using abusive and/or insulting words towards the match officials at the end of the same match.
On Saturday referee Andre Marriner was confronted by a host of players, with England captain John Terry to the fore, in the wake of Essien's stoppage time sending-off for an arm in the face of Kenny Miller.
Essien appealed against the red card but had his case rejected and he will now serve a three-match ban, with the club facing the possibility of further punishment.
A Football Association statement said: "Chelsea FC have been charged for the behaviour of Chelsea players towards referee Andre Marriner during the match at Derby County on Saturday, 24 November.
"The club were charged with failing to ensure that its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion following the sending-off of Michael Essien for violent conduct, and have until 12 December to respond.
"At a Regulatory Commission hearing today, Essien had a claim for wrongful dismissal rejected. He will therefore serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect."
Essien will thus miss games against West Ham and Sunderland at Stamford Bridge and, perhaps more significantly, a trip to Arsenal on December 16. 

Concerned about someone taking photographs of children with a camera? Tell the home club. 

If you are refereeing a game involving children or young people, and are concerned about someone photographing or filming the match, it is not your responsibility (as a Referee) to take action. You have enough to do. Please alert an official of the home club. It is their responsibility to manage situations which may give cause for concern.

The FA guidelines notes on this subject shown below, are available as a download from TheFA.com at www.thefa.com/footballsafe/filming

The Football Association: Safeguarding Children Best: Practice Guidelines
Celebrating Football Through Photographs and Video

There has been much talk about whether it ’s safe to take pictures of under 18s playing sport. The FA would like to assure parents, carers, coaches, spectators, players and local media that we encourage the taking of appropriate images of children in football.

Potential risks
The FA has developed this guidance to help avoid the following:
• The inappropriate use, adaptation or copying of images for use on child abuse websites on the internet (often referred to as pornography sites);
• The identification of children when a photograph is accompanied by significant personal information that will assist a third party in identifying the child. This can lead, and has led, to children being ‘groomed ’;and
•The identification and locating of children in inappropriate circumstances which include:
(i) where a child has been removed from his/her family for their own safety;
(ii) where restrictions on contact with one parent following a parental separation exist e.g. in domestic violence cases;
(iii) in situations where a child may be a witness in criminal proceedings; or 
(iv) other safeguarding children concerns. The majority of images taken are appropriate and taken in good faith. If we take the following simple measures we can help to ensure the safety of children in football.

Common sense considerations to ensure everyone ’s safety:

Do
1. share The FA ’s guidance on taking images with all parents, carers and members when they join the club;
2. ensure the club has parental consent to use a player ’s image if it is to be used in the public domain e.g. club website or newspaper article. This is essential in relation to point 3 below;
3. ensure that any child in your club who is under care proceedings is protected by ensuring that their image is not placed in the public domain. This can be done by using an Annual Consent Form, so that parents/carers can identify whether this applies to children in their care;
4. focus on the activity rather than the individual;
5. ensure all those featured are appropriately dressed (a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts);
6. aim to take pictures which represent the broad range of youngsters participating safely in football e.g. boys and girls, disabled people, ethnic minority communities; and
7. report any instances of inappropriate images in football to The FA Case Manager or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Contact details can be found below.

Don ’t
1. publish photographs with the full name(s) of the individual(s) featured unless you have written consent to do so and you have informed the parents as to how the image will be used;
2. use player profiles with pictures and detailed personal information on websites;
3. use an image for something other than that which it was initially agreed, e.g. published in local press when initially produced for a clubhouse commemorative picture; and
4. allow images to be recorded in changing rooms, showers or toilets -this includes the use of mobile phones that record images.

Remember
• It ’s not an offence to take appropriate photographs in a public place even if asked not to do so;
• No one has the right to decide who can and cannot take images on public land;
• If you have serious concerns about a possible safeguarding children issue relating to the recording of images then call the Police. This action should only be taken where you believe that someone may be acting unlawfully or putting a child at risk;
• The land or facility owner can decide whether or not photography and/or videoing at football activities will be permitted when carried out on private land. However, you will need to make this known before allowing individuals access to the private property;
• Try not to use images that include individuals wearing jewellery (as wearing jewellery whilst playing is contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a health and safety issue).

Commissioning professional photographers and the local media

If you are commissioning professional photographers or inviting the press to cover a football activity, ensure you and they are clear about each other ’s expectations. Remember the key is to plan ahead and communicate early on.
• Provide a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of content and behaviour;
• Inform them of your club ’s commitment to safeguarding children and young people.
•  Establish who will hold the recorded images and what they intend to do with them, e.g. place on a website for sale, distribute thumb nails to the club to co-ordinate sales;
• Issue the professional photographer with identification, which must be worn at all times;
• Inform participants and parents or carers prior to the event that a professional photographer will be in attendance and ensure you have established that no under 18s will be compromised due to safeguarding children concerns if their image is taken – remember this can be done by using the Annual Consent Form at the start of the season.

To report potentially unlawful materials on the internet please contact:
The Internet Watch Foundation
Email:report@iwf.org.uk
Telephone:08456 008844
Fax the hotline:01223 235921
www.iwf.org.uk
FA Case Management
Email:ComplianceQueries@TheFA.com
www.FootballSafe@TheFA.com

YOU MUST BE JOKING REF?

After a gruelling game, a gorgeous blonde Referee walks into the physiotherapist's office. She gets in the room with the physiotherapist's and says, "Hey! I hurt all over." The physiotherapist's is really confused. He says, "What do you mean, you hurt all over?" The gorgeous blonde Referee says, "I'll show you."

She then touches herself on her leg. "OW!!! I hurt there." Then she touches her earlobe. "OW!!!!!! I hurt there too!" Then she touches her hair. "OW!!!!! EVEN MY HAIR HURTS!" So the physiotherapist's sits back and thinks on it for 5 min. Then he says, "Tell me, is blonde your natural hair colour?" The blonde says "Yes, why?"

The physiotherapist's says, "Well, you got a broken finger..."

(sorry ladies - no offence meant!)

An up-and-coming Referee was asked to attend an interview to see if he was suitable for promotion to the English Premier League middle. Reaching the end of the interview, the Chairman of the Interview panel asked the young Referee, "And what fees were you looking for?" The young Referee said, "In the neighbourhood of 2,000 pounds sterling a game depending on the benefits package." The Chairman said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks fully paid vacation on a Pacific Island, full time body guard, full medical and dental help, matching retirement fund to 50% of your current job salary, free entry into any ground, and a car leased every 2 years - say, a red Ferrari?" The young Referee sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?" And the Chairman replied, "Yeah, but you started it." 

A senior lady football player who had been sent-off , decided to appeal against her punishment. At the disciplinary appeal, one of the three disciplinary appeal judges approached her and asked, "Mrs. Smith, do you know me?" She responded, "Why, yes, I do know you Mr. Tompkins. I've known you since you were a young boy. And frankly, you've been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you're a rising big shot in the Football world, when you haven't the brains to realise you never will amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Of course I know you." The appeal judge was stunned. Not knowing what else to do he pointed across the table to the other appeal judge, and asked, "Mrs. Smith, do you know my colleague?" She again replied, "Why, yes I do. I've known Mr. Brown since he was a youngster, too. I used to baby-sit him for his parents. And he, too, has been a real disappointment to me. He's lazy, bigoted, he has a drinking problem. The man can't build a normal relationship with anyone, and his Sports Shop is one of the shoddiest in the entire country. Yes, I know him." At this point, the Chairman of the disciplinary appeal panel, rapped the room to silence and called the two disciplinary appeal judges towards him. In a very quiet voice, he said with menace, "If either of you asks her if she knows me, you'll never be asked to sit another appeal board again, and you’ll both be out that door within 5 seconds!" 

As two Assistant Referees were making their way to the field of play which was 100 yards away from the changing rooms, one of the Assistant Referees looking up at the rain pouring down on them said, "Jim, look up. What do you see?" 

Jim replied: "Well, I see more big black rain clouds coming our way." 

"And what does that mean to you Jim?" "Well, I guess it means we are going to have a difficult game today. What does it mean to you, Fred?" 

"To me, it means someone has stolen my umbrella." 

A good looking Lady Referee and a Male Referee returning from their respective games have a car accident, and it's a bad one. Both cars are totally demolished, but amazingly neither of them are hurt. After they crawl out of their cars, the Lady Referee says, "So you're a Referee, that’s interesting - I'm a Lady Referee.... Wow! Just look at our cars. There's nothing left, but fortunately we are both unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should meet and be friends forever, officiate games together, and live together in peace for the rest of our days. The Male Referee replied," I agree with you completely; this must be a sign from God!" The Lady Referee continued, "And look at this - here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of Malt Whiskey didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this to celebrate our good fortune." Then she hands the bottle to the Male Referee. He nods his head in agreement, opens it and takes a few big swigs from the bottle, then hands it back . The Lady Referee takes the bottle, immediately puts the cap back on, and hands it back to the Male Referee. He immediately asks, "Aren't you having any?" The Lady Referee replies, "No. I think I will just wait for the police to arrive..."

THIS MONTH'S QUESTION and ANSWER TOPICS:

Question: The referee is given a team sheet with 11 players and five subs some 20 minutes before KO. After 30 minutes of the game the referee is asked to allow a substitution. He notices that Number 12, a named substitute has played and is now being replaced by Number 5, a named player. I am aware that Number 5 cannot now participate in the game as he is not a named sub and number 12 should be cautioned for USB. 
However has the team already used one of its substitutions through the original use of player 12 and what further action if any should the referee take in this instance?

Answer: It would be most unlikely for a team to purposefully make this mistake, as it serves no purpose. It is more than likely to have been a genuine mistake innocently made. These things do happen at the lower levels of football.

A Referee who officiates strictly by the book can (if he so wishes) apply the Laws as they are written in black and white.

An astute Referee will manage these types of situations by using common sense and report the facts after the match.
After all, Referees are (despite views to the contrary) - human!

Question: Could someone help me out? I was at a game today and the final whistle went, at the same time the whistle went a foul was committed in the penalty area by the defending team, that was the final action of the game. should the ref have given a penalty or as he did finish the game?

Answer: the Referee is the only one who decides if that particular game was over or not before the foul was committed.

Law 7 - The Duration of the Match states: Additional time - is allowed for a penalty kick to be taken at the end of each half or at the end of any periods of extra time.

Question: Law 12 Sending-Off offences

A player, substitute or substituted player is sent off and shown the red card if he commits any of the following seven offences:
[...]
4. denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
5. denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick 
[...]
Also.........
Is there any situation (except handball) where a substitute denies an obvious goal scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the substitute's goal by an offence punishable by a free kick, when the perpetrator is sent-off?

Answer: If a substitute enters the field of play and prevents the ball entering his team’s goal, the referee should stop play, caution the substitute for unsporting behaviour and restart with an indirect free kick to the attacking team where the ball was when play was stopped (*remembering the special circumstances).

If the substitute committed an act of violent conduct, then he should be sent-off.

Question: I was watching Orient today and a player crossed the ball in. The keeper thought it was going over, and hung off the cross-bar, pulling it down slightly lower than it would normally be. The ball hit the cross bar, so I assume it could have gone directly in, if the keeper had not been pulling it down. 

Thoughts please. 

Answer: For a goal to be scored, it has to travel completely over the goal line between the goalposts and under the crossbar. 

In the case mentioned in your linked posting (where the goalkeeper hangs on the crossbar), the ball did not do all of these things; therefore a goal had not been scored.

The goalkeeper should be cautioned for unsporting behaviour; and the game restarted with an indirect free kick.

Question: When does a goalkeeper have control of the ball? Does one hand on top of the ball on the ground mean he has control or can an opponent kick it from his hand?

Does holding one hand out with the ball on top of it count as having control or can an opponent run past and head it from his hand?

Finally, can a keeper push a loose ball away from an opponent with his hand and then pick the ball up straight after?

Answers: 

Does one hand on top of the ball on the ground mean he has control? Yes

Does holding one hand out with the ball on top of it count as having control? Yes

Can a keeper push a loose ball away from an opponent with his hand and then pick the ball up straight after? Yes

Question: When is a penalty kick is completed, specifically during kicks from the penalty mark to decide the winner of a game?

I think everyone agrees that if the ball rebounds off the goalposts, crossbar, goalkeeper or any combination of these and enters the goal, that a goal is scored.

I wonder, though, what your opinion would be in the highly unlikely event that the ball rebounded off the goalpost, crossbar or goalkeeper hit the referee and entered the goal?

Answer: A Referee is deemed to be part of the field of play. 

Therefore, if the ball rebounded off the goalpost, crossbar or goalkeeper, hit the referee and entered the goal, it would be a legal goal.

Question: If a defender deliberately passes the ball back to his keeper with his foot, in such a way that the keeper needs to make a diving save and gets his/her hand(s) to the ball to make a fingertip save.... is that DOGSO and should the referee give an indirect free kick AND send the keeper off?

Answer: The indirect free kick situation that you describe is not a DOGSO and the goalkeeper should therefore not be sent off.

Question: Normally if play is stopped to assess an injured player he must leave the field before the restart of play.

If the player is injured by a an opponent who is cautioned for the challenge is it correct he does not have to leave the field of play. If not it seems a bit unfair that the team are left with 10 men due to a cautionable tackle from the opposition. 

Answer: The cautioned player does not have to leave the field, but the injured player who has been assessed does have to leave.

The injury procedure is laid out clearly in the back of the LOAF (pages 50/51 in the 2007/2008 edition).

And I agree with you, that it is a bit unfair that the offended team are left with 10 men due to a cautionable tackle from the opposition.

Question: In my game on Saturday a yellow defender trips a red attacker resulting in a direct free kick. As the red attacker was laid on the floor yellow defender deliberately kicks the ball into his back. The kick was not hard more like a 'side footed pass'. I deemed this to be unsporting behaviour but when does this become violent conduct. Is it any different to throwing the ball at somebody's face which is deemed to be striking. I would be interested to hear your views 

Answer: Well done for issuing a caution, which sounds like the correct punishment in this case.

It's up to you to decide when such an action becomes violent conduct. It should be easy enough to decide this, and is similar to judging the difference between a reckless tackle (caution), and one made using excessive force (sending-off). Or when a player raises his hands on an opponent's face.

If you deem the offence to have been done with excessive force or towards the face, then it's an early bath for the perpetrator.

Question: Does the ball have to be stationary when taking a goal kick?

Example was when you sometimes see a 'keeper in a hurry to restart, throws the ball into the goal area, and very quickly runs up and takes the kick. We checked our LOAF and could find nowhere where it says that it should. Some said re-take kick, some said just play on, as no offence is committed. Which is correct please?

Answer: This is one of many long-standing known anomalies within the Laws. The Laws have never stated that the ball must be stationery during a goal kick.

Nevertheless, everyone knows that the ball should be still, and this should be the course taken by referees. If the ball is moving, then the goal kick should be retaken. This has been the way it has been done since the Laws were first written.

I hope that you have enjoyed this issue of the newsletter, and that you are all continuing to enjoy your refereeing roles. 
All the very warmest wishes to you all, wherever you are in the world.

Regards, Julian Carosi (Editor)
(CorshamRef Newsletter Editor, Referee, FA Licensed Referee Instructor, FA Referees' Assessor Wiltshire, England, and an Editorial member of the FA/RA Refereeing national magazine in England).
The new web site address is www.CorshamRef.org.uk

Disclaimer: The content of this newsletter is not sanctioned by or affiliated with any governing body of soccer. The opinions expressed here are sometimes those of the Corsham Referee webmaster and the readers, or from other media sources. Reference to the male gender in this newsletter is for simplification only, and applies to both males and females. All rights of the current Laws mentioned in this newsletter are reserved by FIFA, and they are the official laws of the International Football Association Board. The Editor is not obliged to publicise unsolicited manuscripts or photos.

To subscribe or to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please go to the web site www.CorshamRef.org.uk