Respect for referees in rugby league (From York Press)

Respect for referees in rugby league

10:19am Saturday 21st January 2012 in Knights RL

Coach Chris Thorman outlines to York City Knights reporter PETER MARTINI how pivotal respect is for officials

CHRIS THORMAN says football should take a leaf out of rugby league’s book when it comes to respecting referees on the pitch – while revealing he trains his players to take bad decisions on the chin.

Refereeing is forever in the spotlight in the round ball game, likewise the reactions of players and managers, with Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini the latest to be lambasted for waving imaginary cards to try to influence an official’s decision.

Debates rage whether this “European” gesture is any worse than flailing arms, screaming at refs or slating decisions, as is commonplace in the English game, or showing two fingers to suggest an unlawful two-footed tackle, as United’s Wayne Rooney did before Vincent Kompany was sent off in the Manchester derby.

Thorman, though, says any form of dissent should be clamped down on, like in rugby league.

And, as if to back up his claims that managers and senior players should take the lead, he revealed his coaching sessions at York City Knights included practising to accept controversial calls.

“Generally the smallest guy on the pitch is the referee, but he’s in charge,” said the Knights player-boss of the 13-a-side game.

“You’ll see him talk to one of the big props like Adam Sullivan, saying, ‘Can you stop doing that Adam,’ talking to him like he’s a schoolboy. But then Sully will say, ‘Yes sir, sorry sir.’ Would you get that in football?

“I think the respect we have for the officials is so much better. As a player you might not agree with 25 per cent of the ref’s decisions, but you just get on with it. You have to.

“You hardly ever see dissent in rugby league and when you do, you know you’ll get penalised or sin-binned, and you’ll learn your lesson immediately.

“If you’ve got sin-binned for dissent, you can bet you’ll be reprimanded even more by the coach. It’s disrespectful, it’s showing a bad attitude, it’s ill-disciplined and it’s bad for your team-mates.

“Is the referee going to change his mind?”

As for football counterparts, Thorman, a big Newcastle fan, added: “I’m not sure referees have the back-up to penalise them the same. He can’t really send them off for that kind of petulance – when do you ever see that? – and he can’t sin-bin them because there are no sin-bins in football. Does he even give a free-kick?

“I think coaches need to take the lead and so do senior players. All the players have to acknowledge refereeing is a tough job. Referees do get things wrong but people have to get on with it.

“When we simulate games in training we’d have someone go in as referee, like (assistant-coach) Mick Ramsden or (coaching assistant) Adam Prentis. It’s interesting to see how people react to some decisions. I have a couple of players who don’t react too positively.

“I could ask him (the ‘referee’) to be particularly harsh on one team, to test them. It’s important people react the best way for when it happens in a game.”

Thorman does believe, however, that referees in either code could be influenced during games – though he thinks relative impotence in the face of dissent leaves football officials open to more pressure.

“I think I’m maybe given more leniency from referees than other players,” he explained.

“I’ve been a captain since about 2004, so I’ve been allowed to say a little bit more to referees during games.

“Normally, if a player doubts a referee’s call, most refs will penalise them instantly. ‘Don’t question my decision.’ “It depends on the referee but being a captain maybe gives you a bit more leeway to talk to them. If you do that the right way, it can help your team.

“You could say, ‘I’m not sure that was the right call – maybe have a look on video afterwards.’ Or ‘That’s four times you’ve penalised us for that but they’ve done it as well’.

“He isn’t going to change his mind but would it make him have a think next time? It could maybe plant a seed in his mind.

“If you’re disrespectful or swear in his face, though, you’ll get penalised no doubt. He’s in charge.

“Football’s different. Players surround referees, swear at them, gesticulate. Will it affect his decisions later on? It probably does.

“Crowds can also make a difference, In big games for sure.

“Having played at Hull FC in front of 15,000 Hull fans baying for the ref’s blood – I’ve no doubt he’ll think about his decisions. You have to be pretty strong not to. I’m sure it works that way in football, probably even more so.”

Retrospective decisions in football have also come under fire recently.

Joey Barton was sent off for QPR for an alleged headbutt which replays showed did not happen, yet the FA disciplinary panel stood by the referee’s decision.

Likewise most pundits thought Manchester City’s Kompany should not have been dismissed but his appeal was thrown out.

“The headbutt – did he make contact? When is a headbutt not a headbutt?” said Thorman.

“Quite possibly appeals are thrown out for the sake of backing up the referee. Officials have to stand together and that’s fine, otherwise they’d be saying he’s wrong and he becomes isolated. But they have to be definitive in their answer – everybody agreeing it’s a sending-off.

“It’s often a tough call though – and that’s why I’m coaching and playing, not officiating.”

Rugby league, unlike football, uses video evidence where possible on some key calls during a match, while players can also be punished retrospectively if cited after a game or placed “on report” during it – sometimes controversially – when the referee effectively says he did not get a clear enough view of an incident.

Thorman added: “I don’t mind the on-report system. Refs are only human and if they don’t see it, they don’t see it. He needs help from his assistants and when you’ve got modern technology you should use it to get decisions right or dish out punishment.”

One man to make the switch from playing to refereeing is former Castleford, Huddersfield and Halifax star Jamie Bloem – who ironically was not unknown for a fiery temperament or chatting back. He officiated the Knights’ friendly against Leeds last Sunday.

Thorman said: “I thought he did all right. He didn’t stand out, which is a good sign. He handled the ruck and didn’t over-penalise anyone.”

The Geordie agreed the best referees in either code are those that go largely unnoticed.

“Particularly in Europe you’re left with the impression the referee wants to be centre stage,” he said.

“Maybe the interpretation of the game is different in Germany, Spain or Italy but how many times have you been looking forward to a massive game and the referee ruins it by constantly blowing his whistle?

“For me, refs have to use common sense. There are rules you’ve got to stick to, but in the heat of a battle referees should be allowed to use common sense. The better referees do that.”

He added: “You might lose a game because of a poor decision or two but you get out what you deserve in the long run. Over 20 or 30 games you will be where you deserve to be.”