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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:

Click here for a colour version of the above diagram.

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 - always 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.

The above diagram shows typical positions that can be used on the field of play. 

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. 

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.