General Advise for Assistant Referee's
Advice for Assistant RefereesThe emphasis is on 'assistance' and not 'insistence'.
A first impression can only be made once. Whether it is on the phone or in person, make sure that you are seen in your very best light. Do you phone the referee or do you wait for the referee to call you? When joint travel is arranged, be ready or arrive in good time. Have the mobile number of the club and the other match officials in your phone memory, so that if you are delayed, a quick call is easily made without having to refer elsewhere.
Being part of the team:
An important part of the match official's team building, is the pre-match ceremony. The referee is the team leader on the day – allow him to lead. If club officials ask questions, refer them to the referee. Do not ‘hog’ the limelight, but involve yourself as a team member. If you have taken guests with you, ensure that they do not interfere with the pre-match procedures. Pre-match warm up and entering the field of play are the first time that‘the 3rd team’ are seen. It is therefore important, that you all understand what is expected of you in the warm-up routine. Where will it be done?
Stay together as part of the team during the warm up. When entering the Field of play to inspect the nets, check first that there are no pre-match presentations or ceremonies under way
Check equipment:
Be prepared to check the balls on behalf of the referee. This is an easy function that is very often delegated to the Assistant Referee.
Where and when are you expected to check the player’s equipment? What is the referee’s policy on this?
Identify senior assistant referee:
It is important to establish who will take over in case of an injury to the referee.
Also, the referee will need decide which diagonal the Assistant Referees will take.
Recording match incidents:
Who is to record what and when?
This ensures that the senior Assistant Referee has the information at hand if he has to take over the game.
There is no need for all of the match officials to note match details.
Only the minimum number of match officials should be recording at any one given time.
Incidents not seen by referee:
What is expected of you, if you witness something unseen by the referee? What action should you take? Information to be given:
If you call the referee over for a discussion, or if you are required to meet in the middle of the field of play, what should you say, and how should you say it? You should be factual, and ‘not think’ you saw or heard something.
Positioning and Set Pieces:
Touchline - face the Field of play as much as possible, and use the ‘crabbing technique’ to move up and down the
touchline.
Kick-off -monitor the offside position on your touchline.
Goal kick – stand level with the goal area line until the ball is correctly placed; then:
If the goalkeeper takes the goal kick, move to the offside monitoring position.
If a defender (not the goalkeeper) takes the goal kick, move to the edge of the penalty area, and wait to monitor the defender when he leaves the penalty area after he has taken the goal kick.
Corner kick – normally stand adjacent to the goal line behind the corner flag.
Penalty kick - stand on the goal line, at the intersection of the penalty area line.
Clearance by goalkeeper from hands -monitor the goalkeeper if he is if near the edge of the penalty area, and then quickly reach the offside monitoring position as soon as the ball is released.
It is important that you monitor the clearance from the goalkeeper, from whatever position you are in.
Technical areas and substitutions:
Ensure that you know and understand the directives and competition rules that apply to the technical areas. Be aware of becoming distracted. It is better to be proactive when dealing with the technical area personnel.
Always be brave.
Substitutions - Ensure that a substitute is fully ready, before you make a substitution request to the referee during a stoppage in play. Move to the halfway line, and instruct the substitute to meet you there.
Check that the name of player coming on is included in the substitution listing.
Before the substitute enters the field of play, check his equipment, and request removal of anything illegal.
Confirm the number of the player coming off, and then beckon them off.
Do not allow the substitute to enter the field of play until the outgoing player has left.
Offside:
Strive to remain in line with the 2nd last defender. This will give credibility to your decision-making. Give yourself time when deciding if an offside player is interfering with play or an opponent, or has gained an advantage. WAIT and WAIT and then FLAG. To retain a view of the majority of the field of play and the referee, when signalling for offside, use your goal-side hand. Changing hands also gives you a little more thinking time.
Signalling:
When your flag is pointing downwards, always keep it unfurled and fully visible infield between you and the referee.
Hold the flag in the up field hand; as it provides the referee with a good sight of you against the normally dark background. When standing at the halfway line, hold the flag in the hand nearest the halfway line (up field) so
that if you have to turn and sprint (attack), you do not have to change hands.
When the flag needs to be raised, face the field of play and remain static whilst signalling. Refrain from looking up at the flag. Change hands low down before raising the flag as this gives the referee an early indication of your
decision, (do not change the flag hand whilst it is above your head).
Special competition rules:
The referee should ensure that all of the match officials are aware of any special directives or competition rules that are applicable to the game.
Kicks from penalty mark – if required, the referee will decide who goes where and who does what
Assisting the referee:
It is your duty to assist the referee. The emphasis is on 'assistance' and not 'insistence'.When signalling for fouls and misconduct, try to apply the criteria that the referee has been using throughout the game. In other words, try to reflect the way in which the referee is controlling the game.
Penalty kicks – be certain of the offence before you decide. Eye contact with the referee beforehand is essential.
Ball out of play:
Throw-in – change hands if necessary, to provide a ‘leading signal’ throw direction for the referee.
Make eye contact and then signal.
Goal kick – you should be running towards the goal line (or on the goal line) as the ball crosses it.
Raise your flag straight upwards to indicate that the ball has gone out of play; make eye contact and then signal for a goal kick. Move 6 yards up the touchline (from the goal line) in preparation to monitor the placement of the ball for the goal kick.
Corner kick – you should be running towards the goal line (or on the goal line) as the ball crosses it.
Raise your flag straight upwards to indicate that the ball has gone out of play; make eye contact and then signal for a corner kick.
Are you Fit for the task?
Concentration, alertness and awareness – must be maintained from the beginning of the pre-match brief, until you enter the changing room at the end of the game. It is only then, that you can relax.
Demeanour – ensure that you act professionally at all times.
A first impression can only be made once. Whether it is on the phone or in person, make sure that you are seen in your very best light. Do you phone the referee or do you wait for the referee to call you? When joint travel is arranged, be ready or arrive in good time. Have the mobile number of the club and the other match officials in your phone memory, so that if you are delayed, a quick call is easily made without having to refer elsewhere.
Being part of the team:
An important part of the match official's team building, is the pre-match ceremony. The referee is the team leader on the day – allow him to lead. If club officials ask questions, refer them to the referee. Do not ‘hog’ the limelight, but involve yourself as a team member. If you have taken guests with you, ensure that they do not interfere with the pre-match procedures. Pre-match warm up and entering the field of play are the first time that‘the 3rd team’ are seen. It is therefore important, that you all understand what is expected of you in the warm-up routine. Where will it be done?
Stay together as part of the team during the warm up. When entering the Field of play to inspect the nets, check first that there are no pre-match presentations or ceremonies under way
Check equipment:
Be prepared to check the balls on behalf of the referee. This is an easy function that is very often delegated to the Assistant Referee.
Where and when are you expected to check the player’s equipment? What is the referee’s policy on this?
Identify senior assistant referee:
It is important to establish who will take over in case of an injury to the referee.
Also, the referee will need decide which diagonal the Assistant Referees will take.
Recording match incidents:
Who is to record what and when?
This ensures that the senior Assistant Referee has the information at hand if he has to take over the game.
There is no need for all of the match officials to note match details.
Only the minimum number of match officials should be recording at any one given time.
Incidents not seen by referee:
What is expected of you, if you witness something unseen by the referee? What action should you take? Information to be given:
If you call the referee over for a discussion, or if you are required to meet in the middle of the field of play, what should you say, and how should you say it? You should be factual, and ‘not think’ you saw or heard something.
Positioning and Set Pieces:
Touchline - face the Field of play as much as possible, and use the ‘crabbing technique’ to move up and down the
touchline.
Kick-off -monitor the offside position on your touchline.
Goal kick – stand level with the goal area line until the ball is correctly placed; then:
If the goalkeeper takes the goal kick, move to the offside monitoring position.
If a defender (not the goalkeeper) takes the goal kick, move to the edge of the penalty area, and wait to monitor the defender when he leaves the penalty area after he has taken the goal kick.
Corner kick – normally stand adjacent to the goal line behind the corner flag.
Penalty kick - stand on the goal line, at the intersection of the penalty area line.
Clearance by goalkeeper from hands -monitor the goalkeeper if he is if near the edge of the penalty area, and then quickly reach the offside monitoring position as soon as the ball is released.
It is important that you monitor the clearance from the goalkeeper, from whatever position you are in.
Technical areas and substitutions:
Ensure that you know and understand the directives and competition rules that apply to the technical areas. Be aware of becoming distracted. It is better to be proactive when dealing with the technical area personnel.
Always be brave.
Substitutions - Ensure that a substitute is fully ready, before you make a substitution request to the referee during a stoppage in play. Move to the halfway line, and instruct the substitute to meet you there.
Check that the name of player coming on is included in the substitution listing.
Before the substitute enters the field of play, check his equipment, and request removal of anything illegal.
Confirm the number of the player coming off, and then beckon them off.
Do not allow the substitute to enter the field of play until the outgoing player has left.
Offside:
Strive to remain in line with the 2nd last defender. This will give credibility to your decision-making. Give yourself time when deciding if an offside player is interfering with play or an opponent, or has gained an advantage. WAIT and WAIT and then FLAG. To retain a view of the majority of the field of play and the referee, when signalling for offside, use your goal-side hand. Changing hands also gives you a little more thinking time.
Signalling:
When your flag is pointing downwards, always keep it unfurled and fully visible infield between you and the referee.
Hold the flag in the up field hand; as it provides the referee with a good sight of you against the normally dark background. When standing at the halfway line, hold the flag in the hand nearest the halfway line (up field) so
that if you have to turn and sprint (attack), you do not have to change hands.
When the flag needs to be raised, face the field of play and remain static whilst signalling. Refrain from looking up at the flag. Change hands low down before raising the flag as this gives the referee an early indication of your
decision, (do not change the flag hand whilst it is above your head).
Special competition rules:
The referee should ensure that all of the match officials are aware of any special directives or competition rules that are applicable to the game.
Kicks from penalty mark – if required, the referee will decide who goes where and who does what
Assisting the referee:
It is your duty to assist the referee. The emphasis is on 'assistance' and not 'insistence'.When signalling for fouls and misconduct, try to apply the criteria that the referee has been using throughout the game. In other words, try to reflect the way in which the referee is controlling the game.
Penalty kicks – be certain of the offence before you decide. Eye contact with the referee beforehand is essential.
Ball out of play:
Throw-in – change hands if necessary, to provide a ‘leading signal’ throw direction for the referee.
Make eye contact and then signal.
Goal kick – you should be running towards the goal line (or on the goal line) as the ball crosses it.
Raise your flag straight upwards to indicate that the ball has gone out of play; make eye contact and then signal for a goal kick. Move 6 yards up the touchline (from the goal line) in preparation to monitor the placement of the ball for the goal kick.
Corner kick – you should be running towards the goal line (or on the goal line) as the ball crosses it.
Raise your flag straight upwards to indicate that the ball has gone out of play; make eye contact and then signal for a corner kick.
Are you Fit for the task?
Concentration, alertness and awareness – must be maintained from the beginning of the pre-match brief, until you enter the changing room at the end of the game. It is only then, that you can relax.
Demeanour – ensure that you act professionally at all times.