Welcome to the 59th 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. Your comments and contributions are always welcome.

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' - The ABC of Conflict. 
More 'set-piece' advice by Julian Carosi.
(A series of articles on how to officiate in a proactive way by improving how you deal with specific incidents and how to become a better Referee).       

In the previous newsletters, 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 the article below, we add to the previous ideas on how to manage set-piece throw-ins, how to issue cards, how to manage goal kicks, how to build a positive image, how to establish a rapport with players by gaining their trust via the TRUST triangle, how to deal with simulation, how to manage a penalty kick, how to approach the kick-off at the beginning of each game, how to manage the first 10 minutes of each game, by offering you a process on how to deal with conflict by isolating players when you need to discipline them.

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.         

The aim of this article is to advise Referees of a simple structured method of dealing with conflict on the field of play. It emphasises the importance and effectiveness of isolating players into a neutral zone before disciplining them. 

When an incident occurs that requires disciplinary action, try to factor in a time delay before confronting players. This serves to cool down tempers, and also allows you some thinking time to gather your thoughts. It also provides you with a few seconds to calm down if needs be. Therefore, when players' tempers rise to a high level following an incident, the most effective course of action that a Referee can take to diffuse the situation, is to temporarily delay the game from restarting, and to use this time to calm down the tempers of those players who need calming. 

The most important part of this process is to recognise that it is (and has been for many years) used very successfully in various forms, in all levels of Refereeing. Try introducing it into your game in a structured and conscious way, by using it to deal specifically with awkward situations that may otherwise spiral out of your control. The more selective you are in its use, the more effective it is. Much like blowing the whistle; if you only blow the whistle when it is really required, the effect is more potent. 

When admonishing players, there are three recognised ways that can be used. 

The Quiet Word - when a player commits a minor indiscretion or a minor foul, the Referee can offer a quiet word of advice to the player. He can do this either as the game continues, or whilst a free kick is being set up etc. There is no need to delay the restart, there is no need to isolate the player, it can be done whilst the game is in motion, and there is no need to involve anyone else. The admonishment is for the player alone; there is no requirement for the Referee to show, or to tell others what he is doing. This is the least form of action that a Referee can take for the lowest infringement levels.

The Semi-Public Word - when a player commits a slightly more serious indiscretion or tackle, the Referee should prevent the game from continuing, and take time to provide the perpetrator with some serious words of advice. There is no need to isolate the player by taking him to another location. The admonishment can take place wherever the player is standing, or just slightly away from the incident point if there are too many players nearby. The length of the admonishment is slightly longer than would be used when providing the culprit with a 'Quiet Word', but less time than that used in the 'Public Warning' isolation process introduced below. The aim of the semi-public word is to deal with the situation swiftly, but at the same time, ensuring that most of the other players nearby, can see what you are doing. The aim is not to belittle the player, but to deal with him politely and assertively, so that he is less likely to re-offend. 

The Public Word - when a player commits a careless, or reckless indiscretion or tackle, a caution or a strong word is the least required from the Referee. It is very important, that everyone sees the action that the Referee takes. It provides an opportunity for the Referee to send a clear message to everyone, about the standards expected. Therefore, unlike most situations in a game, for once, the Referee needs to draw everyone's attention towards himself and the perpetrator. It is the 'isolation process' that is important when delivering a public warning. The 'isolation process' forms the basis of the ABC of Conflict method. It allows the Referee to control conflict on the field of play, in a constantly structured and safe manner, by diffusing the situation, and by communicating to others, the standards that are expected. 

The simple ABC of Conflict method will ensure that the Referee maximises his own safety without having to lessen control and view of the remaining players. It shows a Referee how to protect himself, where to position himself, and how to shepherd all the players involved into positions where the Referee can manage the conflict, whilst at the same time, maximising the control and visibility of all the players (including the perpetrator). It can be used when the Referee is disciplining a single player, or when he is being confronted by a melee of players, or when he is preparing to send-off a player. Some aspects can be used when disciplining substitutes and team officials. The first consideration when conflict abounds, is the safety of the Referee, and this is paramount in the positioning advice shown below. In short, if a Referee admonishes a player, or sends him off, whilst surrounded by other angry players, then the conflict may escalate out of control. If the Referee is careful about his positioning, and allows sufficient time for tempers to cool before he deals with a perpetrator, the Referee will have shown an understanding of the tensions within football, and how best to manage them.

ABC of Conflict - The Process:

1. As soon as a conflict materialises and you have to discipline a player, look around for (or be aware of) the best position, for you to manipulate the perpetrator so that they are standing in front of you. Whist disciplining the perpetrator, you will also need to keep an eye on the remaining players, and even the technical area occupants (this is something that many Referees fail to do). This entails enticing, or guiding troublemakers into a position that suits your management and close monitoring of the game. A conflict can be a situation where you have to deliver a public warning, a caution or a sending-off, or dealing with the aftermath of an irate melee of players. Your presence and the way that you positively take charge of the situation at this point, is critical. 

2. Manipulate the perpetrator so that they are between you and one of your Assistant Referees. This allows both the Referee and the Assistant Referee to keep the trouble/conflict area in view and between them at all times - (and for the Assistant Referee to make a note of the perpetrator's number). Do not turn your back on the original trouble/conflict area whilst you are moving into this position. The best way to achieve this is to move backwards slowly, whilst at the same time keeping the perpetrator and the conflict position in view.

3. Try and move into a position where you have your back to one of the boundary lines on the field of play. This allows you to have a panoramic view of the remaining players whilst you deal with the culprit. If a boundary line is too far off, move to a position where you have your back to the part of the field of play that has the least number of players in. This way, you can at keep an eye on most of the other players. 
One obvious exception - "Do not have your back towards a nearby technical area". 

4. When preparing to send off a player, consider going to a boundary position that is nearest to the exit point towards the changing rooms, as this will prevent the perpetrator having to walk past opponents as he exits the field of play. This minimises further trouble. When dismissing a player from each team, it is essential that you leave sufficient time between the procedures to ensure that the players leave the field separately, thereby reducing the risk of an additional confrontation. Always ensure that any players that you have sent off have left the playing area.

5. When isolating a player, try to minimise the distance that he has to travel back to his natural restart position after you have dealt with him. For example, when you caution a right back defender, don't drag him to the halfway boundary, so that he has to walk past many opponents to regain his re-start position, thereby increasing the chances of further trouble igniting. Instead, isolate him near his right corner flag boundary position if you can, thereby minimising further conflict prior to restarting the game. In short, you need to give the perpetrator a reasonable time to get back to his natural position, before restarting the game, and the best way to achieve this, is lessen the distance he has to travel past opponents after you have dealt with him. This becomes more important, when the tempers of both teams are at their highest 

6. Once you have decided where to position yourself, and whilst backing away to that position, call the perpetrator over to you. Aim to have your back near to one of the boundary lines, and guide the perpetrator between you and the nearest Assistant Referee. Always have an Empty Safety Zone behind you that contains no players (or the very least number of players possible). There are several reasons for this:

(a) So you don't have to worry about being attacked or abused unseen from behind. 

(b) So that you have a 'back-off' and retreat zone should things get out of hand.

(c) So that you can still see all of the other players in front of you at the same time.

(d) So that you can shoo away other players whilst they remain in front of you.

(e) So that it gives you an opportunity for some privacy when you talk to the perpetrator.

(f) It takes any angry attention away from the players and directs it onto yourself.

Do not place your back to a nearby technical area.
Do not place your back near to any irate supporters or substitutes who might be close to the touchline.
If you have a serious injury to deal with at the same time, deal with the injury first, whilst keeping a wary eye on the perpetrator who you can usher to a temporary safe waiting position using vocal instructions.

7. Once you have positioned yourself correctly and the approaching player is making his way towards you - this is when you need to judge how angry he is. This is not difficult - as the facial expressions, body language and expletives will give the 'game away'. Keep your head up and position yourself to see if anyone else is approaching, but as the perpetrator approaches, keep your eyes temporarily averted from his face (eye-to-eye contact with an irate player at this stage, can seem like aggression on your part, and may escalate the situation.) 

Once you have positioned the player where you want him, be brave enough to now look him square in the eye. This is very important, as it shows that YOU are in charge, and that YOU are not afraid of using your powers or fulfilling your duties. Maintain eye contact with him, and inform him of the punishment that he is about to receive. Use a few simple words to the effect of; "That type of tackle is unacceptable in this game, and I am going to caution you (or 'It will not be tolerated' etc.)" Keep your advice simple, and always be polite when delivering it. Never belittle players. 

If the situation looks like it may escalate, ask the perpetrator to calm down, else you will need to take additional disciplinary action. Ask the player to remain in front of you whilst you deal with him, and ask him to look at you whilst you are talking. Beware of attempts to show dissent, such as a player turning and walking away from you as you speak, or feigning to tie up his bootlaces. Ask them politely to stand up and face you, until you have finished talking to them. 

There will be the odd player who will 'blank' you out (or aggressively try to eyeball you from a distance), and you feel as though your words of advice are going in through one ear and straight out of the other! No amount of polite assertiveness on your part will get them to listen to you properly or to face you. In such cases, there is not much else you can do, but to complete your procedure and get the game restarted as soon as possible; show a quick card if you have to, and be prepared to deal swiftly with more trouble from this player later in the game. Do not chase these types of players around the field of play. 

8. The Central circle: Take a few seconds of time to isolate yourself and the player. As the perpetrator approaches you, imagine yourself in the centre of a 1-metre circle. This is your personal protection zone space, and the perpetrator must not enter it. This allows you to keep the perpetrator at least at an arm's length away, so that if a punch is thrown, you will be a more difficult target to hit and have more time to react. This circle is where the Referee stands, and is the C part of the ABC of Conflict method. 

There are several ways of generally calling a player towards you, but you should choose your method carefully. Some Referees like to make a stand, and insist that players do the 'walking'. In other words, the Referee will stand still (or retreat to a neutral boundary point) and beckon the perpetrator towards him. Some Referees like to approach the perpetrators themselves; but don't do this if the culprit is purposefully making his way from you as a gesture of defiance. If this happens - try and stand your ground and call/whistle for the player to come and meet you. Do not chase players around the field of play. Sometimes, it's better to use a mixture of the two preceding methods - for example, call the player over, and whilst the player is making his way towards you, meet him halfway. This method is more suited for games that are being played in good spirit. Use whichever method best suits the occasion - or use a combination of all three during a match, depending on the specific circumstances. If a game is beginning to get out of hand - try using the first method, and insist that perpetrators come to you - this gives the players a moment or two to calm down before they reach you. Most players generally appreciate a few moments of 'time out' to allow their tempers to cool down a degree or two. As far as the ABC of Conflict method is concerned, make your way to a boundary position, and as you do so, encourage the perpetrator to come with you at the same time. This allows you time to give irate players a few moments to blow off a bit of steam; but don't allow them to lecture you.

Use an assertive whistle and calm low hand and arm signals to beckon the player into position. Supplement this with polite vocal instructions if required; e.g., 'Can you come over here please No. 7.' Guide the player to where you want him. Shoo all the other players away, using vocal and arm signals of strength that matches the intensity of the approaching players.

9. The Buffer circle: Imagine a second 1-metre-wide doughnut-shaped circle surrounding the 1-metre Central circle where the Referee is standing. This second doughnut shaped area is where the perpetrator stands whilst you are admonishing them. (i.e. a minimum of between 1 metre and 2 metres away from you), and is the B part of the ABC of Conflict method. It provides a safe buffer distance against any physical approach, whilst at the same time, allowing you to converse without having to shout. 

Attempt to guide the player's approach towards you, so that you have your active Assistant Referee in sight in the background. This allows the Assistant Referee to make a note of the number on the back of the player's shirt. This cannot always be achieved, but keep this in mind. It is surprisingly easy to manoeuvre players to achieve this effect - and they don't even know that you have done this.

Adrenaline, pheromones and all other sorts of chemicals are now driving normally peaceful people, into raging tempests, and your reactions can also be affected. At this point, you will have to convince the players that you are in control of the situation, however, do not let your guard down for a second.
As already alluded to briefly above, and reiterated here because of its importance; sometimes, irate perpetrators will approach you (the Referee) and stand face to face with you in an intimidating manner. This is commonly known as 'eyeballing' and can be done by players of all ages. 

'Eyeballing' is a threat to your well-being. An 'eyeballing' threat by a player at very close range with a Referee (eyeball-to-eyeball, head-to-head) is 'Violent Conduct', as it seriously jeopardises the personal safety of the Referee, and must never be tolerated. You will need to react very quickly if this happens, as you will be in great danger of being attacked. 

To try and prevent a perpetrator from reaching the point of being sent-off, consider taking one, or both of the following proactive options: 

(a) Try and predict what the perpetrator is about to do, and back-off a few paces to try and diffuse the situation before it gets to the point of no return. Assertively ask the perpetrator, "Not to come any closer".

(b) Calmly say to the player, "If you don't take a step back immediately I have no option but to send you off the field of play." That usually does the trick. 

Referees are guardians of the game, and as such, if a player shows a complete lack of respect, and threatens the personal safety of a Referee by an eyeball-to-eyeball, head-to-head confrontation - then it is the DUTY OF THE REFEREE TO IMMEDIATELY SEND THIS PLAYER OFF. 

Further notes: If you anticipate that the perpetrator is approaching you in a manner that suggests that he will take some stopping as he approaches you. Tell him to "calm down", "slow down", "keep a distance away" or any other verbal warning that you can think of to that effect. Do not put the whistle to your mouth (unless you want to lose more teeth than is necessary under the circumstances). At the same time, use 'body language' by holding out low, both of your hands palms forward (like shooing cows back) and gesture at them to slow down. Do not stand still at first when you are doing this, else you are likely to get stampeded. Use a bit of Law 18 Common sense, and gain a few extra moments by moving backwards a few steps whilst making the warning actions just mentioned. Standing still will be 'like a red' rag to Bull'. Do not take too many steps backwards, because there comes a moment when you have to make a stand and show the perpetrator that you are in charge and will not be intimidated. When you reach this moment - 'stick to your guns' - stand firm and erect, and take any necessary action. Should you be near to one of the boundary lines, step off the field of play, and warn approaching players that anyone leaving the field of play will be cautioned (for leaving the field of play without your permission). This may be enough to make the perpetrator come to his senses. If they do step over the boundary, then award them with a swift yellow card! 

10: The Advanced Circle: Imagine an even bigger third doughnut-shaped 1-metre thick circle surrounding the 2-metre Buffer circle where the perpetrator is standing. This is the exclusion zone Advanced circle for ALL other players that are not part of your disciplining equation. This is the A part of the ABC of Conflict method.

Expect other players to congregate around you or the incident. When delivering a public warning, cautioning or sending-off a player, it is difficult enough dealing with one player, so shoo away all the other players who want to get involved. This ensures that all the other players are at least 3 metres (or preferably further) away from you. Keeping other players away creates a larger safety zone for you to work in. It also prevents your conversation from being overheard or misconstrued, and minimises interjection from others. 

If other players do approach within the 3-metre distance, assertively instruct them to, "Move away". Use appropriate arm signals to shoo players away, and wait until they have retreated before dealing with the perpetrator.

"KEEP ALL THE OTHER PLAYERS OUTSIDE OF THE ADVANCED CIRCLE, AT LEAST THREE METRES AND MORE AWAY FROM YOU WHEN YOU DEAL WITH MISCONDUCT."

11. The ABC of Conflict method is particularly effective if used for public warnings early in a game, for example - following the first bad tackle. If you wait any longer, you risk losing a crucial early moment to make an impact on the players. Doing it early, imparts a very clear message to the perpetrator and to all the other players. It focuses the attention of everyone onto you (the Referee) and the perpetrator, which tells them that you are in charge and in control - not them. It also allows you to show your displeasure, thereby communicating your tolerance level.

This process allows you to:

• Show everyone that you are aware of an incident, and that you know whom the perpetrator is.

• Take some form of disciplinary action.

• Impart a message to everyone, about the level of conduct expected from players.

• Remind the players to play within the Spirit of the Laws.

• Show everyone that you are in control of the game.

• Provide various levels of advice without being overhead or misinterpreted.

• Give perpetrators a few quiet moments to calm down and to compose themselves.

• Give all the other players a few quiet moments to calm themselves down when the temperature of the game is at boiling point.

• Give yourself some time to compose yourself, and to decide an appropriate course of action.

• Break the chain of events that has put the game into this state. 

If you have not dealt with the situation correctly, or the players consider your action to be inadequate, there may be the possibility of retaliation or retribution. Once you have dealt with everything, and have allowed time for the player to regain his position, it is important that the game is restarted quickly. This will focus the minds of the players on the game, rather than what has just occurred. 
Ensure all the "little fires" are out before restarting the game. With players from both teams milling around, there is always the potential for other altercations. Check with each Assistant Referee, if you haven't already done so, to see if they may have seen something missed by you.

It is important that the game is restarted using strong communication, as this heralds the end of a temporary stoppage and the beginning of the remainder of the game. Check that everyone is ready, and use assertive instructions and a strong whistle to recommence the game.

12. To summarise the ABC of Conflict method: 

• Position yourself so as to maximise your control and ongoing monitoring of the match, whilst at the same time dealing with discipline.

• Manipulate the perpetrator so that as he approaches, you can see your active Assistant Referee in the background.

• Keep a clear retreat Empty Safety Zone behind you if you can.

• Aim to have your back to one of the boundary lines if you can.

• Keep calm, and always be polite to players.

• Be professional. Do not belittle players.

• The Central Circle: 1-metre Referees protection zone. Do not let players enter this personal space zone.

• The Buffer circle: This is where the perpetrator should be standing whilst you discipline them, or when you want to issue a public warning.

• The Advanced Circle: This is the 'shoo away' zone. Keep all of the other players at least 3 metres away.

NEVER PLACE YOUR BACK TOWARDS THE TECHNICAL AREA.

The ABC of Conflict method in its various forms has been used to good effect for many years when dealing with conflict. There will be the odd occasion when you will not be able to use this method (for example - when a situation develops very quickly and calls for you (the Referee) to take instant action. 

But as a general method, it is one of the best ways for a Referee to deal effectively with conflict, in a structured and calm way.

Julian Carosi www.CorshamRef.org.uk

Happy reffing.

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.

The Crew
Each official should arrive at the field at least thirty minutes before game time. This allows the official to warm up before the game, a ritual often neglected by the young, which takes on added importance as the years slip by. It also gives the crew a chance to get acquainted, conduct a thorough pre-game conference, inspect the field as a team, and tune to the same wave-length for the upcoming game. Try to choose a secluded spot, away from players and spectators, where you can have a bit of privacy, to discuss the game. A similar conference usually takes place at half-time, to discuss issues that arose during the first half and expectations for the rest of the match, and at game's-end, which can occur on - or off-site, depending upon the preferences of the officials.

Ideally, the whole crew should enter and leave together, as a team. As a practical matter, officials in amateur soccer do not always make this easy, sometimes arriving just before, or just after, the kick off. You should take it upon yourself always to arrive in plenty of time, at least 30 minutes before game time, ready to begin your duties. Do not let the sloppy habits of others tempt you to cut corners yourself. The pre-game conference is an important time for the crew to get to know one another, and develop a common understanding about how they will he handling the game. This is impossible to do if one or more of the officials is late.

The Money
Game fees vary from league-to-league and state-to-state. In some leagues the home team pays the entire game fee, while in others the teams split the cost of the officials. To prevent needless disagreements from getting the game off to a bad start, it is best to sort out such details before you get onto the field. Having the appropriate fee schedules and distribution in writing can often settle any disputes before they become problems.

One thing remains a constant for all officials, everywhere, across the country. Unless you will be paid later by the people who arranged for your appointment, be sure to get paid before starting the game. You do not want to be in the position of asking for money, hat in hand, from a coach who blames you for the outcome of the game.

It is the referee's responsibility to make sure that the game fee is distributed properly among the officials. Adults and more experienced officials should ensure that the younger referees receive their fair share before taking care of themselves.

The Coin Toss
Before the game begins, you will need to conduct a coin toss to see which team will be kicking off. The team losing the coin toss will kick off to start the match. The team winning the coin toss will get the choice of sides and will kick off to start the second half.

The coin toss need not be a drawn-out ritual, and you can use any coin. You are free to catch it in the air, or let it fall to the ground. Just be sure that the coin you use is big enough to find in the grass.

Traditionally, the entire referee crew participates in the coin toss at or near midfield, along with the captains from both teams. In practice - particularly at adult games, where most players arrive right at game time and things can be quite chaotic as the kick-off nears - the referee may conduct the coin toss while the rest of the crew is busy herding the teams together to start the match. The referee should remember to make a note of which side takes the opening kick-off, so that the right team gets the ball to start the second half. If you forget, just remember that the second half kick-off will go in the same direction as it did to start the game. (That's a good tip Jeff - never thought of that before! Regards - Julian) 

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

FOOTWEAR
In the 80th minute, shortly after Miller (Middlesbrough) had been cut on the arm, Arthur Childs (Hull City) was ordered off the Middlesbrough pitch because a nail in his boot was projecting (September 1928). Childs was not allowed back on the field, even after changing his boot, because the law of the day stated that a player should be sent from the field 'not to return'. That law was soon changed - players sent off with inadequate footwear could return to the pitch, but only when the ball was out of play and the referee had given permission (having first checked that the boots were now satisfactory) (1929).

It is the player's responsibility to satisfy the law, not the manufacturer's. In 2004, The Non-League Paper ran a campaign against 'dangerous bladed football boots'. The newspaper argued that such boots were easily damaged by players running or walking across concrete. There had been a number of serious gash injuries, including those to Andy Hessenthaler (Gillingham), Neil Mellor (West Ham) and Gareth Risbridger (Staines Town). In 2005, referees were instructed to inspect footwear before every match.

Boot specifications were given attention in the earliest laws, and nail-heads had to be 'driven in flush with the leather, iron plates, or gutta-percha on the soles or heels of his boots'. Scotland was blessed with the famous 'crow's beaks' game, when Queen's Park objected to marks on the pitch at Vale of Leven because spikes were illegal (December 1876). Vale of Leven fans said that the marks were caused by crows plunging their beaks into the ground.

By 1891 the law was very detailed: 'Any nails should be driven in flush with the leather. Bars and studs should project no more than half an inch. Fastenings should be driven in flush with the leather. Bars shall be transverse and flat, not less than one-and-a-half inches in length and half an inch in width. Studs shall be round in plan, not less than half an inch in diameter, and in no case conical or pointed.'

A clause was introduced to prohibit a player with offending footwear from taking part in the rest of the match (1891), referees were given permission to examine boots before the match (1897), bars were lengthened so that they had to extend all the way across the width of the boots (1900), and referees could examine boots during the half-time interval (1910). Metal clips for lace-holds were later considered illegal, as were buckles on boots and shinguards. Much later, the law was changed to deal with combined studs and bars (1937).

To buy boots in the early 1900s a player could send a piece of paper cut to the exact outline of his foot. It would take players about three months to break in the boots. Some of them were so unreliable that the ball would fly into one corner of the goal while a boot-sole rippled the netting nearby.

On 23 June 1934, the FA Council ruled sensationally on what should happen if a player refuses to leave the pitch when told to change boots: 'If a player wears anything that the referee considers liable to cause injury to another player he must require the player to remove it, failing which the referee must order the player off the field, and such player shall not play thereafter without the consent of the Football Association.' Most players went meekly. In a match at Charlton, the referee sent Massie (Aston Villa) to the dressing-room to have a protruding nail removed from one boot (April 1939). At half-time in a Stoke City-Blackpool PA Cup tie, when players complained of scratches on the legs, the referee checked the studs of players of both sides and found nails protruding (1949). And the boots of Docherty (Preston) were examined after Quixall (Sheffield Wednesday) had been injured during the 1954 FA Cup semi-final.

From 1951, players were allowed to wear boots with studs shaped as truncated cones, provided that the diameter of the smallest circle was not less than half an inch and that they did not project more than three-quarters of an inch (an increase from half an inch). The invention of screw-in studs and the use of rubber-moulded soles revolutionised the design. Later, in the 1970s, players like Alan Ball, Terry Cooper, Peter Taylor and Alan Hinton wore white boots. In 1999 IFAB rejected the idea of team-mates having to wear boots of the same colour.

In 1972-73 referees and linesmen in the professional game were issued with gauges to measure studs, but manufacturers hadn't been consulted so a lot of illegal studs were identified. Before a Poland-Argentina match, a linesman inspected the players' footwear and expressed concern (June 1974), and as a result the referee asked two Argentina players to change their boots. After 1975, the laws referred to footwear rather than boots.

There have been times when players have played without footwear. In the

1930s, Celtic fielded Abdul Salim, who played with bandages around his feet.

In the l920s, Tewfik 'Toothpick' Abdallah preferred to play in bare feet but  Derby County officials convinced him to wear boots.

Leonidas (Brazil) scored four in the 6 - 5 win against Poland (June 1938). At one point, feeling constricted by the mud, Leonidas took off his boots and tossed them away over the touchline. At once the referee ordered him to put them on again or go off himself as he was in breach of the rules. It was considered acceptable for the whole team to be barefoot but not one individual player (IFAB 1956). Indeed, a barefoot Nigerian XI played at South Liverpool (1949), and the Mohun Bagan team (playing barefoot) defeated an East Yorkshire regiment to win the India FA Shield (1911). In the 1960s there were instances of referees stopping players from playing if they wore trainers, plimsolls or winkle-pickers.

In 1989, the wording on Law 4 was altered to make it clear that suitable footwear had to be worn. Players without boots should be ordered from the field and not allowed to return until they have replaced them (1992). Players losing a boot are not allowed to play on in stockinged feet, but they may be allowed some leeway if they shoot and score in the very next stride. Against Holland, Milan Baros (Czech Republic) lost a boot in a challenge, then continued his dribble and took a shot at goal as a defender held back from damaging Baros's metatarsal (September 2004). The referee awarded an indirect free-kick against Baros and cautioned him for unsporting behaviour. A similar caution was issued to Beckham (England) against Azerbaijan (March 2005). Having lost a boot, Beckham needed to concentrate on replacing it. Instead he got up off his knees when the ball came his way and played a pass with his sock.

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

NEW NEWSLETTER FEATURE:

These articles can also be found on the www.CorshamRef.org.uk web site along with any respective images. 

Muzzle the Coach! by Stanley Lover 2006

Fifteen years on - a Law change revisited -has it worked?

Football laws are not engraved in stone. Annual reviews by the IFAB help keep them abreast of modern trends. Occasionally it is useful to check if law changes are working as intended. One of these affects every match - coaching in play.

Daily TV exposure to top football shows up the best and the worst of our great sport.
On the plus side we enjoy the ever changing action and reaction in a flowing game; observe how the players make their judgements and decisions, adapting these to intelligent team play. We acclaim the spontaneous flair of ball artists 
On the minus side we detest anything which degrades the spectacle such as over rough play, arguments with officials, violent crowd scenes.
Whatever changes are decided in the rules of the game we want them to add to our pleasure.

The Coach in play
In a FIFA Memorandum for the conduct of the 1990 World Cup in Italy team coaches were accorded permission to convey tactical instructions during play. 
This set aside a fundamental 100 years principle that players should play the game in their own fashion without instruction during the period of play. FIFA made this concession without a formal change of law but it applied only to the World Cup tournament. 
Officially, coaching 'from the boundary lines' continued to be banned until 1993 when, for the first time, a team coach was recognised in football law as an element in the game. The privilege of conveying tactical instructions appeared in IFAB Decision N°13, tacked on to Law 5, then moved to Law 3, Decision 2.

The stated intention was;
"To improve the quality of play."

Instructions could now be issued from a new 'technical area' which defined the coach's operating territory. A condition;
'provided that they conduct themselves, at all times, in a responsible manner.' 
Although addressed initially to a single team coach the decision was widened, in a 2001 amendment, to apply to 'any team official.'

The best of coaching
The role of coaching is well established as an essential element of the game. Apart from developing football skills and tactics coaches are educators with an important influence on character development of young people at an impressionable age. 
Coaching manuals list desired qualities of integrity, patience, understanding player psychology, ability to inspire and impose discipline. The Coach is urged to create and develop good habits and attitudes as corner-stones of soccer education.
Responsible coaches, then, hold the keys to disciplined and fair play.

The reality
When the concession, to allow coaching in match play, was introduced a well experienced international coach expressed these concerns; 
"A coach only needs to convey occasional tactical instructions during play unless he is incompetent and has not established his ideas in training. 
Being emotionally involved coaches will have problems controlling behaviour when things go wrong. They will be more visible in the technical area and any protest e.g., against referees' decisions, will incite negative reactions from players and supporters. 
I feel that such problems will outweigh the intended benefits to the coach and his team."
Was he wrong?

Warning signals flashed in the very first tournament where the new freedom for coaches was granted. A personal review of the 1990 World Cup contained many positive comments but included these observations;
"The dangers of this change were clearly visible to millions. Aggressive coaching caused problems for the players, referees, linesmen and fourth officials. It would not be too strong to accuse these coaches of inciting indiscipline among players and violence among supporters. 
Negative aspects of coaching were observed in 16 of the 52 matches but only one coach was disciplined," and,
"We saw the proof in Italy that coaches will not respect the 'bench' restriction (later expanded to a technical area) and that their conduct was sometimes inflammatory."

Consider this comment from Peter Velappan, Secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, in ASIA NEWS (1998);
"The AFC is concerned that coaches in recent tournaments have not been on their best behaviour. Angry and unruly behaviour by coaches violates all rules of fair play and sportsmanship.
Such misbehaviour included abuse of referees and their assistants, making their task to control the play more difficult. Players, encouraged by the actions of coaches tend, in their turn, to be aggressive towards opponents and officials.
We appeal to all coaches especially youth coaches to teach players correct values and emphasise the importance of fair play and sportsmanship"
Similar appeals over the years have fallen on sterile ground; regular incidents of coach misconduct continue to keep discipline commissions busy.

All levels affected 
There is much to admire in the professional game but an unrelenting drive to win-at-all-costs frequently blows sporting ethics to the winds.
Two recent incidents illustrate abuses at pro level.

• An FA Premier League club coach listed himself as a substitute to escape confines of technical area. He felt free to patrol the whole touch-line delivering a constant stream of instructions spiked with vitriol.

• In a high profile French Division 1 match a player had been dismissed after a second yellow card offence. The home team's coach and his assistant were expelled from the touch-line after a fierce and prolonged confrontation with the referee and the fourth official. The coach was then seen patrolling, like an enraged animal, in an upper level of the stands and continuing to shout instructions to the bench.

Just two of many pro level incidents observed by millions. Both cases were dealt with and sanctions applied but - too late - the integrity of the game had suffered irreversible damage. Small paragraphs reporting the sanctions some weeks later were no consolation.

The other end of the spectrum is illustrated by a grandmother invited by her 13y.o. grandson to his team's match. She was moved to write as a witness to appalling behaviour of the team coach after the opponents scored. 
"He launched into a hideous display of poor sportsmanship and vulgar language which humiliated his own players. Teamwork dissolved and parents took up his tirade against their own boys
Afterwards I asked my grandson what he thought. 'When the coach lost his temper the match was a disaster - no one had a good time.'" he said.
Irresponsible behaviour by coaches is rife at all levels between pro and youth. 

The balance sheet
After fifteen years of experience what is the balance sheet?
Is there any evidence of improved quality of play due to coaching during the game? If measurable is it enough to excuse the massive damage to football through constant abuses of the privilege? 
It was surely never intended, nor foreseen, by proposers of the law change, that it would lead to excessive interference with flow of play; dissenting conduct inciting violent reactions and displays of egocentric histrionics, now accepted as norm and practised by coaches at all levels.
Match officials assert that in play coaching has made their task much more difficult. They have borne an intolerable burden of verbal browbeating, insults and threats from coaches, inflamed parents and fans, to the point where many abandon their role and are lost to the game.
A survey of sports officials reveals that 44% quit due to problems with coaches, attitudes of players and fans. They feel treated as enemies in a sport they love.
It is an important factor in the constant search for recruits and keeping their interest after training. There is an increasing world shortage of officials to cover all competitive matches.

Options
What to do? A check of opinions among coaches, referees, parents, and fans, suggests one or more of the following options;

• Universal Code of Conduct for Coaching in Play to be enforced.

• Sanctions to be more severe and rigidly applied.

• One official team coach only, identified to the referee.

• Limit coaching to the bench. Scrap technical areas.

• Impose a period of zero tolerance and assess effect for future action.

• Withdraw decision to permit coaching during play. Scrap technical areas.

Many thanks go to Stanley Lover for his regular contributions.

Walter Winterbottom -Director Sports Council; at AFLR&L 1967 Conference Nat. Recreation Centre, Crystal Palace
Reviewing 1966 WC match control (as FIFA Tech. Comm. Member)

'One of the great problems in allowing people to coach is that you cannot stop your coaching and confine it to the finer points of the game.
Eventually the coach will find some way of getting around the Laws of the Game.
Manager Alan Brown (Manager, Burnley?) discovered that by stopping his players gathering around and appealing to the referee, had resulted in his side losing 16 free kicks, which other wise they would have no doubt been awarded had they 'put pressure' on the referee.
How far do we go to win an advantage for our side? Inevitably one or two will go to extreme limits. 
The coach who misbehaves ought to be punished as much as a player.'

Also, when WW was Manager of England team he said this at LONSAR meeting;
'I train my players to be five moves ahead of the referee.'

KEN ASTON (An historical tribute to Ken's memory)
Source Telegraph 22/11/2001

Kenneth Aston, died in November 2001 aged 86, was a World Cup referee who among many other innovations introduced the red and yellow cards into Association football.

The idea of using coloured cards came to Aston in 1966 when he was watching a World Cup match between England and Argentina. The game was refereed by a German who decided to send off one of the Argentines, but the player either did not understand or did not want to understand what the referee was telling him.

The next morning Aston was thinking about this incident while driving his car, when he was stopped at traffic lights. He wondered whether the effectiveness of colour signals as a way of conveying orders could have an application on the football field.

The idea was subsequently adopted by Association football at national and international level.

Kenneth George Aston was born at Colchester, Essex, on September 1 1915 and educated at Ilford County High School. In 1935 he joined the staff of Newbury Park School where in addition to his teaching duties he ran the school football team.

In 1935 he qualified as a football referee and took part in League games until the outbreak of the Second World War, in which he served with the Royal Artillery, before being seconded to the Indian Army in 1944. After the war, in 1946, he became the first referee in League football to wear the black uniform with white trim which became the standard uniform for football referees. The following year he introduced bright yellow linesmen's flags to replace pennants in the home team's colours.

In 1953 he became head of Newbury Park School and as a referee progressed to senior League matches. He refereed the European Nations Cup final in 1961, and was a referee in the World Cup in Chile in 1962 at a match between the home side and Italy, when he was presented with what David Coleman, the BBC commentator, described as: "the most stupid, appalling, disgusting and disgraceful exhibition of football possibly in the history of the game."

Trouble at the match had been likely since Italian journalists had been reported as questioning the appeal and morals of local women; the first booking took place within seconds, and Italy's Giorgio Ferrini had to be escorted off the field by Aston and armed policemen after only 12 minutes. The police appeared on the pitch twice more in a game that began to resemble a boxing match and which Chile won 2-0.

But however memorable the "Battle of Santiago" seemed, it was a tiny part of Aston's ultimate influence on the game. He never officiated at another World Cup match, but the following year refereed the FA Cup final at Wembley when Manchester United beat Leicester City by 3-1. For eight years he was a member of the Fifa Referees' Committee, and chaired the committee for four years. He was in charge of World Cup referees in 1966, 1970 and 1974.

As well as introducing the red and yellow card system, in 1966 Aston instituted the practice of appointing a substitute referee - normally the senior linesman - who can take over in the event of the match referee being unable to continue. At the same time, he proposed - again successfully - that the pressure of the ball should be specified in the Laws of the Game.

In 1974, he introduced the number board for substitutes to ensure that it was perfectly clear which player was being called off the pitch.

During his chairmanship of the Fifa Referees' Committee, he proposed that when a match had ended in a draw after extra time, the side which had the fewer free kicks and yellow and red cards declared against it should be declared the winner. This proposal was rejected by the committee, which chose penalty goals.

Aston became senior lecturer of the Football Association Referees' Panel and chief instructor for the American Youth Soccer Organisation. He was life President of Ilford Football Club.

For 14 years he served as a magistrate on the Inner London Bench and was a member of the Victim Witness Support Team at Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London.

In 1994, he was called as a witness in a case brought by the Northern Ireland defender John O'Neill, in which Aston testified that John Fashanu's tackle, during a game in December 1987, had been: "the cruellest, most dangerous foul in the game. It was the clearest case I have seen of a player jumping on an opponent."

The following year, he alleged that he had been offered £25,000 for the names, addresses and telephone numbers of players and referees by Far Eastern bookmakers keen to fix matches. Aston informed the FA at once.

Aston was appointed MBE in 1997.

RESPECTABLE GOALS
By Roy Collins 11 May 08 Telegraph

Should any referee dare to award a slightly iffy throw-in to one of Chelsea's opponents next season, no more will you see John Terry hurling abuse at him, while a snarling pack of his team-mates surround the poor official. And should Manchester United get robbed by a dodgy penalty, do not expect a murmur of dissent from Rio Ferdinand or any of his pals.

Okay, those scenarios may be as likely as Harry Kewell playing a full 90 minutes but after discussions with Premier League and Championship officials, plus players and managers, Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick is determined to make his Respect agenda work in the professional game.

He knows this will make him a hostage to fortune, saying: "We're not daft enough to believe that, overnight, behaviour's going to change and we know the professional game is different to the one my boy plays in the park. We know there will be occasions when the thing will fall off the rails but we'll get it back on the rails. It might be just the most important thing we do over a number of years, trying to get respect back into the game."

Vietnamese referee banned for changing his mind:
http://uk.reuters.com/  Wed May 21, 2008  

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A referee in the Vietnamese football league has been suspended for four matches for awarding a goal and then changing his mind, local media reported.

Referee Nguyen Xuan Hoa was reprimanded by the country's football federation for bowing to pressure from Danang, whose furious players stormed off the field after conceding a goal to Dong Tam Long An last week.

The Danang team returned 20 minutes later after Hoa reversed his decision and went on to win the game 3-2.

In a meeting with the federation's disciplinary committee, referee Hoa insisted no one had influenced his decision, the Thanh Nien Daily reported.

He was suspended for four matches, however, and his assistants banned for three for failing to mention the incident in their match reports.

Danang's coach was fined $495 (252 pounds) and banned for four games for interrupting the match.

YOU MUST BE JOKING REF?

Two aging referees in the twilight of their lives were having a discussion. John and Bill were both wondering if there was football in heaven, so they could continue 
on as Referees. After much discussion, the two of them decided that whoever kicked the bucket first would somehow contact the other left in the world of the living and let him know if there was football in heaven. Sadly, shortly after that discussion, John died and was taken to heaven. Bill was wondering if his old friend John was going to contact him with news about football in heaven. 
One morning, while Bill was lying in bed thinking about all of the great games he had done, he heard a voice from out of nowhere say, 
"Bill, it's John. I'm talking to you from heaven!" 
Bill was so anxious for some news. He simply blurted out, "Is there football in heaven?" 
John said, "I have lots of great news, and a little bit of bad news." 
John went on, "First the great news. There is football in heaven. We're all young again here. We get to Referee all day, without ever getting tired. No one questions our calls, everyone shakes our hands after every game and tells us that we called a great game." 
Bill said excitedly, "Wow, that's amazing! But............ you mentioned something about bad news." 
John said sheepishly, "The bad news is that you're the centre referee for the big game here this Tuesday. 

(Thanks for the joke Dave K)

THIS MONTH'S QUESTION and ANSWER TOPICS:

Question: If (during play) a fight breaks out between two opposing players. you (as the centre referee) blow the whistle for the fight. Neither you nor the Assistant Referee saw who started the fight, you Red Card BOTH players. 

Which would be the restart?
1. Restart where the ball was at the time you blew the whistle with an indirect free kick to the team that had possession of the ball
2. Drop ball at the point of the Serious Foul Play
3. Indirect free kick at the point of the Serious Foul Play to a team of your choice (just like choosing a team for a throw in that went out and you could not determine who last touched the ball)
4. Direct free kick at the point of the Serious Foul Play to a team of your choice (just like choosing a team for a throw in that went out and you could not determine who last touched the ball)

Answer: There is no detail in the Laws to cover this specific scenario, therefore, the restart is a dropped ball in accordance with Law 8 (The Start and Restart of Play).

"A dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after temporary stoppage that becomes necessary, while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the game. The Referee drops the ball at the place where it was located where play was stopped. Play restarts when the ball touches the ground"

Question: An attacker rounds the goalkeeper, and stops the ball just before it crosses the line for a goal. He then gets down on his hands and knees to head the ball into the goal. What should the referee do, and what is the restart? 

Answer: The attacking player has not broken any Law, and (if the act is not dangerous) is entitled to head the ball over the goal line if he so wishes.

A quiet word of friendly advice after the event is the best way of dealing with this, rather than looking in-between the lines of the Laws for a justified punishment. 

Question: Can a physio be dismissed from the technical area?

Answer: In the higher echelons of the game, the term physio refers to properly qualified medical staff, some of them professionals in their trade (e.g. doctors). It is very unlikely that one of these would ever get into a situation where their behaviour warrants dismissal from the technical area.
At the other extreme, in the lower levels of the game, the term physio often refers to anyone who has volunteered to run onto the field of play with a squeezy bottle of water, and whose medical skills are at zero level, or worse still, 'dangerous level!' In these cases, it's easy enough for someone else to take over the water bottle duties!

There is no catch-all advice in the Law book that covers all of the possibilities that can occur. A Referee will have to either use; Law 18 (Common Sense); local FA dictates; or take cognisance of the specific Competition Rules. (i.e. at the top levels, properly qualified medical staff must be in attendance).

As a rule of thumb, if the 'loosely termed' physio is the only (so called) medical person available, and his conduct is unlikely to be repeated, or is unlikely to effect the game itself, then the Referee will have to use common sense, concerning his/her dismissal from the actual technical area confines. 

In the worst case scenario, where the Completion Rules require a physio to be in attendance, but the presence of a dismissed physio remaining in the technical area is detrimental to the game, then the Referee may decide to cancel the game.

Question: If during a match, a player's boot comes off, and the player continues to play the ball (not just kicking it or just having a shot at goal) and therefore puts himself at risk of injury, what action should the Referee take?

Answer: The Referee has a duty of care towards the players, and must stop play if there is any danger to the player. This scenario is/was covered in separate parts of the 2007/2008 Laws of Associated Football. 

References: Additional Instructions and Guidelines for Referees in the 2007/2008 Law book (page 66):

"If a player loses his footwear accidentally, and immediately plays the ball and/or scores a goal, there is no infringement and the goal is awarded because he lost his footwear by accident."

It follows therefore, if the player continues to play on after immediately playing the ball, and the Referee believes that the misplaced boot poses a potential danger, he should stop play immediately .

Law 5, Powers and Duties of the Referee: "The Referee ensures that the players' equipment meets the requirements of Law 4".

Law 4, Players' Equipment: "A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player. The basic equipment of a player comprises of ..............footwear etc. The player leaves the field of play to correct his equipment. The player is only allowed to re-enter the field of play when the ball is out of play". 

Law 8 The Start and Restart of Play: Once play has been stopped, it should be restarted in accordance with Law 8. 
"A dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after a temporary stoppage that becomes necessary, while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game. The Referee drops the ball at the place where it was located when play was stopped".

The player has not committed any offence, hence the dropped ball restart. 

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)
  www.CorshamRef.org.uk Newsletter Editor, Referee, FA Licensed Referee Instructor, FA Referees' Assessor Wiltshire, 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.

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