CF Governance

Umm if the only review and feedback you're getting is from your own chums I would say that is the definition of life in a bubble.

What's wrong with a good old fashioned 360 degree review like folks have in the workplace? Get opinions from players, coaches and other referees?

Correct. But that is what a "zero tolerance policy" requires. Which is what you've been advocating for isn't it?

Look, this situation is obviously getting a bit out of hand so as someone who is funny as fuck I am prepared to do my civic duty and form a Volunteer Banter Squad. Similar to Neighbourhood Watch we will patrol the region's football grounds and clubrooms with the aim of intervening early in situations of questionable banter before things escalate out of control. If we hear any shit banter or even observe a situation where banter is likely to occur we will jump in and offer best practice banter advice & guidance to the banterers so that the optimal banter outcomes can be achieved. We might even print pre-prepared banter sheets and hand them out before games.

Word from the CEO

Hi everyone,

I would expect  that you’re probably pretty much over me & my musings about inappropriate behaviour but it’s important & its time (probably well overdue) that a stand was taken & we’re at that moment as of now.

I cannot stress enough that it is totally within all of your power to do something about this & I strongly believe that we all owe it to the kids who watch (& then imitate) behaviour that they see. Capital Football will not be taking any backward steps, we’ve started something & will follow this to wherever it ends up & however long it takes.

I have enjoyed getting out & about most weekends; some of the football I have witnessed has been great to watch. Many of you have taken the opportunity to “bend my ear” as to your particular point of view & although not agreeing with everything I am told it’s good that you feel able to do so & I thank you for that.

As you are aware Jamie Cross has left CF & his operations role has been split between Matt Snaddon, Robert Johnson & Lisa Jones. We won’t get it all correct in the initial period but I am confident that we’ll do it well & that you will all be satisfied with our continued service. We will review how’s it’s going (including a club survey) at the end of the season before making a decision on what the best process is for 2015.

You will shortly see a few “left-field” options coming your clubs way for them to comment upon via the Advisory Group process as we look to experiment with a bit of fresh thinking around expanding football throughout the year. In simple terms by offering what we do now, we know what we’ve got…kids & adults football numbers are pretty flat albeit there is still strong growth within the girls game. Some of the “stuff” that we will try over the next while won’t work, I’ll guarantee that, howver we are of the opinion that to “grow the game” we need to do a few things differently, watch this space.

Thanks for all that you are doing for football in the region; I do think we are making significant progress in all areas of the business & that is down to all of you.

Cheers,

RR

I think Greenie's point (if he has one) is that there is a distinction to be drawn between saying something mildly sweary to an official, and abuse.

For example, currently what you've said above ("stop being a dick") would get you a four week ban. But you've used it in every day conversation, as we all do, so that 4 weeks off seems a bit ridiculous.

Nobody is arguing that you should be able to get up in a ref's face and abuse him (like I did...) or chase him to the changing rooms (like Declan). But saying to a linesman in the heat of the moment "come on mate are you fucking blind" is hardly a 4 week ban offence is it?

If that linesman turned around and said "fuck off mate you can't see anything from where you're sitting" then fair play to him too. 

I mean, how thin skinned can you be?

The second is the use of insulting/abusive/offensive language. Calling a ref blind, a carnt, or a donkey, etc I think is unacceptable.

Is telling the truth insulting/abusive/offensive?

Is telling the truth insulting/abusive/offensive?

Is calling someone blind really abusive?

What I don't get is why referees care so much about what a player thinks of a decision.  The best refs just ignore all that rubbish, they're the ones with the whistle, they're making the decisions and they really don't get worked up about it.  They just get on with the game.  It's when you think that a referee cares that you're more likely to have a go (and I have been guilty of some referee baiting in my time I freely admit, which I am not that proud of).  

The good refs truly do not give a toss about what some spotty 21 year old (yes I was spotty as a 21 year old) is saying to them.  I don't think players should be abusing refs but nor do I think any of what has been described here constitutes "abusing refs"

Probably more insulting than abusive.

4 matches for insulting someone?  Seems a bit much to me - even though broadly I agree that it's better to clean things up a bit

Maybe if the referees were better there wouldn't be so much abuse fired at them. It's a two-way street isn't it?

Or are we genuinely saying that you cannot question or comment on any refereeing decisions, no matter their quality?

Notably, there is no process by which you can appeal or comment on the decisions or quality of a referee. They receive no feedback from players, administrators or fans. They just live in a bubble.

I've never actually taken a look at a team card, I assume there isn't anything for rating the referee? If there isn't there really should be. It's all well and good having refs evaluated by other refs, but CF needs to know how the players feel about them, too. IMO it is a real problem if a ref is consistently earning the ire of the players he/she is officiating, even if they're technically getting things right.

Wouldn't the actual problem here be that the players don't know the rules? I fail to see how this is the refs problem.

Wharf first teamer sent off for swearing/abusing ref today.

I saw a second yellow.

PS It's 5.30 an no results are on CF website. Not even the cup game played at noon.

Bring back Critter!!

Wharf first teamer sent off for swearing/abusing ref today.

Player receives yellow.

Player tells ref it was fucking bullshit (or something similar)

Ref tells him to be quiet.

Player gives him another spray.

Player gets second yellow.

Yeah no argument with second yellow

Just banter wasn't it?