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A thought on how and if we prepare for match days?
No doubt we all would suggest that we are always in control of our actions leading up to kick off and we always cover the necessary actions and yet I'm sure some of our interpretations of "setting the scene" will differ from our colleagues reading this article.
Let's look at the options and bear in mind these options are being presented to you according to the "thoughts of Mike Taylor". These are not necessarily the right or wrong ways to approach match days. What might be of interest is for each and every one of you to put pen to paper if you have different views on what you are about to read, so that we can all share in our different interpretations. It is quite likely that we could all see something to add (or discard from), to our match day repertoire to be called on when the occasion arises.
Please note that the following assortment of options are in no strict priority order reflecting potential actions in the lead up to the start of play. You may smile if they look familiar or grimace if they are totally unacceptable, but bear in mind there MAY be some referees out there………
1. Arrive at the ground and having checked that the pitch is playable, advise the home side or both sides if the mood takes you that the game will be played. That will let everyone know you mean business (or not) by being efficient in pre-match checks!! This option most likely depends on where you are playing as such comments could be totally wasted, …..but knowing when that is the case is sometimes not so obvious!!!
2. Arrive at ground just before kick off, get changed and head for the centre circle awaiting a home team representative to give you a match ball. Place it on the centre spot, call the Captains together, toss the coin and when decisions have been made, let the game commence……… At this stage you keenly await the very first physical challenge, hoping for something in the first five minutes and caution or send off the offending player(s) !!!!That will show them who is in charge or not.
3. Similar to option 2 above, but perhaps arrive a little earlier and make an effort to give some guidance to your willing (or not ) assistants who will be running the relevant lines for you.
4. Arrive at the ground half an hour before kick off and visit both teams changing rooms and wish them all the best for the game, get match ball and substitutes names, then making a swift exit.
5. Similar to 4 above, maybe arriving an hour before the kick off time. Also enlighten both teams of a few ground rules, highlighting that you will be refereeing according to the laws of the game and leave them either to continue whatever they were doing before you "interrupted" them, or maybe leave them wondering what the laws of the game were and should they be concerned!!
6. Then we have something which could be either 4 or 5 above, but incorporating an element of 2 whereby looking for an early caution or dismissal will "set the scene".
7. This space is left for your thoughts in future editions of "Touchlines"
My gambit is to be flexible to the level of the game and the venue in relation to the weather and any particular league rules and disciplines necessary.
With regards pre match team talks, at my lowly level, I feel that it is a worthwhile exercise to impart some do's and don'ts.
The main purpose here is to attempt avoiding an incident whereby any player has a legitimate get out clause in his (or her) defence, when after a warning, caution or sending off action taken by me, a player has cause to say something along the lines of "but ref, I didn't know that" or "you never told us that you'd do that" or simply "you
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