Having coached youth teams for a long time now I always preach to my players not to talk back to the ref, not to roll your eyes or throw your hands up if you disagree with a decision. 99% of the time don’t have any issues with refs. They have a tough job as coaches and parents always think they know best.
However, the ref at my lad’s U13 game yesterday was the biggest c word I’ve ever encountered. I should state up front that our game started about 15 mins after the BBC score text update had inexplicably flashed from 3-4 to 4-4 so I was already in a foul mood.
One of our players gets a yellow card after just 2 mins for a nothing foul and what was probably the first tackle of the game. Asked the ref what the yellow was for and got a “be quiet, I’m in charge here”. Every throw in is marched back to the original spot, every free kick we get the 10 yards theatrically marched our like the ref is at a cup final. And then the biggest joke of all…
Score is 1-1 and there’s 20 minutes remaining of the 35 minute second half. So this is not a time wasting situation; my lad at right-back, under pressure from their winger, clears the ball out of touch. To which the ref screams at him “you didn’t need to kick it that hard, now go get the ball” he’s literally yelling at him. This was at the opposite end of the field to me so I asked the assistant ref what was going on and he shrugged apologetically and said “he likes to be in charge”
Imagine having such an empty life that you need to act like that at youth football. To all the good refs, thank you. To the ones like yesterday’s, go take up a different hobby. |  |
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