Creating the First Impression

The first impression plays a vital role in refereeing like other profession. You will never get a second chance to create the first impression. It is vital for everyone to ensure that they are always at their best because each encounter will create the first impression to others who in contact with us the first time.

Creating the first impression is not an easy task in refereeing. Young referees will face a strong challenge to create the first impression. Players and officials as human being are always sceptical with new things. They normally will look at the negative aspect of things. It will be a easy task, if everyone always look at the strength and positive aspects of the referee. At times the first encounter may be easy but most of the time the first encounter is challenging, a uphill task, filled with anxiety and tension. The ability to be calm, assertive and patience will see the referee making correct and rational decisions. These decisions will be well respected and accepted by the players and officials.

Being human, making mistakes is natural but knowing your mistake and vowing to correct it and to be more cautious not to make the same mistake again will see the making of a sincere referee. More often, some referees after making a mistake deliberately make another mistake to balance up the mistake. This is very wrong and should be avoided. In refereeing, two wrongs cannot make one right. Realising a mistake during the course of the game is important and the referee should continue to stay calm, forget about the mistake and try not to repeat mistake. The clause, "a referee can reverse his decision as long as play has not been restarted" gives he referee opportunity to mend the mistake and make immediate correction in the game. The willingness to admit one's mistake is much appreciated by others and will then gain respect from others too.

Personality when arriving at the venue before the match will create a strong impression to officials. This is the correct time to create a good impression. The referee's dressing, early arrival, approach, body language, conversation and other body cues during the the inspection of the field and also to the team's dressing room will give a clear impression of the referee. It can be positive or negative depending on the impact that the referee creates. The referee's movement, positioning and first decision on foul, dissent, appeal or tackling indiscipline action by player(s) will enhance the impression further. The courage to take strong action and decision will also be a plus point to the referee - giving a penalty, canceling a goal due to offsides or prior infringement by the attacker, sent off of player(s) or removing an official from the technical area. The overall performance of the match will definitely makes a conclusion of the performance and personality of the referee. This will result in the referee having more or lesser objection, dissent or confrontation in his future matches.

So as an advice, the referee must take each and every match seriously, have good physical and mental preparation before a match, match practice, good rest and nutrition, review of game pattern with the DVD, post game discussions and other appropriate steps in preparing for a match will influence the referee's performance in any match.

Refereeing Tips: Managing Dissent

Law 5: One of the duties of a referee is to take disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences. He is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes out of play

Law 12: A player is cautioned and shown the yellow card if he shows dissent by word or action

This two statements in the Laws of the Game require the referee to take action against players who refuse to abide to the decisions of a referee. Such action includes questioning the referee's decision each time a decision is made. Persistent in such action will leads to the referee losing his authority and respect by other players, officials and also spectators.

A referee has to use his discretion in overcoming such undesired situations. Players who persistently questioning showing his refusal to accept the referee's decision if not checked early either by verbal warning (either a soft word or stern action) or shown a yellow card to caution him will leads to many other players objecting to his decisions. Getting it right at the right time is very important. A timely action will prevent or overcome all other possible problems later on in the game.

"The grasses will not sway if the wind is not blowing". Self-evaluation in the game itself will help the referee in having a composed feeling and firm control of the game. Perhaps there is/are foul(s) or error that you may have overlooked that resulted in the players appealing, objecting, showing dissent or retaliation. Self ego, arrogant or stubbornness will result in the referee getting more serious problems later on. How can a referee prevent or overcome such situation? Be in control from the start till the end, be well positioned, near to play or on the spot of action/incident, well-versed with the Laws of the Game. expect the unexpected, good reading of the game and judging the emotion of the players following any incident, not to be complacent (feeling satisfy with one's performance), alertness, taking correct action at the right time and taking appropriate strong action when it is necessary are among the ways or guide a referee can use to prevent objection or dissent from players. If the referee is confident with his decisions, fair and seen to be fair and accepted or respected from the start any difficult situation even like taming the tiger can be overcome.

Refereeing Tips: The Referee

Laws 5: The Referee
Power and Duties

The Referee:
• enforces the Laws of the Game
• controls the match in cooperation with the assistant referees and, where applicable, with the fourth offi cial
• ensures that any ball used meets the requirements of Law 2
• ensures that the players’ equipment meets the requirements of Law 4
• acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match
• stops, suspends or abandons the match, at his discretion, for any infringements of the Laws
• stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind
• stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is removed from the fi eld of play. An injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted
• allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only slightly injured
• ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the fi eld of play. The player may only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfi ed that the bleeding has stopped
• allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time
• punishes the more serious offence when a player commits more than one offence at the same time
• takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences. He is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes out of play
• takes action against team offi cials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at his discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds
• acts on the advice of the assistant referees regarding incidents that he has not seen
• ensures that no unauthorised persons enter the fi eld of play
• indicates the restart of the match after it has been stopped
• provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match

Failing to implement or applying the Laws of the Game above thus, the referee failed in carrying his duty as a referee. This the basic knowledge that a referee must know in order to qualify as a referee.

Reference: page 21 & 22 FIFA LoG 2009/2010

FIFA BEACH SOCCER REFEREE COURSE

Maldives, a country full of many beautiful beaches and International standard resorts should be a synonym to beach soccer. This peculiar game is played in the international level and many countries capture their tourism market through hosting this as an international event. Ministry of Tourism and even International Hotel take the initiative to have this event hosted in their premise or country in order to attract football stars and other tourists into the country. Sport tourism is a field that Maldives should be engaged in to generate more revenue into the country.

A beach soccer pitch is considerably smaller than a regular football pitch. In international competition, the pitch is composed entirely of sand and is cleared of pebbles and seashells, along with any other objects which could injure a player.
The pitch is rectangular in shape, and the touch line is longer than the goal line. The pitch dimensions are 35-37m in length and 26-28m in width. It is slightly smaller that a normal FUTSAL pitch (40 by 20 m). The penalty area is within 9 m of the goals, and is marked by a yellow flag situated in touch. Two red flags opposite each other are at the centre of the pitch to represent the half-way line.

Football Association of Maldives will be having a FIFA Beach Soccer Introductory Course for referees and coaches on the 11 - 15 July 2010. FAM has discussed the matter with the Ministry of Tourism to assist in hosting in one of the resort. 30 coaches and 30 referees from the whole of Maldives will be selected as participants for these courses. Existing referees aged below 35 will be selected from the active referees list to participate in this course. Two senior referees will also be selected to attend so that they will be instructors to expand this course to other referees or interested people.

FAM will later make roadshow to all resorts by getting the instructors to introduce the coaching and refereeing aspects of the game to them so that this game will be more popular. Resorts who wish to host this event are very much welcome to discuss with FAM. In future, resorts who wish to organise tournament can get the assistant of the FAM. FAM the governing body in the country is the sole body responsible to sanction any football tournament and also to appoint the referees to officiate in any tournament held. No other body is empowered to sanction or appoint match officials for football, FUTSAL or beach soccer other than the Football Association of the country.

Refereeing Tips: Additional TIme

Law 5 in the Laws of the Game (LoG), states that it is the duty of the Referee to act as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match. The referee is the sole judge of the time. A match is played in two halves of 45 minutes with allowance for time lost added at the end of each half. Allowance is made in either period for all time lost through substitutions, assessment of injury to players, removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment, wasting time and any other cause like management of the wall, action of cautioning or sent off, temporary suspension for repair of goal posts or cross bar. The allowance for the time lost is at the discretion of the referee (pg. 26 LoG). The guidelines to referees and assistant referees stressed again that the referee must allow for the full amount of time lost through injury to be played at the end of each period of play (pg. 68 LoG).
In addition, the Guidelines states that many stoppages in play are entirely natural (e.g. throw-ins, goal kicks). An allowance is to be made only when these delays are excessive.
The fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each period of play. The announcement of the additional time does not indicate the exact amount of time left in the match. The time may increased if the referee considers it appropriate but never reduced. The referee must not compensate for a timekeeping error during the first half by increasing or reducing the length of the second half (pg. 96 LoG - Guidelines).
Playing additional time accordingly is an act of fairness and by doing so the referee should not feel that he is being biased to one team as he will be depriving them of the actual playing time, if he does not. There is no maximum or minimum added time i each half as incident and wasted time differs from each half or each game. At times a well handled and fair game ends up with one team unhappy just because of the insufficient time added in the match. The referee should try to posses a good watch that has a count-down timer and chronometer (stopwatch) features to enable him to sanction the playing time accordingly. The stopwatch should be stopped when there is a stoppage that needs the referee to act on the incidents for temporary suspension of the game and then add the appropriate accordingly.

Developing the Young Ones

A football team, normally comprises of experienced players and also the younger or new players who are full of enthusiasm, energy, basic skill required but lack the exposure and experience. All training will definitely emphasize on skill development, confidence building and strategy enhancing in order to enable the younger ones to be absorb into the system. Coaches who have the mind for development will not hesitate to put in the junior into the matches when the time is right (when is the right time?). Putting one junior player will allow ten other senior players to carry him and to build themselves too. Coaches need to be patience too to accept their mistakes or else these junior players will lose their confidence and thus will hinder in their development. At times the coach has to gamble and put in the junior player even in crucial matches. Many juniors, given the chance will perform beyond the coaches' expectation as they want to gain their place in the regular line-up. If coaches of team at the bottom of the league wait for matches when they are leading then the juniors will never get a chance to make their break at all. Putting the junior or even warming them up in the sidelines will push the senior int he field of play to buckled up and perform better.
In refereeing, there is similarity in the development process. Referees Committee will decide the right time to appoint junior referees into the main stream. This of course is done after giving them the appropriate training, building their confidence in the lower level leagues matches, guidance from referees assessor besides some tips from the senior referees and when their performance are good, putting them into the higher league is a wise move. Their performance will of course be under the scrutiny of the referee's assessor (RA) whose duty is to give advice and to guide them in their development. Making mistakes is humane and the approach adopted by RA in accepting minor mistakes or error will help in enhancing their self-confidence in the development process. Mistakes should not be made at the expense of the teams or players. Matches in the earlier stage (early round) should be the right time to give the junior referees a break as matches in the final round are usually more challenging and crucial. With the kind cooperation of team officials the synergy process will definitely benefit the country football on the whole and the referees, specifically.

Essential Things a New Referee Needs to do

You have just qualified as a new referee after successfully attending the referee's basic course, passed the theory and also the physical fitness test. This is just the beginning. You are now categorized as a trainee referee. What are the essential things that you need to do to improve or develop into a good or excellent referee?
1. You need to learn and understand the Laws of the Game better. The more you know it the better and more comfortable you become. Making mistakes because you do not know the laws are the worse feeling that you can get.
2. Getting your equipments is also important. You will need to buy at a set of referee's jersey, black shorts, black long stockings and a black colored boot. For carrying out your duties, you need 2 whistles, a digital watch with countdown or chronometer, 2 pens/pencils, 2 sets of yellow/red cards, a wallet with scorecards and a set of flags. An enthusiastic referee will purchase these equipments instead of waiting for others to provide it.
3. Get to know your senior referees or the referee assessors who will be responsible in guiding you to a higher level by giving appropriate guidance and training tips.
4. Accept your appointment promptly and arrive early for your duty. Get acquainted to the other match officials in the pregame discussions. If given any chances, grab any available match experiences through friendly or school level matches. This will enrich your refereeing experiences.
5. As the usual culture, you will have to get a lot experiences as an assistant referee while waiting for the opportunity to be in the centre. Giving correct offside decisions, pulling fouls in your vicinity and giving correct clear flag signals when the ball leaves the field of play.
6. Positioning in play as a referee is vital. Being in good or proper position will enable you to see and judge correctly. This definitely need your ability to use your fitness capacity to your advantages.
7. Seeing, identifying fouls, giving correct decisions and proper sanctions will take time though some may learn faster. Applying the advantage rule in play need you to be at a proper position during fouls and a wider scope of vision. Ability to anticipate the next phase of play will require more experience and match reading.
8. Man management and preventative refereeing need you to have an assertive but pleasant approach and the ability to take precautionary measures during set play or in play.
9. Proper writing of match report is important as all misconduct and the show of cards need to be reported. All match records like the score, match officials, teams, field and weather condition and other relevant information need to be reported.
10. Post-game briefing either by senior referee in the team or referee's assessor on duty or in the vicinity will erase or reduce mistakes, weaknesses and to improve or enhance the strength in refereeing. Self-evaluation also plays a vital part in improving and motivation of one-self.
The above mentioned are only the basic requirement to fulfill the role of a referee. Further enhancement will require more effort, training, readings and exposure to match experiences.