Ten Minute Refereeing:
Ten-Minute-Refereeing
Referees adjust the way that they control the game, in response to the way that the game is being played by the participants. As the players “heat up” during periods of the game, the referee will need to amend o“fine tune” the way the game is officiated. This is not being inconsistent, rather merely changing the level of control in tandem with the
players.
The consistency is in the way that the referee always manages to keep control, by bending his authority to encourage the flow of the game. For referees to manage a game in a flexible and efficient way, they need to constantly vary their degree of involvement, based on the fluctuating temperature of the game, and the allowance of leniency given to
players.
There will be periods in most games when teams are in their most heightened state of battle (for example, following a flash point), when the referee must be authoritative. This can be achieved by applying strict Law to control (or regain control) of the game; for example:
(a) Allow no advantage and stop play for every foul.
(b) Work much harder at identifying and being near the confrontation areas.
(c) Warn players in a more open and public way.
(d) Discipline players in strict accordance of the Laws.
(e) Deal swiftly with acts of dissent.
Conversely, during less confrontational periods, the referee may relax control by being more lenient (such as applying greater use of the advantage clause, and being more openly friendly towards the players), thus increasing the flow and enjoyment of the game for all.
A study at Cardiff University in Wales revealed that there are important 10-minute periods in each game of football; these periods nearly always require stricter policing by the referee. Examples of this include:
•the first 10 minutes of a game;
•the five minute period immediately before and immediately after half time, and
•the last ten minutes of the game.
It was found that a large proportion of problems occurred within these periods. In addition to this, further variable ten-minute periods (for example, following an incident trouble flash-point or the scoring of an important goal) were also identified as periods where confrontation and trouble abounded.
As an analogy, consider riding a frisky horse. To gain initial control of the horse, a rider will concentrate on using his riding skills to constantly pull in the reins when the horse misbehaves itself in any small way. Once the horse has “got the message”, the rider can release his grip on the reins thus allowing both the horse and the rider to relax. If later on, the horse starts to misbehave, the rider can pull in the reins again for a period until the horse is back under the control. Using this method allows the rider to demonstrate to the horse what he can, and what he cannot get away with! It is much the same with players in a game of football.
In general, referees already adjust the level of control they use in a game, but this is normally done in a random manner. The “Ten-Minute Refereeing” method used by top-level referees is a more structured and conscious
way to gain initial control of a game when it matters, and to adjust the level of control following“flash-point” incidents. This allows referees to maximise their capability by focusing (fitness and mental) resources into gaining proper
control of the game in those periods of the game identified as being more troublesome than others. It then becomes easier to relax to rebuild resources during the quieter periods of the game.
When a referee is officiating in a three - or four-person team, there are signals that the referee can use to tell the other officials when a Ten Minute Refereeing period begins or ends.
Some might include an arm down-stretched with the hand clenched into a fist telling other officials that a stricter control of the game during the next ten minutes is called for and for all involved to follow suit. More clearly, the Ten Minute Refereeing involves all the match officials, and not only the referee. It is important that all the match officials follow the lead of the Referee. It is no good if the Referee is tightening down on control in a game, if one of the Assistant Referees is doing the opposite.
An arm down-stretched with the fingers out-stretched could let the other officials know that the referee has reached the end of his Ten Minute Refereeing tight control period, and will be officiating in a more relaxed and tolerant way.
Refereeing a game in nine ten-minute segments allows for the segmentation of a match. It also provides an definitive period on which all officials know the levels of match control. Finally it makes it easier to reference incidents in a post match briefing.
Try breaking down your game into ten-minute segments and see how this reflects itself on your match control.
The 15-Minute Trial.
John Tudor, experienced 1970's goal-scoring forward of Newcastle United, Coventry and Sheffield United once said, "Players need most of all to know what to expect from referees.
Players go into a match with three things on their minds:
•1 - to weigh up the opposition;
•2 - decide what to do about them;
•3 - test out the referee."
Colin Waldron, the Burnley captain of the same era, also said, "most players do try early on to push along and try their hand to see if the referee is lenient. They look, in other words, for the referee to set his own standard, and to guide the players. The referee's own standard usually establishes itself inside the first quarter of an hour."
How very astute of those players of years gone by, to capture the early progress of a typical game of football, and the important role the referee plays in just a few short sentences!
It's no good for a referee to set “his own standard” in the 60th minute of a game when nearly all the water has gone under the bridge, and the tide of aggression begins to swell. The time to “set out your stall” is in the early part of every game! Set your stall out gradually, by firstly completing all the pre-match preliminaries in good time and in a proper way. When you blow your whistle for the beginning of each game, think back to the three things on the players' minds, as Tudor astutely reminds us of. Most of all, remember the third thing that players will do is to test out the referee.”
Simply remaining aware of this will remind you of the need to show the players whether you are (as Tudor says) “lenient” or not.
As Waldron reminds us, “The referee's own standard usually establishes itself inside the first quarter of an hour” so you have a limited window upon which to either establish yourself, or not!
In the first 15 minutes, be alive and alert; apply the Laws more strictly, be on the spot; be into everything, even if you don't really need to be! You should talk to the managers and the players; give them instructions; tell them to take the throw from the correct place; make a bigger show of interacting with your assistant referees, blow your whistle more that you would normally do, manage all the free kicks if you can, by getting there! In short, start off in top gear, and maintain it for the first 15 minutes. Don't let the players set the standards. Instead you set the standards.
In the 16th minute you may begin the change down to cruising gear, hopefully with the match on an even keel. By now, you will have given the players a good idea of what you are about!
Now ask yourself, “Do the players think I am lenient?” The answer should be a definitive no. Asking yourself this question in the 30th, 40th or 50th minute will be useless, as the players will have already provided the answer, which will be plain for all to see.
By now, you should have the drift of “'The 15 Minute Trail” methodology: get to the market early, and set your stall out with all the prices showing before your customers (the players) have arrived to bargain with you. In the first 15 minutes, don't sell any-thing for less than the price shown on your tickets. The bargaining can come later, when the players know whom the owner of the stall is, and who will decide the final price!
Finally, don't wait until the 15th minute before you suddenly switch off the light, but use the last 5 minutes (the 10th to the 15th minute) to gradually diminish the strict control, so that when the 16th minute arrives, the players will not be wondering why the referee has suddenly gone soft!
Referees adjust the way that they control the game, in response to the way that the game is being played by the participants. As the players “heat up” during periods of the game, the referee will need to amend o“fine tune” the way the game is officiated. This is not being inconsistent, rather merely changing the level of control in tandem with the
players.
The consistency is in the way that the referee always manages to keep control, by bending his authority to encourage the flow of the game. For referees to manage a game in a flexible and efficient way, they need to constantly vary their degree of involvement, based on the fluctuating temperature of the game, and the allowance of leniency given to
players.
There will be periods in most games when teams are in their most heightened state of battle (for example, following a flash point), when the referee must be authoritative. This can be achieved by applying strict Law to control (or regain control) of the game; for example:
(a) Allow no advantage and stop play for every foul.
(b) Work much harder at identifying and being near the confrontation areas.
(c) Warn players in a more open and public way.
(d) Discipline players in strict accordance of the Laws.
(e) Deal swiftly with acts of dissent.
Conversely, during less confrontational periods, the referee may relax control by being more lenient (such as applying greater use of the advantage clause, and being more openly friendly towards the players), thus increasing the flow and enjoyment of the game for all.
A study at Cardiff University in Wales revealed that there are important 10-minute periods in each game of football; these periods nearly always require stricter policing by the referee. Examples of this include:
•the first 10 minutes of a game;
•the five minute period immediately before and immediately after half time, and
•the last ten minutes of the game.
It was found that a large proportion of problems occurred within these periods. In addition to this, further variable ten-minute periods (for example, following an incident trouble flash-point or the scoring of an important goal) were also identified as periods where confrontation and trouble abounded.
As an analogy, consider riding a frisky horse. To gain initial control of the horse, a rider will concentrate on using his riding skills to constantly pull in the reins when the horse misbehaves itself in any small way. Once the horse has “got the message”, the rider can release his grip on the reins thus allowing both the horse and the rider to relax. If later on, the horse starts to misbehave, the rider can pull in the reins again for a period until the horse is back under the control. Using this method allows the rider to demonstrate to the horse what he can, and what he cannot get away with! It is much the same with players in a game of football.
In general, referees already adjust the level of control they use in a game, but this is normally done in a random manner. The “Ten-Minute Refereeing” method used by top-level referees is a more structured and conscious
way to gain initial control of a game when it matters, and to adjust the level of control following“flash-point” incidents. This allows referees to maximise their capability by focusing (fitness and mental) resources into gaining proper
control of the game in those periods of the game identified as being more troublesome than others. It then becomes easier to relax to rebuild resources during the quieter periods of the game.
When a referee is officiating in a three - or four-person team, there are signals that the referee can use to tell the other officials when a Ten Minute Refereeing period begins or ends.
Some might include an arm down-stretched with the hand clenched into a fist telling other officials that a stricter control of the game during the next ten minutes is called for and for all involved to follow suit. More clearly, the Ten Minute Refereeing involves all the match officials, and not only the referee. It is important that all the match officials follow the lead of the Referee. It is no good if the Referee is tightening down on control in a game, if one of the Assistant Referees is doing the opposite.
An arm down-stretched with the fingers out-stretched could let the other officials know that the referee has reached the end of his Ten Minute Refereeing tight control period, and will be officiating in a more relaxed and tolerant way.
Refereeing a game in nine ten-minute segments allows for the segmentation of a match. It also provides an definitive period on which all officials know the levels of match control. Finally it makes it easier to reference incidents in a post match briefing.
Try breaking down your game into ten-minute segments and see how this reflects itself on your match control.
The 15-Minute Trial.
John Tudor, experienced 1970's goal-scoring forward of Newcastle United, Coventry and Sheffield United once said, "Players need most of all to know what to expect from referees.
Players go into a match with three things on their minds:
•1 - to weigh up the opposition;
•2 - decide what to do about them;
•3 - test out the referee."
Colin Waldron, the Burnley captain of the same era, also said, "most players do try early on to push along and try their hand to see if the referee is lenient. They look, in other words, for the referee to set his own standard, and to guide the players. The referee's own standard usually establishes itself inside the first quarter of an hour."
How very astute of those players of years gone by, to capture the early progress of a typical game of football, and the important role the referee plays in just a few short sentences!
It's no good for a referee to set “his own standard” in the 60th minute of a game when nearly all the water has gone under the bridge, and the tide of aggression begins to swell. The time to “set out your stall” is in the early part of every game! Set your stall out gradually, by firstly completing all the pre-match preliminaries in good time and in a proper way. When you blow your whistle for the beginning of each game, think back to the three things on the players' minds, as Tudor astutely reminds us of. Most of all, remember the third thing that players will do is to test out the referee.”
Simply remaining aware of this will remind you of the need to show the players whether you are (as Tudor says) “lenient” or not.
As Waldron reminds us, “The referee's own standard usually establishes itself inside the first quarter of an hour” so you have a limited window upon which to either establish yourself, or not!
In the first 15 minutes, be alive and alert; apply the Laws more strictly, be on the spot; be into everything, even if you don't really need to be! You should talk to the managers and the players; give them instructions; tell them to take the throw from the correct place; make a bigger show of interacting with your assistant referees, blow your whistle more that you would normally do, manage all the free kicks if you can, by getting there! In short, start off in top gear, and maintain it for the first 15 minutes. Don't let the players set the standards. Instead you set the standards.
In the 16th minute you may begin the change down to cruising gear, hopefully with the match on an even keel. By now, you will have given the players a good idea of what you are about!
Now ask yourself, “Do the players think I am lenient?” The answer should be a definitive no. Asking yourself this question in the 30th, 40th or 50th minute will be useless, as the players will have already provided the answer, which will be plain for all to see.
By now, you should have the drift of “'The 15 Minute Trail” methodology: get to the market early, and set your stall out with all the prices showing before your customers (the players) have arrived to bargain with you. In the first 15 minutes, don't sell any-thing for less than the price shown on your tickets. The bargaining can come later, when the players know whom the owner of the stall is, and who will decide the final price!
Finally, don't wait until the 15th minute before you suddenly switch off the light, but use the last 5 minutes (the 10th to the 15th minute) to gradually diminish the strict control, so that when the 16th minute arrives, the players will not be wondering why the referee has suddenly gone soft!