After the excitement of more than sixty games, the compelling drama of the knock-out stages, and the inevitable disappointment of a final match fraught with brutality and ill-discipline, it was time for me to take a break. As I have commented before, I have sensed my devotion flagging after more than forty years, the last few of which have been stained by disappointment and occasional despair. In the referee program, we seem no further ahead, technically and professionally, than we were twenty years ago. Yes, we have a structure in place: tournaments with assessments; academies with instruction; referee-coaches at professional matches; and international opportunities that FIFA referees in the seventies and eighties could only dream of.
Yet still, there is a breach to be filled and conquered, as Henry V had to do at Harfleur in 1415, before the great battle of Agincourt that same year. We have a battle-plan, we have people in place to enact it, we have troops in the fields, but the weapons we swing and the ammunition we use are inadequate for the task. You can see the weakness at almost every throw-in, every free kick, every set-piece near goal, which can only mean that our training and our evaluating, however well-intentioned, are not up to the task. I'll have more to say about this soon, especially about the new DVD on how to handle free-kicks. But for now, take a look at a broken leg in a youth game, an foul and injury that went unpunished . . .
My thanks for this heads-up and URL go to Phil Rogers. It's rare that we get good video of terrible fouls in youth games, and it is easy to forget (as did the referee in this match) that young players can commit offences that warrant expulsion, just as professionals do. I warn the squeamish that the clip also includes the sound of the leg breaking, so perhaps you might want to turn the sound down.
Why the referee didn't see the foul is beyond my understanding. He had a good angle to see the contact, he wasn't very far away, he must have heard the sound, and as soon as he stepped forward and saw the injury, he had to know what to do. Another good example (see my most recent post) of the correct decision made after a few seconds' hesitation.
What about this one? Boca Jrs. vs Sevilla, youth teams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9t0eaEfFGc&feature=related
Maybe it's not a DOGSO, but it's an obvious Serious Foul Play. Referee is a bit far away but has a good angle, and linesman is perfectly placed to see the tackle. Another broken leg, and another yellow card
Posted by: snedecor | August 24, 2010 at 02:15 AM
Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe read too much into this, But the referee's posture, demeaner, the way he moved, his body lanquage told me he was just "walking the game". He didn't have energy, or the body lanquage that said "hey, I liked it out here. This is the greatest game in the world and I'm part of it!! I'm going to be up with the play, I'm gonna hustle and sweat. He reminded me of the hundreds of high school and college referees I reffed with who are "just there" on the field, getting paid a ton of money (college refs for sure).
So with that attitude putting his brain to sleep, he didn't have a clue on what to do.
Posted by: JohnM | August 24, 2010 at 03:46 PM