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    Is Us Officiating to Blame?

    I read the following in I hate hs soccer. Thought it deserved its own thread.

    Originally posted by an unhappy parent
    Talented players on less talented teams are especially vulnerable to physical treatment. Opposing teams know if they stop them, they likely win the game. While a single win is insignificant, to those competing it means everything.

    My kid is often brutally hacked, barely able to walk the next day, with no foul hardly ever called, much less a card given. Their arms, chest, back, at least one eye, and legs sport bruises that won't heal until 6 or so weeks after the current season. My spouse no longer attends games. I'm tempted to walk onto the field and pull my child, except they'd be so embarassed, they'd probably never speak to us again. I ask my child not to do too much, or look too good early in games so as not to draw attention and place a target on themselves.

    The refs need to call a much tighter game. They need to set the tone early, and let the skill players operate without fear they'll be decapitated. If the US, (England too!) ever hope to compete regularly, at the top level, with teams like Spain and Brazil, providing competent tight reffing is crucial. It's probably the single most important factor.
    Do US officials allow too physical a game, to the detriment of skilled players and teams? Is it as big a problem as this poster claims? Is officiating tighter in other countries, such as Brazil and Spain, and does this allow better players and teams to develop?

    Officiating is clearly not the only factor, but is it the single most important factor holding back the development of world class US players? (Yes, I'm including US women these days as well.)

    #2
    Poor officiating in the US might be the reason why our US MNTs have been racking up the cards in international competition this year. They are use to getting away with fouls that get called elsewhere. The US earned 3 reds in 3 games at the Confederation Cup and at the U20 World Cup they had 4 yellows against Cameroon and 7 yellows against S. Korea, one a second that resulted in a red. Or maybe they just stink.

    Comment


      #3
      One of the reasons that the game suffers in the US may be poor officiating. Isn't another reason that the fields are too small, and that soccer is squeezed into an American football footprint. The FA's recommended pitch dimensions are 110 x 70 yards, while an NFL field is 120 x 53 yards (160 feet wide). Presuming high school fields are about the same width, for a given length the same number of players are squeezed into 1/4 less space. As a result, the players are on top of one another, there is less ability to play wide and everyone is less "calm" on the ball.

      Of course, this serves to level the playing field, as the skills of experienced club players are often overwhelmed by the town players racing towards them at full speed the whole time.

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        #4
        Two good points. When my kid watches college soccer on TV the fields with soccer specific stadiums look huge, and the play is often much less frenetic.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          One of the reasons that the game suffers in the US may be poor officiating. Isn't another reason that the fields are too small, and that soccer is squeezed into an American football footprint. The FA's recommended pitch dimensions are 110 x 70 yards, while an NFL field is 120 x 53 yards (160 feet wide). Presuming high school fields are about the same width, for a given length the same number of players are squeezed into 1/4 less space. As a result, the players are on top of one another, there is less ability to play wide and everyone is less "calm" on the ball.

          Of course, this serves to level the playing field, as the skills of experienced club players are often overwhelmed by the town players racing towards them at full speed the whole time.
          Brazilian grow up playing on futsal courts. Playing in tight spaces doesn't seem an issue for them.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Isn't another reason that the fields are too small, and that soccer is squeezed into an American football footprint. The FA's recommended pitch dimensions are 110 x 70 yards, while an NFL field is 120 x 53 yards (160 feet wide). Presuming high school fields are about the same width, for a given length the same number of players are squeezed into 1/4 less space. As a result, the players are on top of one another, there is less ability to play wide and everyone is less "calm" on the ball.
            Complete nonsense.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              One of the reasons that the game suffers in the US may be poor officiating. Isn't another reason that the fields are too small, and that soccer is squeezed into an American football footprint. The FA's recommended pitch dimensions are 110 x 70 yards, while an NFL field is 120 x 53 yards (160 feet wide). Presuming high school fields are about the same width, for a given length the same number of players are squeezed into 1/4 less space. As a result, the players are on top of one another, there is less ability to play wide and everyone is less "calm" on the ball.

              Of course, this serves to level the playing field, as the skills of experienced club players are often overwhelmed by the town players racing towards them at full speed the whole time.
              Not only complete nonsense - its just not true. Yes Football fields are smaller. But when soccer is played on a football field the touch lines (sidelines in football language) are moved out by at least 10 yards and usually closer to 20 yards or more. FIFA now has a recomended size field that is basically about 118 yards long and 73 yards wide (they actually express it in meters and my conversion maybe off a yard or so). Most high level soccer in the US is payed on 120 or 115 length by 75 or at least 70 wide.

              And the officiating at youth level has NOTHING to do with the USMNT issues. The issues there are entirely the lack of technical skills in tight spaces. The physical play that is allowed more in the US in high level games is really a matter of referees going overboard in not looking bad making a call that really is a dive. But bottom line is the skill and pace of pla is the reason......

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Poor officiating in the US might be the reason why our US MNTs have been racking up the cards in international competition this year. They are use to getting away with fouls that get called elsewhere. The US earned 3 reds in 3 games at the Confederation Cup and at the U20 World Cup they had 4 yellows against Cameroon and 7 yellows against S. Korea, one a second that resulted in a red. Or maybe they just stink.
                Or maybe, the US players simply don't have the skills to compete and are forced to resort to what they know best...Thuggery.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Or maybe, the US players simply don't have the skills to compete and are forced to resort to what they know best...Thuggery.
                  And that. They are definitely a product of our youth system in all ways.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Not only complete nonsense - its just not true. ... Most high level soccer in the US is payed on 120 or 115 length by 75 or at least 70 wide.

                    And the officiating at youth level has NOTHING to do with the USMNT issues.
                    Ummm, discussion was about HS soccer. IMHO, unlike "high level soccer," in HS games the corner flags are rarely moved all the way out to the running track that surrounds the field (where they would need to be to get a 75 yard wide field).

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Ummm, discussion was about HS soccer. IMHO, unlike "high level soccer," in HS games the corner flags are rarely moved all the way out to the running track that surrounds the field (where they would need to be to get a 75 yard wide field).
                      The discussion was about officiating in the US. I don't see where HS was specifically mentiona at all.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        The discussion was about officiating in the US. I don't see where HS was specifically mentiona at all.
                        I meant "mentioned", but I've got this big fat dumb cat trying to sleep on my keyboard and it's hard to type around its blubber.

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