Dr Adam Collins, Senior Tutor in Nutrition at University of Surrey presented
a talk on nutrition and hydration (before, during and after the match). This was
referee specific and was packed with excellent advice.
Adam has worked with many athletes and professional footballers and offers one
to one consultancy (http://www.nutriffic.co.uk)
Summary of the key points, by Nick Brown
Nutrition is defined as “how well food and diet supplies the body with
necessary components for health and performance”. Physically, excellent
nutrition can achieve better performance by ensuring adequate supplies of energy
are reserved (such as glycogen, a stored carbohydrate), with the right foods
ensuring maximum metabolic efficiency when we are required to work at our best.
By supplying our body with the right nutrients we can train harder, remain
mentally alert for longer and counter fatigue, as well as reduce our recovery
times after exertion.
Adam found many parallels between professional footballers and elite referees
with both covering similar distances on the fields, as well as expending similar
energy levels and experiencing mirroring amounts of dehydration (water losses of
1.5-2.5L) during a 90 minute game. The average human required 2,000-2,500
calories a day, where as elite athletes require 3-4,000, with roughly 60% coming
from Carbohydrates, 15% protein and 25% fat. The diagram below outlines a rough
guide for maintaining a strong balance between each food group.
Glycogen, the stored carbohydrate in muscles, is seen as the “fuel” we need for
matches and training. Carbohydrates provide instant energy, as well as longer
stores for sustained efforts on the field.
Be aware of eating “high glycaemic index (GI)” foods such as raisins, sweets and
simple sugars. They act as a “quick fix” for an hour or two, before the blood
glucose levels drop to a very low level, which would be damaging for performance
if eaten in the preceding hours before a game. Lower GI foods, such as rice,
pasta and bread, if eaten between the day before and 4 hours before kick off
will sustain you during a game.
Staying hydrated is key, at half time drink water/isotonic drink and eat no more
than 50g carbohydrates (such as a banana or some sweets). Within 1 hour post
match, it is essential to restore glycogen levels by eating a high carbohydrate
snack, and later meals the day after to aid recovery.
Follow your body’s wishes when deciding whether to drink hot or cold drinks and
the levels of fluid. Drinking too much water or caffeinated drinks cause more
toilet breaks, leading to some dehydration. Replace 1L of fluid for every KG of
weight lost as a rule of thumb.
Protein intake should be sufficient through standard diet, optimum time to
take is 2hours-24 hours post match. Supplements are not considered to be an
additional benefit.
The meeting then progressed to discussing best practises for delivering match
instructions to A/Referees.
Surrey DG wishes to thank Dr Adam Collins for his comprehensive and informative
talk.
Dr Adam Collins materials, click to open
The Coaching groups delivered their thoughts on assistant referee briefings. These will be summarised as one of our best practice guides.
The FA's Head of Senior Referee Development, Neale Barry, addressed Surrey DG on Thursday 26th January 2011. Neale commenced by describing the current referee pyramid and the challenges facing the local and national game over the coming years.
Key Attributes to progress up the refereeing ladder:- Dedication (But NOT Obsession), ability, attitude, mental strength, fitness (but do not run like a ‘headless chicken’), consistency, ‘bouncebackability’. Most importantly: “The All Round Package” encompassing all of the above attributes.
You also need:- Self-discipline (in all aspects of life), an empathy for the game, motivation to succeed and knowledge. “Knowledge” does not just mean of the laws of the game (although vital), but also understanding actions. Neale also stressed the importance in developing interpersonal skills; the ability to communicate with different characters for different purposes in different situations.
Important concept:- SEE- THINK- ACT! The best referees observe and then consider the best course of action, instead of acting recklessly, and thereby wrongly.
Neale progressed his presentation into stressing that being “fast tracked” is not necessarily good. By spending longer at certain levels enables you to develop a strong foundation of experience, often resulting in referees surviving better at the next level and maintaining sustainable progression.
Common Management and Communication techniques:- Calmness, Confidence (yet equally not arrogance!), impartiality, strength of character, flexibility, humour (if possible, if a quick witted remark naturally comes to you), as well as approachability.
Ways to improve:- Do your homework! Read up about teams/ competitions and speak with other referees. Fitness is an element of refereeing being emphasising on for the future, so improve this to reach new athletic levels. Moreover, attend training and education seminars, self-evaluate and appreciate every game is important.
Neale emphasised that the more you practise, the luckier you become. The lucky officials get promoted and demonstrate higher levels of performance and success.
Following Neale’s detailed talk, the meeting progressed onto a “Q & A” session, with several issues affecting L4s discussed and debated.
Surrey DG and Surrey FA wish to thank Neale for his excellent talk and
appreciate his efforts. Thank you to those that organised the event, with the
location mirroring the quality of the meeting content.
Enjoying the level you are at
National List Referee, Darren Sheldrake, gave a talk to the Surrey DG about “enjoying the level you are at”, as well as expressing the importance of making “SMART”, attainable goals. Later, Development group co-ordinator, David Hutchinson, presented a presentation on the art of ‘routines’ and how they can enhance mental performance, a vital aspect of any sporting, or life, performance.
Key points:-
His worst season, 2006-2007, he admitted placing too much pressure on himself and didn't referee to his potential and subsequently didn’t get promoted.
Stats were produced of high flying Football League officials in Surrey
outlining the time it took them to progress up the footballing pyramid from
Level 4.
You never know when you're going to be promoted, it could be 15 years away, so
enjoy what you have when you have it!
SMART goals:- Specific ; Measurable; Attainable; Realistic; Timely.
Goal setting needs to be SMART to account for controllable/uncontrollable
factors. You can’t write a goal stating “I aim to Referee the FA Cup final this
year” because you do not have direct influence on this decision! Refine targets
during the season depending upon circumstances.
Routines
Mental performance practitioner and our group leader David Hutchinson delivered an interactive session on routines.
What are they?
Regular pattern of events followed before every game.
Every routine is personal to the individual and no-one should ever follow a
perceived "conventional" pattern.
No-one is wrong whatever anyone says, it’s about performing to your peak on the
park!
Every top performer has a routine. Referees should be no different.
Why use them?
Helps to anchor the mind to familiarity and thus instil greater mental calmness.
Performance can be enhanced off the field using mental rehearsal. You could
build this in as part of your pre-match routine. Rehearse what you want to do
(never the negative)
One man, when locked up in Vietnam in solitary confinement regularly visualised
playing a round of golf to great detail.
Years later when released, he managed to remarkably play golf to the same
previous level puzzling scientists!
The mind is a powerful tool and can be used to enhance performance/ give you an
edge over competitors.
How do I choose a routine?
Use a routine that works for you .... think back and use one that led to a good
performance in the past.
A variety of routines were suggested throughout the group and these varied from
person to person.
A mental routine allows for better preparation to ensure factors such as
encountering different grounds, climates, location circumstances do not hinder
the potential to do well.
Make sure that it is specific and not dependent upon outside factors, or it
won't prove to be useful.
One suggestion was to be flexible in approach prior to team sheets --- many things can change and if your routine is too rigorous you may get frustrated when you can't follow it. Team sheets are usually exchanged 45 mins to an hour before ko giving you plenty of time to go into professional mode and get into the zone for the game.
Officials may need a number of general routines .... when being referee (separate Sat and midweek routine) as times m ay change and other factors such as work may be an issue. A separate routine may also be required when acting as Assistant as you are not inc control of events. Identify from your good performances a few things that you can do every time and at the same time .... and when things go wrong have a look at what you are doing and what you did when you performed well.
Thank you to both for offering insightful presentations. The group then went to
the next door pub for buffet and drinks kindly supplied by Surrey FA and our
co-ordinator. Many thanks and Merry Christmas!
Report by Nick Brown
Former FIFA Referee, Martin Bodenham kindly agreed to deliver a presentation
to the Development group on Thurs 27th October 2011. A current Level 3 coach,
Martin also forms part of a panel that reviews Key Match Incidents (KMIs)
throughout the professional game. A man with a wealth of experience, Martin is
the first person to have officiated at the top level of a national sport in 2
spheres, where he currently umpires first class Cricket within the UK.
Key message:
Recognise and deal with the physical aspects of the game … that is what players
band clubs want … manage as far as you can the technical misdemeanours.
Key points from the presentation:-
Competencies of Level 4 Referees:-
Key buzz words exist which assessors use in order to mark for various
categories. By demonstrating the following competencies (or not) determines the
mark awarded by an assessor.
Law:-
Consistency in awarding offences; Recognition of fouls, whether they may be
penal or technical.
Depending upon the offence, the appropriate sanctions need to be imposed,
whether that be a quiet word, public rebuke (with/without captain), or yellow
and red cards.
Match control:-
Selling decisions, whether this be via body language, whistle or voice, the
assessor needs to see conviction and authority throughout the day. Tempo
management.
Proactive refereeing, “preventative” refereeing. Managing dissent effectively.
Getting the key match incidents (KMIs) right, as well as any mass confrontations
that develop and ensue.
Martin advised breaking down every football game into ten-fifteen minute
segments. The first one, stamp an authority on the match, before seeing how the
game develops.
Pressure times obviously occur around intervals/the end of halves.
Advantage:-
Communicate effectively with voice and the appropriate 2 armed signal. Don’t use
this when a reckless offence has been committed- the only exception is a clear
and certain chance of an attempt on goal.
Remember to go back and speak with offending players- does look impressive! The
art of using the advantage is difficult, it is a useful tool, yet awareness of
when to use it is crucial.
Match Instructions:-
Keep to 10-12 minutes. Start with a welcome and a brief intro of the context of
the match, purely for awareness reasons, not to formulate pre-conceived ideas!
Outline a timetable of events, before progressing onto: Goal kicks and
clearances, throw ins, offsides (Active/passive ‘wait and see’), and express the
level of involvement needs to mirror the referees.
Mass confrontation, credibility, match records, penalties, technical areas.
It is ok to use a card as a prompt sheet to ensure focussed and succinct
instructions. Remember the human mind switches off with too much fine detail.
The meeting then progressed onto the fourth official presentations by members of
the group.
Surrey DG is extremely grateful to Martin for his excellent advice and time and
thank him for his attendance.
Our four coaching groups presented their thoughts on the topic "Key
practices when acting as 4th official". These are summarised here:
PDF document
Ian Hart gave an enlightening presentation on the current assessing system. Highlights include
Our four coaching groups presented their thoughts on the topic "Good
practices to improve your club mark". These are summarised here:
PDF document
The referees attending the Lisbon and Copenhagen tournaments highlighted their experiences and what they learned.
A team of three referees led by Dan Robathan as coach represented the Development Group at the CupDenmark tournament held in Copenhagen (28 July to 1 August 2011).
Dan comments "This was a very successful tournament, both on the field for
our referees and organisation from the CupDenmark’s point of view. I would
highly recommend this tournament for future ventures.
All our referees exceed their aims and goals and officiated to a very high
standard. I would say that they all improved and worked very well on their own,
with club assistants and as a threesome.
They were all a credit to Surrey as referees and really promoted the very high
standard and quality were are producing". Both Tom and Damith refereed finals.
A team of four referees led by Dan Robathan as coach represented the Development Group at the prestigious Lisboa Cup tournament (24 June to 2 July 2011). The guys had some challenging games. Teams included Benfica, Porto, Sevilla, FC Copenhagen, Bristol City, Vasco da Gama and many others from Portugal, Spain, Poland, Italy, Romania, South America, Canada .... and many other countries.
Nick Brown's view .... "overall, superb. The quality of football, as well as the mixture of nationalities and backgrounds provided a brilliant atmosphere. We bonded very well as a group and made friends with colleagues from other nations. It was a highly enjoyable experience and I would urge other referees to go/return in the future. The days were very long- arriving at the grounds for 6.50am often and not leaving till 6pm onwards- in hot and humid conditions and we really needed more of a break. Teams were playing one game a day, where as we had 3 or 4 to do, with the expectations we would maintain a high standard of officiating. On little replenishment of food except for the evening meal/occasional lunch, at times we were stretched to the max dealing with fatigue and the heat". Our team refereed the U17 girls final between Espanyol and Malopolska.
This session was held in cool, rainy conditions but was enjoyed by all. So
much so more was asked for during the course of the season.
The session began with a warm up, and then four routines were undertaken, one to
develop strength and agility, one to develop speed and agility combined with
assistant referee signals, and one to test assistant referee skills in judging
tight offside decisions. Plenty of practical advice was given on lining skills.
The session was led superbly by Michael Webb and Dan Robathan, aided by Bill
Lee, David Hutchinson, Shaun Farrer and Daniel Dodd (currently out injured).
Click here for the routines
The session ended with a welcome to guests Anand Desai and Kieran Wright.
The 2010-11 Administration Champion prize was awarded to Dane Johnston who collected his claret jug and a replica.
Strengths
The game was very feisty at times and tough to control. It was great to see
the referee keep his cool. His calm and professional manner that he adopted when
needed to and he didn't shrink under any pressure from players or the crowd.
Referee talked to players very well and effectively, he communicated when
required but was keen not to talk to players too much and therefore invite
debate about every decision.
His hand signals were very strong, as was his communication with his assistants.
Great rapport with the assistants, he always had eye contact with his team.
Good use of advantage to keep play going, a great advantage in the in the 2nd
half that led to a goal.
Good use of a touchline/ goal line to your benefit, eg. " Don’t cross this line
or you'll be cautioned".
Referee got wide on goal kicks and then moved up towards the half way line
whilst looking infield.
He got both send offs correctly in my eye and kept his cool. Did it correctly in
law and he managed the final very well in respect of the occasion and the heat
of the match.
Especially in the first half, referee bossed the game and when needed to issued
the first caution at a time where the game was starting to heat up and stopped
the game appropriately. Also, his player management with his second caution
where he took the step approach of warning the player and the next foul he then
produced a caution for that player due to persistent infringement, and I thought
that added credibility to that specific caution.
Development points
More simple free kicks. Referee could have given 'safe' free kicks in the middle of the field of play where instead he choose to play advantage, on these occasions the advantage did not outweigh the benefit of giving the free kick, especially as a couple of them occurred when the temperature of the game was very high.
Get space when talking with players. When talking to a taller player take 1 or 2 steps back so you're not looking up at a player/ we both need space to talk to each other. This also can help in your match control and shows that you are in charge of the game.
Entrance to field. At the beginning leading the teams out I and others felt that he walked out too quickly and left the players and his assistants and Fourth official behind. Slowing down and it will then show that they are a team.
Caution technique. When cautioning referee didn't seem to write down the
name. Make sure you have a good record of the game. Fast trigger cautions should
be reserved only to diffuse a potential flashpoint, not when angry.
When looking to speak to a player or caution a player walk to a neutral position
within the field of play making sure you still have an optimum view of the other
players on the pitch.
Positioning/movement. Got too central at times, in the middle looking out. Would have been better being out looking in. Could have been left of the ball more.
David Hutchinson, a certified mental performance coach, started the evening by asking groups to discuss factors that affect how clubs perceive the referee:
Appearance, Confidence, Attitude, Manner and Body Language
Each group fed back their thoughts for discussion and some best practices
were recorded.
Using mental performance coaching techniques, David then asked participants to
think back to their last encounter with a club official and replay that in their
minds. He then asked them to disassociate and to look at themselves through the
eyes of the Club official and to consider what the official thought of them. The
referees were then asked to change some aspects of how they approached club
officials based on the earlier discussion (choose some points to take on board)
and then to play in their minds the next encounter with a club official. David
suggested that mentally rehearsing contact and communication with club officials
will help them to create better impressions.
The second part of the evening was a team game. Teams of 2 took on another pair to see who could build the highest Lego tower by correctly answering questions on the Laws of the game an interpretation of the laws.
By Nick Brown
The group met to offer prepared presentations on various aspects of
positioning - an area that many referees find difficult to execute effectively.
The aim was to challenge and debate ideas, before processing and presenting them
succinctly in a form suitable for the rest of the group to learn from.
4 groups with scenarios were assigned 3 members along with a Level 2 or 3 buddy.
Summaries of the key points are listed below:-
Andy Roberts, Jon Creswick, William Davis
Buddy: Lee Collins
* There is no right or wrong position for a corner as long as you have the
optimum position to make the correct decision.
* When choosing your position take into account all factors of the corner (which
side, in/out swing) and the match (tactics of teams, previous corners).
* Always think about whether you have a good escape route from the position you
take up.
* Keep on the move as things may change during the flight of the ball.
* Don't always take the same position as you will become predictable. Keep the
players guessing.
* Make sure you can see the goalkeeper’s ‘eyes’ and have a good view of the drop
zone.
Daniel Dodd , Peter Meek , Corin Readett
Buddy: Charles Breakspear
* Squeezing play is defined as reducing the distance between you and your active
assistant referee with play in between you
* It is a good way of imposing yourself on the game and increasing your presence
after key match incidents or flashpoints
* Advantages include better selling of decisions, better view of challenges and
reducing the pressure on the active assistant referee
* Disadvantages include getting too caught up in play, losing sight of the
majority of players and if over-used loses effectiveness
* Key point – do not do it all the time, be selective. Be aware of the risks.
Tom Ellams , Dane Johnston , Ryan O'Sullivan
Buddy: Michael Webb
* Doing this enables you to keep the ball in between yourself and the active
assistant, creating higher levels of teamwork and better joint decision making
* It often creates the best viewing angle through the point of contact
* It generally keeps you within close proximity of play (ideally around 15-20m
away)
* To achieve this you need fitness, awareness, understanding of how play is
building and fluid movement to keep up with play, but most importantly
confidence that you are able to use these skills effectively.
Shaun Farrer , Damith Bandara , Nick Brown
Buddy: Daniel Robathan
Goal Kicks
* Stay wide of play having a 45 degrees angle on play - then come in to get
closer to the dropping zone … not too close so that you get in the way or end up
standing in the landing area.
* Don’t turn your back on active players and play – have everyone in view
including your furthest assistant ready for next phase of play!
* During the warm up – have a look at the goalkeeper in general to see his
kicking ability/distance – gives you indication of the dropping zone.
* Have teams got ball winners that will win the ball in the air or is there a
possibility they will play short all the time.
Free kicks
* Do not remain static!! Your position must cover all possible eventualities.
* Manage it well to prevent surprises – clear communication to the players (wall
+ taker). Hold whistle clearly aloft and hold it there to indicate restart is by
whistle.
* Always have an Escape route in mind.
* Which foot is the kicker using? Left/right – in swinger / out swinger.
The contributions made by all members made for a successful and informative
evening communicating a range of ideas simply.
After this, we went for a group social event!
By Nick Brown
National FA Referee Manager, Select Group Assistant Referee and Level 2
Referee Dean Mohareb, from Manchester, offered an engaging and interactive
presentation on Match Control.
Key points
Get first decision right
Sell your actions-common theme from Level 3 or 4 Assessors to win extra marks
Take opportunities to manage situations and enhance authority/control. This can also slow the tem-po of the game down in your favour, “to kill it”, to maintain and enhance your match control. Also never play a crazy amount of minutes on a Supply league game!!
Avoid surprise decisions
Adjust advantage use to suit standard
Give signal early and talk to offenders
Dissent -- be firm and positive
Make eye contact with player when showing card
If short of height -- take a step back to be at the same eye level! This also
works if you’re too tall!
Joke off comments about looking young. But don’t be too clever, and be aware of
fast and clever responses thrown your way. This happened to Dean with Chris
Waddle in a Conference North game.
Remain calm and in control throughout, and avoid displaying negative emotions.
Try to work with and use captains. Although if they’re hopeless,
non-responsive-be careful and en-sure avoid them to not compound issues! Those
that are co-operative, be positive and polite with them
Assert authority in a positive manner, but in a dignified way
Instructions to ARs need to be motivational but brief. Human beings have a
limited attention span!!
Confrontation
-- cover in briefing with ARs to get right players (eg. you take home club, you
take away club)
-- don't go in, vulnerable position & restricted view
-- stay focussed, clue: who is being retrained, info from players
-- few good blasts of whistle & observe (starters and runners)
-- very deep breath, stand up tall, avoid getting overexcited
Dean then went through advantage and the correct way of delivering it:-
(1) Is the offence worth of a caution? Or a Red? If yes, always stop and attend
to the incident.
Failing that, the only exception is if there is a serious goal scoring
opportunity.
(2) 2 arms horizontally in the air and yell “Play on Advantage!”
(3) If an advantage does not accrue within a few seconds, blow the whistle and
bring back for a free kick.
Be careful with the use of the arms and don’t look like you’re trying to
land a plane. Deal with any discipline and proceed with the game.
Thanks to Dean for his inspirational presentation provoking all members to think more carefully about enhancing control for future matches.
By Nick Brown
Premier League Referee Phil Dowd gave an intriguing talk at Sutton United FC
in November 2010 to a large group of Surrey referees at our annual FAMOA
evening.
Phil used one of his own matches – the hotly contested Tyne and Wear derby
(Newcastle v Sunderland) - as a brilliant teaching aid to those in attendance.
Nearly all of our Development Group referees attended and had prime reserved
seating.
Key points
First Caution:- Sets the standard and dictates a tolerance (or lack of) for the
rest of the game.
Despite criticism, Phil’s first caution of Tiote was deserved for a reckless
foul. What could have been the consequences for letting that go?
Personal Space:- Always allow a certain distance between you and players-and be
vigilant in your manner towards them. Phil appeared to “square up” to a player.
He was criticised by his bosses for this and urged us not to follow suit. What
if the player had gone down clutching his face?
Persistent offenders:- Big issue for Level 4 Refs. Stay vigilant and alert for
this, especially in high temperature games.
Composure:- Phil stated that his manner on the pitch is acceptable, especially
as he is in the twilight of his career. But we were urged not to do the same,
irrespective of how provocative a player’s comments can be. This was
demonstrated on camera.
Involvement:- Crucial to a big local ferocious derby is to judge your
involvement according to the tone of the game. Be stricter and more pedantic if
the game temperature rises, but ease off if the game dictates for this.
Phil then answered a range of questions regarding his personal career and his
views and opinions upon the game, and its future. Thanks to Phil and to Surrey
FA for a superb evening.
By Nick Brown.
The first meeting of the new season kicked off with speaker, Dave Cook.
Alongside his role as an FA appointments officer, Dave performs several other
duties for the FA, including security for the match officials for England games.
The theme of his talk was “gaining credit of the pitch”- or more bluntly and
accurately: - “how not to p**s off the appointments officer/FA and to progress
onwards”. Every year Dave and his northern counterpart, John Jones, make 30,000
referee appointments to contributory games, as well as other national
tournaments including the FA Cup, FA Trophy and FA Vase.
The key points from the talk:-
• Dave and John work with roughly 1500 officials from Levels 1-4, which requires
constant communication from the Football League, right the way down the
footballing pyramid to the various 32 supply leagues throughout the country.
Therefore, it was stressed to members of the group that owing to the vast amount
of fixtures and officials, it is essential that off the field administration is
maintained with accurate precision from officials. Otherwise this can cause the
already high work load for the FA to needlessly increase. 6,000 re-appointments
are made every year by Andrew King.
• Key phrase:- “promotion requires the whole package”. It’s all very well doing
well on the pitch, but failing to accurately monitor closed dates, acknowledge
appointments, or to communicate with the FA /county FAs/clubs can not only
hinder promotion to Level 3, but conversely cause a demotion. If you get a
message, deal with it immediately. Remember:- Granny’s 70th birthday isn’t an
excuse for not doing a game having not closed the date:- you’ve known already
for 70 years!
• Communication extends to clubs and other officials. The secretary of the club
will probably mark you, so talk to him about the club after the game. Club
development plans, his wife’s cakes, whatever, but maintain politeness.
Remember:- club marks can be won and lost in board rooms so create a favourable
impression and manner. Board rooms:- Do not engage in debates or arguments,
politely end the discussion and leave.
• Remember the FA appreciate that a £30 match fee does not pay a mortgage! If
you’re having work problems, communicate it. They’re not monsters! In times of a
recession, it is understandable difficulties can occur, just communicate them
effectively. Email is always the preferred way to communicate. However,
in the event of urgent personal difficulties, a phone call is acceptable.
Closing dates at short notice, contact Dave Cook directly at the FA.
The second part of the meeting focussed upon a kit presentation by Mike Jeremy,
who officiated at a League cup final in previous years.
The key message was:- “Fail to prepare, and prepare to fail”. Kit isn’t about
packing one pair of boots, a shirt, shorts and socks. What if the boots
encounter problems during a game and require a change? What if it’s a hot/wet
day- would these require a different pair of boots, or alternatively consider
changing the shirt at half time?
Remember as the referee of a supply league game to communicate effectively with
assistants on kits, without exerting unnecessary pressure.
Kit to take as a minimum:- Warm up top/shirt/shorts (maybe take 3 shirts to look
as a team running around the pitch pre KO?). Shirt/shorts/socks (white topped
and not grey!!)-spare set, maybe 3 sets? Two pairs of boots, towel, shower gel,
county handbook/Supply league handbook/Contrib directory. A/R flags. Even if
going to a game to watch, take this in the car, and make sure kit is ready and
prepared for late calls from the FA!
Thanks to both speakers for their detailed and accurate presentations
encompassing upon important “off the pitch” aspects of the game, crucial for
success and promotion.
Six of the group (plus two on the line) watched Dan Robathan referee this contributory league friendly, Godalming v Farnborough. Our theme for the evening was teamwork. Those attending were asked to watch the referee and assistants and evaluate how well they did compared with the Level 4 assessment criteria for this topic. We had debriefs at half time and full time.
The Level 4 referee competencies for teamwork are as follows:
• Ensure the assistant referees are properly briefed
• Effective communication is maintained between the referee and assistant
referees, for example eye-to-eye contact
• Proactive signalling where appropriate to ‘lead’ assistant
• Clear examples of the referee being the team leader
• Not automatically led by signals from assistant referees
• Recognises and acts upon situations where assistant referees can be of maximum
benefit, that is challenges close to the assistant referee
There were some great examples of teamwork in the match. Chris positively indicated a foul in the penalty area using a an appropriate wave of the flag which was then placed across the chest. The referee responded with a good whistle and positive body language to award the penalty. A great way to sell the decision. Shaun too came in at just the right time with a good free kick award in his zone of credibility, awarded promptly by Dan. There was plenty of eye contact and subtle signalling going on. Dan led the team well and encouraged his assistants, thanking them when they helped out. He also was aware enough to acknowledge the assistant when the offside flag was raised a little too quickly. The group felt that teamwork was of a high standard.
We also chatted about Neale Barry's new instruction to Level 4 assessors. They have been asked to deduct half a mark for each clear and obvious breach of law application (eg undershorts, jewellery, clear and obvious cautions -- including second cautions leading to a sending off). That means a 2.5 drop in total mark for each violation! It is so easy to lose silly marks so be warned -- apply the law!
A big thank you to Godalming Town for allowing us to hold this event, and thanks too to Shaun Scott for making it all possible.
The 7th young referee’s conference was held at Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry
on the 22nd and 23rd May. This year’s event was attended by Daniel Dodd, Marcus
Carmichael (as first year attendees) and Sean Farrer as a second year
representative. Daniel Dodd gives us his views of the conference.
The conference started with an official opening from David Elleray, followed by
a seminar/presentation on raising awareness.
The main points of this were being prepared for the ‘unexpected,’ looking at
danger situations e.g. a bouncing ball and also assistant referee co-operation.
Ray Olivier, National Referee Manager, then discussed coping with the demands of
the modern game, with particular emphasis on the use of social networking sites.
The message was clear be warned, they are watching you!
After a buffet lunch we changed into our training kit for an outdoor session.
During this session we looked at confrontation with players, as well as managing
free kicks and finally technique of an assistant referee, all sessions under the
watchful gaze of Mr Elleray himself.
Following the fitness practical session we had a brief seminar with Ian
Blanchard, looking at match incidents on the Football League.
The key point being that most of the groups had different opinions on the same
decision, and that as long as you are consistent in the 90 minutes, there cannot
be any arguments.
The evening was pre-occupied with the Champions League final and each table was
given a topic to look for. Our table had to look out for advantage and for 69
minutes. We had become disgruntled with the tactical game of chess that had
replaced the football, until Mr Webb allowed Inter to break and Milito to slot
home. A huge roar erupted in the room, and if any neutral had entered, they
would have presumed us to be Inter fans.
We started at 9am on Sunday with a discussion on the mental approach to the
game.
The question was posed about whether before each game you have a plan of how to
ref that specific game, as well as looking at how to turn a negative into a
positive.
Neale Barry followed with a presentation on achieving your goals, and how whilst
the opportunity to progress quickly in refereeing has never been better the
competition has never been as fierce. Chris Foy discussed free kick management
and this was by far the best session of the weekend so far. He showed that even
Premier League referee’s struggle with this subject, by showing video of himself
making a ‘pig’s ear’ of it...his words not mine.
After lunch, Dean Mohareb and Roger Vaughan presented a workshop on
communication. This involved communication on the field with the over
active/under active assistant as well as communication off the field, closed
dates with the F.A., County and your league. The key point from this session was
to keep your options open on the field, and sort your administration out off the
field.
Phil Sharp then taught everyone how to be an assistant referee, focusing mainly
that a change of attitude when ‘lining’ can change your game completely. ‘I’m
part of a team today’ will have a far more positive effect than, ‘I’m only the
lino,’ or ‘I should be reffing this.’
Due to Mike Riley’s UEFA commitments the last session was edited slightly and
there was a small reference to the Dallas Cup, with a slideshow of photos and
information.
David Elleray then mentioned about the increased pressures of the game,
highlighting the outside influences Howard Webb had to deal with before making
one decision in the Champions League Final.
Once the final had been discussed and good practice was shown, Mr Elleray closed
the conference and the Surrey trio disbanded and made our long journey back to
the Promised Land.
The conference taught me personally that professionalism in all aspects of
refereeing is more important than refereeing the 90 minutes of football. As well
as this hard work is more likely to get you to the top, than natural ability
alone. However the quote that will stick with me more than most was the one that
Mr Elleray showed us from Muhammad Ali.
‘Champions aren’t made in Gyms; Champions are made from something they have deep
inside them, a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the
will. But the will must be stronger than the skill’
Daniel Dodd, May 2010
Michael Webb, Lee Collins and Charles Breakspear did an excellent outdoor routine to develop the skills of our group as Assistant Referees. After some revision of basic flag skills, the participants were really put through their paces in three 10 minute round robin exercises. the routines are described in the PDF (click here).
The second part of the meeting consisted of a quiz, professionally designed and delivered by Brian Fish, one to one discussions between referees and the co-ordinator and a series of presentations.
The main presentation, made by Vic Rolland, was the Claret Jug Trophy for the Administration Champion. The winners this year were Michael Webb and Nick Brown who both excelled (A ratings for the group, league, FA and County FA). Well done indeed. The County FA have recognised the achievement by presenting a shirt to each of the winners.
One of the top mental performance consultants in the country, Andy Barton, delivered an excellent session to the Development Group. Whilst giving examples in many different sporting areas, Andy made many of the techniques relevant to referees. Some of the many areas Andy discussed (and demonstrated) are summarised below.
Well there you are – speak positively, think positively and you will perform better.
Andy Barton is one of the UK's leading mental performance coaches working with
sports performers at all levels.
Andy works with elite sportspeople across a wide range of sports and his clients
include, among others, Premiership / International footballers
and rugby players, European Tour golfers, World level Equestrians, Olympic
athletes and World medallists.
Andy also enjoys working with keen amateurs and those who are looking to break
into professional sport.
A combined effort by Nick and David
The art of stretching
Grant Payne is a former professional footballer having played for Woking, Aldershot and Wimbledon. He is a qualified personal trainer and remedial exercise therapist. Grant made an interactive presentation looking at, amongst other things, the importance of stretching. Stretching is an important part of injury prevention. Stretching properly can
Stretching is an important part of the warm up. It is best to start with
Static Stretching and then move into Active and then Dynamic stretching.
Stand still and hold the static stretch for 30 secs to lengthen the muscle.
Initial tightness should diminish as you hold the stretch.
Active stretching uses opposing muscles to stretch (eg. gluteals to stretch the
hip) -- this increases flexibility and strength.
Dynamic stretching is done on the move (shuttles). It is usual to start with
static stretching and then move into active and finally dynamic stretching.
Two other factors are important: flexibility – the more flexible you are the lower the risk of injury and strength. A personalised programme will help individuals to ensure that their exercise is both meaningful and effective.
If you have arrived at your match after a long car journey – ensure that you stretch well (static) to loosen up. In the build up to the match, hydration should start 2 days beforehand (total about 4 litres water), and don't take on too much fluid just before exercise (it is uncomfortable).
Warm up – 20 mins to 30 mins, ideally, but most refs don’t get the time
When exercising consider your heart rate in proportion to your age and desired
intensity of exercise (eg. step wise increases in percentages up to around
75% of maximum (220 minus your age).
A warning: anterior cruciate ligament damage is often caused by deceleration and turning at the same time (refs do this a lot). Try to slow down in a straight line (eg. when slowing down after fast sprint – fitness test!).
The latest RA magazine has some good information about stretching. The following websites might also be interesting (it give some examples of stretches).
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/stretchingexercises.html
http://people.bath.ac.uk/masrjb/Stretch/stretching_4.html
Managing confrontations
David Hutchinson showed two match incidents, both involving player-player
confrontations after a bad challenge.
Groups were asked to identify what the referee and assistant did, the strengths
of their actions and lessons to be learnt.
Some key lessons:
Attaining Better Club Marks
Former National List Referee and current Level 3 Coach, Lee Cable, offered an array of useful ideas to boost club marks. Despite the current emphasis for promotion switching more towards assessor marks, Lee stressed the influence clubs can have on your refereeing career, especially as you move up the promotion ladder.
Useful tips ....
When to use and not use the Advantage?!
Darren Sheldrake, National List Referee, ran us through a series of scenarios designed to help us weigh up the importance of advantage- when to use it, and when not to. Darren mentioned in 11 football league games he had received positive and developmental feedback from assessors regarding this part of the game and how it can potentially make or break your marks and season.
In groups, we weighed up:- where on the pitch the advantage would take place/ who was around-how far away were the defending players from the infringement/ was there a quick opportunity for an attacker to place a ball down a wing/into the penalty area to create a good chance. Statistically however, set pieces create more goals, and some clubs tactically prefer this approach, so be alert during matches to guage this. (There’s a balance between how far players can hit the ball at different levels, as well as their quality and having neither ability!).
On the whole, consider the “Traffic light” scheme. Red zone-defensive third-blow for a FK; Amber, middle third- look around for a good opportunity to signal advantage; Green-final third- look to play an advantage as and when possible, to sustain a flowing game.
Other useful pointers ....
Never give an advantage in front of dug outs!
Giving an advantage, and going back to speak to/caution a player in the next
phase of play/ awaiting a re-start looks really good with assessors.
Signal for an advantage clearly first, then look to pull it back. As you move up
the ladder, bigger crowds turn up to watch matches and need to be aware what
you’re doing!
Despite the importance of advantage, it still only has a weighting of 2 on
assessments, where as Match control/App of Law have a 5. Therefore, don’t
sacrifice needlessly playing an advantage in hotly contested parts of the game,
or you’ll find yourself gradually losing grip of the match and your mark!
Thanks to Lee and Darren for preparing their interactive and stimulating presentations.
It was a great turn out -- all 15 Development Group referees in attendance, but not quite as good for the mentors.
Lee and Darren turned in terrific performances. There was a huge amount of learning material and so many great practical tips. To summarise just some:
Regarding advantage
Want to add to this? Let me (David) know!
Thank you so much to Lee and Darren for their excellent sessions. All DG referees were asked to feed back the three four points from each session that they will use in their own matches. More on this later.
A great evening was enjoyed by around 120 referees, many of the Development
Group members were there and surely benefitted from the experience.
David Elleray delivered an exceptional presentation, helping us to get the big
decisions right!
Ironic really -- having just seen a Swedish official get a really big decision
wrong (namely M. Henry's hand of France to see them beat off the Irish). David
Elleray's advice would certainly have helped that referee!
The 'C' concept was put forward to ensure that big decisions are given correctly. The following C words were applied to UEFA video clips ...
Clear view -- make sure that you have a good clear view of the incident (humm..
that was where he went wrong!)
Concentrate -- to get decisions right it is important to concentrate, it is all
too easy to watch the legs and forget what is happening above the waist, watch
carefully what is happening
Confidence -- decisions have to be given confidently in order to sell them
Courage -- required to give the big unpopular but correct decision at Manchester
United!
Co-operation -- working well with assistants to get the decision right is
important.
Other gems of advice included ...
Sacrificing closeness to get a better viewing angle
Not squeezing too closer to the assistant to maintain a better global view
Everyone will remember the horrific leg breaking tackle he showed to emphasise
the need to ensure the safety of players at all times and to act when their
safety is compromised.
An FA report on this meeting is available on the website:
http://www.thefa.com/GetIntoFootball/Referee/NewsAndFeatures/2009/surrey_FAMOA_191109.aspx
Report by DRH
This is how we are faring versus the results of the July survey.
What type of meeting do you want to have?
68% wanted a mix of both instructional and guest speakers (but more development):
the August meeting provided that and our November and
January meetings will do the same.
26% wanted a mix as above but with more guest speakers
Methods of delivering topics
93% liked having videos and films: County FA paid for the
filming of one of our referees (13 September). Other material is being collected
from local conrib matches and will form the basis of our March meeting. Other
presenters will also use relevant video clips.
84% wanted to work in groups: we hope to get you involved
at every meeting
78% wanted to be actively involved
Activities
78% wanted informal time to meet with colleagues: the
networking time before every meeting allows that to happen.
78% wanted time to discuss topic relevant to their level:
I hope to make all advice at meetings relevant to your level
73% wanted activities based on development points raised by assessors:
this is something we will address, match control and
application of law are key assessment areas and our August and November meetings
address these areas.
68% wanted sessions aimed at improving club/assessor marks:
club marks are being discussed at the November meeting.
57% wanted best practice discussions: I hope that this is
covered in every session
57% liked the idea of national list speakers: we have had
one in August, we will have another in November
Other activities
99% wanted to go to matches and have post match debrief:
we have three such sessions already (Sept gone, one in October and one in
November)
83% wanted discussions with assessors: nothing formal
planned yet, but many of our mentors are assessors and give sound advice, just
ask them!
Select group referee Steve Bennett, the 2007 FA Cup final referee, was the guest of honour for our first development group meeting of the season. The focus was upon the importance of dealing with fouls and player conduct correctly, which was delivered in an entertaining, interactive and thought provoking manner.
To begin, we watched a range of incidents from recent seasons, before debating the appropriate action. We weighed up factors such as:- the position on the field of play of the incident; the speed, force and intensity of the tackle; to which part of the body had been used? Studs on ankle? Clench fisted elbow? etc. For obvious goal scoring incidents, we need to consider where the incident has taken place-in the area/outside? On the ‘D of the area’? Is the attacker heading away from goal? Towards goal? Are there covering defenders around? What chances has a defender/goal keeper got of fairly winning the ball? Remember ‘LAST MAN’ does NOT exist in football!
Furthermore, we went on to address more thoughtful approaches, such as the tactics instigated by clubs. Had a playmaker been hacked down by a slower defender? Did a number of players deliberately foul one particular player to slow up play? How should this be dealt with? We considered the “stepped approach”- 1) quiet word with the offending player 2) captain/ public warning 3) caution, with the necessity of by-passing to stage 3 depending upon the nature of the incident. By using plenty of strong communication with players, we can ensure they understand what we’re doing, in turn reducing the antagonistic dissent aimed at you, the referee.
Useful additional tips from the evening:-
• When measuring out ten yards at a dead ball free kick around the penalty area,
take one very subtle step forward before counting ten. This accounts for
defenders “penguin marching” forward
• Always take a free kick in your own time and on the whistle. DO NOT blow when
asking players to move back 10 yards, having told an attacker to take the kick
on your whistle. You will create tension, and struggle with match control.
• Be smooth for dead ball situations. Consider where you’re going to stand
afterwards, and how you’re going to get there.
• Remember to be aware of the goalkeeper, the other 15 players, where your
assistant is positioned, as well as the attacker moving the ball forward etc.
Steve Bennett digs his heel in the ground, so they can see where he expects the
kick to be taken from.
• Players are now commonly raising their hands in the wall at dead ball free
kicks, instead of protecting their groin. Be aware they’re claiming to protect
their faces, when in fact they’re blocking the ball in ‘UNNATURAL’ positions.
• When cautioning, consider initially holding the card in the palm of your hand
so the player can see what’s coming. Hopefully it will calm him/her down faster!
• Consider a quick red down the tunnel if you’re able to do so at a mass
confrontation
• Always go by your gut reaction. We witnessed a clip where an England youth
defender jumped to head a ball against a German opponent. We all groaned, but
were split whether the contact made was an accident or deliberate. On second
glance, it was clear the player had turned his body with the intention of
colliding his shoulder blade with the German’s head, causing serious injury.
• This leads onto positioning. Imagine an elongated “S”, with the middle part of
the letter passing along the half way line. Move wider when possible to see a
better angle, and to avoid being tangled up with the ball. Angle is very often
better over distance
• Consider players and reputations:- Chat to colleagues!! Not to pre-judge,
merely for awareness.
Remember:- most of these points will improve the application of law criteria to assessments, which in turn influence strongly match control! These two areas alone are worth 50% of the total marks, the difference between promotion and demotion!
Thanks to Steve, David (Development group leader), Surrey FA, mentors and
members for organising and executing a successful evening
and to Nick for doing this report.
This year’s conference, as outlined by former FIFA Referee and current RA President, David Elleray, was about “Getting it Right”. Roughly 400 referees attended from across the country for presentations and seminars made by current and previous PGMOL members, such as Steve Bennett (SB) and Mike Riley (MR) who were key note speakers. SB offered a range of useful tips, delivered in a thought provoking interactive presentation and asked us to consider ‘obvious goal scoring opportunity offences’. Each time the referee should weigh up the key factors – such as the direction of the attacker’s movement, the part of the body used by the offender, and every time consider the chances of playing the ball cleanly and fairly – in order to issue the right punishment (if at all)
JUDGING CHALLENGES
Speed, Force and Intensity were key words used for every tackle to determine
whether an offence is careless, reckless or uses excessive force.
Tip – if you see a player clenching a fist, who then subsequently jumps up in a
header, or throws out an elbow- it is a great indicator of strong, malicious
intent.
Remember to look at the correct part of the field of play – there is no point in staring at a thrower, when in the area two players are scuffling! Furthermore, when judging an incident, consider if a player is in a natural or unnatural position e.g. for a handball incident. Common sense perhaps, but so many overlook these points!
OFFSIDE
Mike Mullarkey and Peter Kirkup highlighted the importance of being level for
offside at all times; even 50cm off play can seriously impair a correct
judgment.
They stressed the importance of NOT flagging, especially if there is the doubt,
when the benefit should always lie in favour of the attacker. They cited 96% of
offside judgements were correct in the Premiership- and of the 4% that were
wrong, 84% of these were because the Assistant Referee HAD flagged unnecessarily
and incorrectly.
Remember to “take a mental picture” of the moment a ball is played in case of a
rebound from the goalkeeper/off the post later on.
CONFRONTATION
Howard Webb and Stuart Attwell discussed management ideas after the group had
studied a clip from the 2007 Champions League Final.
Identify Instigators and peace makers, as well as the people coming in from
afar-goal keeper/defender etc to inflame the situation further. In groups, we
came up with ideas for re-starting play, ensuring safety of everyone involved,
meeting up and discussing with the assistants who to reprimand or punish,
amongst other themes. We considered what the referee did well, did not do well,
and what we would suggest to Assistant Referees for the future.
MR concluded by stressing the phrase “Make Haste Slowly”. By maintaining a relaxed and focussed approach, as referees, we will miss less incidents or will avoid over reacting to scenarios; one of which he cited was himself at the Liverpool v Chelsea game, sending off Frank Lampard incorrectly. Alternatively, we avoid under reacting too!