“Making Plans While Your Body Says ‘NO’ – Rodric Leerling

I was excited and busy making plans for a great Summer football season. The field play-offs already started with a last-minute mid-week AR assignment and another AR one for this weekend. On top of that, I received a last-minute futsal play-off game to ref as well. And I was invited to a company field tournament in June and was enlisted for Beach Soccer reffing again soon. Exciting!

But then suddenly, my body told me it was enough for now. Last weekend, my right knee suddenly swelled like a balloon. No pain, just stiff and impossible to bend. Well, I thought, it sure will be better tomorrow. But it stayed bad so I had to see a doctor who did some basic tests and said the swelling could be reduced with medication. If it doesn’t change, come back next week. Bit surprised, but didn’t want to argue.

Well, it is next week now, and the knee not only still looks swollen, but is also hurting now. Medication doesn’t seem to work, so I’m planning to see the doctor again, this time to ask for physio therapy. In the meantime, I had to cancel the futsal play-off game and two field play-off games. I’m slightly worried about the rest of the upcoming field play-off games. Maybe it’s season finale for me, before it even started. Maybe I pressed myself too hard to get the futsal promotion, who knows. Combination of futsal and field games getting too much?

So, it’s time to do some other things. Write another personal blog. Visit some friends. Make myself useful around the house. Limping.

“Football Refs Entering Their Season Finale, Always Fun” – Rodric Leerling

For an amateur referee it’s always fun entering the football Season Finale. During the next four weeks, teams that can earn promotion or are about to relegate get to play each other in play-offs. Refs will work in turns with FA appointed trio’s, where normally each ref has to work his games alone (with club AR support).

Refs who prefer to work together can request to be formed as trio for the set of games, but most of us just wait for the teams to be organised by the FA. I’ve had some good and bad experiences with that. Two years ago, we worked as refs from the same town. Me and my ref mate from a higher league and one lower ranked ref whom we knew very well. You don’t need much time to explain how you want your game to be runned. It worked very well and we covered each other’s back when needed.

But last year was different. Me and my ref mate from the same league were now mixed with another lower ranking ref who was about to end his career. Or at least, that’s what he oozed through his AR performance at each game. And when we got a real (surprise) final to ref, he was listed as CR. This guy, really? If he wasn’t able to handle a flag decently, how would he perform as CR? No good physical condition, no guts to take measures, no communication.

Let me tell you this: the final game deserved a more motivated team. The ARs were discouraged as we expected either of us would get the game and we just didn’t trust the old guy to do well. He arrived late and his CR’s pre-game instructions were poor and lousy. The warming-up was just the two of us. The ‘old guy’ said he didn’t want to waste his energy as it was a warm day. During the game, some crucial signals were neglected and we were both getting pretty pissed off. And on top of that, I was doing the lines with the two teams’ supporters in my back. I was getting scowled for the many lousy CR decisions. Why I didn’t intervene? Why wasn’t the CR taking note of my signals? What a lousy bunch of refs, etc.etc.

After the final whistle, a shower and a quick soda, I ran for my car and drove home quickly. Luckily the two teams were out of my normal game region, so I wouldn’t bump into the teams next season. I still feel ashamed.

Hoping for a better working ref trio this Season Finale. Watch this space!