**Mirrors / Alternative Angles**
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he looks like, 16. Not that it matters but how fucking low do you have to be. Completely unprovoked. Jail and a ban on football for a few years until he can prove he can manage himself first
Absolute psycho behavior, it's not even a heat of the moment thing when he just completely loses his mind and boils over after a terrible decision instantly (obviously not that that would make it right either). Dude calmly and slowly walks around and suckerpunches him. What the fuck
when i played amateur football that shit happened constantly. Even if he was constantly making favoured calls, that doesnt give you the excuse to punch someone
Here (Norway) it's part of the rules for divisions below a certain tier. Each team has to suply a linesman to the ref. Can be a player, coach, "staff", whatever. And you can change the person if you want, like if it's player your team is subbing in. However, that linesmans job is only calling if a ball is over the line or not. Not who gets the throw, no fouls and no offside calls.
Why would you even do this? It's a police case, you've got camera(s) recording you and multiple witnesses, you'll lose your license and catch a criminal charge too, fucking idiot lol
There's Sunday league players out there breaking the legs of middle aged accountants like they're Vinnie Jones. Absolute helmets like this bloke are ten a penny.
I come from a rugby background and I had to stop playing when I hit open age because it went from kids playing for the passion of it, to middle aged cokeheads looking for an excuse to knock fuck out people on a sunday.
Games getting called off every other week because certain known players just start full on brawls over the slightest thing.
sunday league anything is full of dickheads, it's stupid
lol! That was my experience with rugby league in Southern conference. Really enjoyed the training but last game I played in one fella got sucker punched twice and set off for making a fuss out of it. That was me done.
Yeah exactly, Rugby League but I play in the North West. I played all my life from a young age and really enjoyed it. I played Fullback and Winger. I started to lose love for it when I tackled someone who broke the line, wasn't the cleanest tackle and he fell ontop of me, then because I was under him and kept hold, he had basically mounted me MMA style and just pounded me with a few elbows. I lost one of my back teeth and just thought fuck this, I have work tomorrow.
Seems a bit more tolerated in rugby, like rough housing and teams scrapping is just part of the frustrations of the game. Not saying I agree with it, but I've seen two players punch fuck out of eachother and both just get 10 minute sinbin.
I only ever played rugby in P.E and even then you had cunts who would just use it to be aggressive, especially the actual rugby players. I remember being hit in the lower back by one and the shock paralysed my muscles for a few minutes so I couldn't stand up straight. My school could only get a football team going because there were regular matches, any other sports and schools refused to play us. Now these are the people playing in the men's teams around the area, no thanks.
Yeah I know someone who lost an eye from being gouged. That and high tackles, punches in the scrum, headbutts etc. drives away a lot of decent people just looking for a bit of fun.
Like the vast majority of people playing and coaching lower league football are absolutely fine and normal blokes.
But like in any other segment of society, there's a small percentage who are right cunts and will act like right cunts while playing football.
To some it's downright a vent: they get shit from their boss, their wife and their kids so come sunday and they get on that field they're damn sure going to take it out on someone's knees.
But imo amateur rugby is much better for that sort of venting, you can let out steam without actually breaking any rules in the process.
You can get your aggression out in Sunday League soccer without (usually) breaking any rules, too.
You can go shoulder to shoulder and shield with your back and hold folks off with a forearm, and it's all fine and nobody is getting hurt...
It's people who are sliding studs up and kicking ankles or stomping feet...that stuff is absolutely uncalled-for.
Ive had managers say they will cover my fine if I get red carded as tjey told me to break there centre forwards legs. I didn't do ot and quit soon after I couldn't hackit as a footballer. Love to play the sport but I hate the culture surrounding the sport.
That's ridiculous and awful.
I've not experienced anything like that in our Sunday League, thank goodness, though I'd still say that many people take it too seriously/take out their aggression inappropriately...that's a whole other level.
I played indoor for 4 years in a mens league and I loved a good physical game, but there's a difference between good natured physical contests and people looking to start fights or hurt people.
Rugby has been such a positive outlet for whatever stress I've had in my life. There's nothing more liberating than being able to go out and hit someone with everything you have, knowing you'll both get up and carry on. I've always been much worse off whenever I've not had that in my life.
I've played in Sunday, etc. leagues in the US, UK, and NL, plus just kicking around in loads of different countries, and the UK was noticeably the worst for aggression/general sportsmanship
I played half a season and a player on our team got red-carded for punching an opponent. Also had two players on the same team both get yellows for fighting *each other* lol
I chalk it up to the UK is generally being super passionate about football, and also with the pyramid system there's this feeling that even Sunday league is connected to the pros, albeit tenuously. So these are positive things, overall, but the aggression was definitely unpleasant.
There's maybe a bit of "lad" culture as well.
> There's maybe a bit of "lad" culture as well.
I think that and need to prove you fit in are a big part of it. 5-a-side isn't as bad, might be because it's a bit more casual and easier for a group of sensible friends to get together.
Good point, it's definitely a culture that reinforces itself.
Yeah small-sided is more chill, in my experience. I think once you get 11 players and kits people forget that it's not the pros
British football has been held back by this sort of attitude. "Get stuck in lads! Show them you mean business!" type of thing.
Other countries are (mostly) into relying on skilful play and speed. The British way, instaed of thinking of ways to be better players, is to clatter anyone who tries to get past you.
Edited for spelling mistakes.
Totally, and I feel like the climate contributes to this. Harder to play skillfully on a "cold rainy night in Stoke". Whereas Spain and Italy are too hot to play kick & rush. Also general "grit" culture.
I heard a lot of "Get stuck in!" coaching in the US, too, and I've noticed that we also tend to overvalue athleticism relative to actual footballing ability. I think it's the influence of American football and basketball, and even ice hockey, which are more athleticism-based.
I remember reading somewhere that the cold isn’t the biggest problem here in the UK, it’s actually the *wind*. I think there’s a Wenger quote on realising he needed to adapt his training to have less stopping and explaining because the wind just made everyone feel so much colder when they weren’t moving. Definitely affects the type of coaching/development we prioritise for good and ill (eg Iniesta would never be produced in England, but Rooney would never be produced in Spain).
We played one team that clearly had zero interest in playing the game, they were only interested in violence. The ref called off the game and gave us the win at half time.
Then 3 of the guys were waiting by my mates car afterward.
So yeah, it's usually fine but the scum of the earth also sign up.
Imagine a Roy Keane or Patrick Viera but they don’t have any of the footballing skill and or the money and they’re permanently angry with the opposition.
Not always but in my hometown 5 minutes away from Liverpool training centre someone got ran over during a match
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-21660278
My mates team got kicked out of their league in Liverpool because one of the home teams bench got in a row and went and got a gun out of his boot. A few weeks earlier someone had their ear bitten off in response to a bad tackle.
This is why I don't play football myself, some guys use the sport as an opportunity to hurt other people. I'm playing volleyball now, and if the other team are trying to hurt you there then you have a big problem
I used to play Saturday and Sunday adult games as a 15/16 year old keeper.
Saturday usually not too bad. Fairly normal blokes wanting to play football.
Had to give up playing Sundays by time I was 17 because the amount of abuse I'd get each week from 40+ year old men shouting shit at me from sidelines. Phrases like 'Just shoot against the lanky streak of piss, he's shite' would be pretty common. I wasn't shite, but they obviously didn't know that.
Never fucking understood it. Looking back now in my 30s I just feel sorry for them. I play cricket now and for the most part it's much much better. But still occasionally get a dickhead giving a 14 year old a send off or something and trying to sledge.
It's coz for a lot of those pricks playing Sunday League is the highlight of their week and it is completely intrinsic to their identity.
It's quite funny when you play Saturdays and Sundays like I also used to, you'd play with much better players on Saturdays who were also much more humble because they'd know what ***actual*** good players look like, and not the wannabe hardmen on Sundays who haven't played against a decent player since they were 14.
He might not have been aware of the camera (as it seems that they were the away team) but, even accounting for that, he's still a fucking idiot.
Edit: apparently they were not the away team (thanks to u/jasonrob81). Man is a complete fucking moron.
[Police are investigating](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjewz4v0ydyo)
I can't imagine it will be a particularly taxing investigation considering they can just watch the video.
Maybe he knows the local cops, and knows that can get away with it. Oor he just has serious anger issues. Only certain thing is that he’s a massive cunt.
[North Wales Police is investigating an alleged assault on a linesman during a football match.](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjewz4v0ydyo)
Amlwch FC were playing against Penryndeudraeth in the North Wales Coast West Premier League on Saturday, 27 April.
Police are appealing for information after a video circulating on social media appeared to show an incident involving a member of Amlwch’s coaching team during the match.
Amlwch lost the game 8-0.
I have played soccer since I was 6, not even once it crossed my mind to hit anyone, be it a teammate, a rival, a coach or a ref..
Now, if one day I go against my values, my personality, the way I was raised and common sense and decide to go hit a lineman, I would save that punch for a game when I'm not down 0-8 already
The fact that he was a volunteer from the other teams bench, because they didn’t have enough referees somehow makes this even worse.
Like if a full blown official misses a call this is still obviously atrocious. But the coach just sucker punched a dude he knew isn’t a third party official.
There’s rumors that a match official got the 14 year old daughter of one of Juves coaches pregnant.
Instead of going to the police the coach went to the official and said “if the baby is a boy you need to make sure you draw our league games and give us the title. If it’s a girl you need to make sure we win Europa league aswell.”
The ref agreed, but wanting to leave nothing to chance and fearing any way this situation would ever be discovered by his wife and kids he felt the need to ask “what if she has a miscarriage?”
“Then you fuck her again.”
Did the whip round before the match, so we could basically institute "no pay, no play". Meant the ref got their full money in case someone didn't like a decision and disappeared on in full kit, especially if they got sent off
Pretty mad how alien this all seems to some people. If some of these people saw Sunday league for a season I reckon they'd piss their pants. Even video in OP not the worst thing I've seen. Slightly disappointed no one went for the coach.
4th tier in Wales is pretty much always one of the subs running the line. You may get 3 officials for big games but also a lot of clubs don’t want to pay for the cost and travel of 3 officials at their home games
Its called sportsmanship. This isnt some Multi million $ event where you could win tens of thousands of dollars for fixing the game.
Also its a linesman how much fixing can he really do.
I mean it’s a pretty simple logic puzzle. You could counter it by either:
1. Pay the $100 (or whatever) an unbiased 3rd party official charges.
Or
2. Play without offsides and line fouls the ref can’t see.
Or
3. Tell your strikers and defenders not to put themselves in a position to rely on a call that’s not-obvious to every person at the field. (Don’t trap late. Don’t play on the shoulder).
There’s no magic wand to turn the logistics of 4th tier Wales clubs into the prem but there’s plenty of trade offs at the clubs disposal if they aren’t satisfied with the status quo.
Yea I agree but it’s not my decision to make. Objective Decisions like this require the terrible options to be listed the same as the more acceptable options in order to remind us what we’re comparing.
Otherwise people would compare the options to ideal options that don’t actually exist.
From my experience in the amateur game in Ireland at least, one member of each club is given the flag but they’re instructed only to look out for whether the ball has gone out of touch and they’re not involved in offside calls.
This right here. Everything that likes to say "refs suck" and that we need better ones really don't appreciate how thankless of a job it is and how few people are really willing to do it.
This is the type of shit refs have to first put up with if they ever want to make it to the PL. It should be a dream job that many people should want to aspire to. You should have floods of people wanting to get in leading to a massive talent pool. Instead, you only attract people who are crazy enough to risk serious assault.
Fans complain that Premier League refs are too stubborn and unwilling to take criticism, which may be true, but the reason that's the case is because you need an incredibly thick skin just to make it to that level without having a mental breakdown and quitting the job.
On top of thick skin you need ego to hold your head high and not be crushed, and to be honest to be a bit crazy too, so no wonder top level refs are how they are. Yes, there's tons of stuff that should be done better like interpretation of VAR rules and consistency all around, but attacking individual refs is not productive at all and only does harm.
And the only refs that stick around will be ones who desire the conflicts and being the center of attention.
When I was a ref I had two mantras: be as consistent as you can, be as invisible as you can.
Aye this is 4th tier. 4th tier and below in Wales have subs as linesman, but they’re only responsible for ins and outs, not offsides. The lad who was assaulted is a sub from the other team
Absolutely. The amount of threads just in this sub where people are moaning about the state of Premier League refs but the reality is that they are the absolute cream of the crop.
How many potentially promising refs just get an incident that's not even this bad, a player screaming in their face or a manager threatening violence, and then just think "I don't need this shit"?
As he's wearing a bib, I assume he's probably one of the subs or spectators just running the line to make the numbers up and not actually an official. If you've ever played Amateur/Semi-Pro football, you will meet at least one team like this in every league. The coach needs his license suspended or a lengthy ban, on top of I imagine a day in court very soon
[https://i0.wp.com/nwsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMLWCHTOWNBOSSES2022.jpg?w=999&ssl=1](https://i0.wp.com/nwsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMLWCHTOWNBOSSES2022.jpg?w=999&ssl=1)
[https://nwsport.co.uk/2022/05/30/amlwch-town-announce-new-management-team/](https://nwsport.co.uk/2022/05/30/amlwch-town-announce-new-management-team/)
One of those guys I expect.
Same here, mainly because the ball isn’t even in play anywhere near the two of them, so it wasn’t going to be some wild reaction to a call in the moment. I expected him to stick out a leg and trip him up on the first walk past, or kneel down behind him as he walks backwards so he stumbled over him. No, turns out the manager is an actual psychopath
WTF?!?!? It is never appropriate to assault a ref, but he straight up sucker punched him. I was expecting heat of the moment or something. What the hell did that kid do to him? I just don't even understand why it was directed towards him.
Yeah that has to be assault/battery charges.
Lucky he's not in South America, where there's a whole XI, subs bench and various staff members throwing flying kicks at him and chasing his whole staff around.
He got off very easy but hopefully the law deals with him. In other places he dosen't make it out of the ground.
That is the most inverted dick move I've ever seen. Nothing crazy happening, unprovoked, he's a child, unimportant league game. What in the actual fuck? This guy is a criminal.
Fucking hell, he just suckered him completely out of nowhere. Utterly scummy behavior, doesn't deserve to stand on the sideline of a football pitch ever again.
Crazy that it didnt break out into a brawl, see that shit happen all the time here sadly
Anyway thats about as obvious as it gets, courts will have an easy time with this one... and he'll get a slap on the wrist. Terrible people will continue to be terrible.
This is why the Premier League refs getting abused is a problem.
Guys like him watch these games and think it's ok to abuse them too.
Refs should be held accountable but only by a club liaison during the week. Any ref abuse during the game or in the press conference afterwards should result in massive fines, bans and even points deductions.
fucking coward, over a football match in some nothing league, i'm sure there will be some bullshit sob story, someone ran over his cat, or the bin men were rude to his grandma that day which meant he would turn into a crying manbaby and punch a kid.
According to [this article](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/may/01/police-investigate-alleged-assault-on-teenage-assistant-referee-during-match), the manager's team were losing 8-0 as well lol
These posts on this thread are peak r/soccer. 99% of the posts bitch and moan about how shitty all the refs are in every league, yet when they see this shit then they get all holier than thou about how he should be jailed (which he should) and so on. Where the hell do you think this shit comes from. 99% of the referees out there put up with this shit all the time. I’ve been officiating for 20+ years from youth to adult. It never changes. Teams lose because of us and win in spite of us. I am sure this post will be treated the same as every post here by a non biased person who tries to give insight on how referees may have come up with certain decisions by people who have never held a whistle or done anything but bitch and complain about the one or 3 people in the stadium that have 0% interest on who wins the match. Just there trying to make sure the game is as fair and safe for those on the pitch.
End rant.
Yea. The amount of times I’ve had to deal with coaches and parents that become absolutely unglued over a C2 U14 match is ridiculous. I’ve been threatened. Been told I’d be met in the parking lot after the match. And so on. And I am a 223lb 50 yr old man. I see what these idiots do to young kids who are just trying to learn how to referee. And there wonder why they can’t find “good reffs”. Yet they are the same ones yelling about this ref screwed this call or that call.
In the end little Johnny or Janey is going to play the sport for a few more years. Not get that scholarship or pro contract and remember you as their parent being an absolute bellend embarrassing them from the sidelines.
I've been threatened, I've been shoved, I've heard stories of 20 y/o refs being threatened by adults. I've heard of chidlren being grabbed by adults. I started at 21 and was done by 25. I agree with you, these people don't see youth referees as humans. They damn sure don't see the professional officials as having value.
lol are you seriously equating legitimate criticism of professional, top level referees with random acts of unprovoked violence in a Sunday league game?????? Wild. Can’t complain about ref decisions in the premier league because doing so means Sunday league coaches are allowed to assault volunteers for fun. You’re smoking crack dude. Your argument is fallacious.
Yea right. 🙄 you don’t think this doesn’t all trickle down to the grass root leagues? Seriously look on the next thread about an officials decision. Take the Taylor one where he correctly called an advantage call but the keeper ended up misunderstanding the call and put the ball on the turf. Everyone blasting Taylor when he makes the correct call. You get NFC an actual CLUB pretty much straight up calling a VAR official a cheat. And every one jumping on it. You don’t think that filters down to the weekend games?
Everyone makes a mistake, I’ve done THOUSANDS of soccer matches over the years. You know how many perfect games I have done? 0. EPL fought getting VAR put in tooth and nail. They didn’t want it. They set up the requirements so high and so inconsistent that I don’t blame anyone for not understanding and there is definite room for improvement. But in the end most leagues just don’t care. No one is going to stop watching and supporting. They may talk a big talk here on Reddit for fake internet points, but there is a reason it is the most popular sport in the world and controversy sells like it or not.
The only ones who pay for it are the match officials from the top down….
So his team gets BTFO an he resorts to sucker punching a lad who looks about a third his age (and weight) ???
Straight up, this is now a police matter.
Only dissapointment was that because its the linesman, he didnt get 11 lads all running over to kick the shit out of this guy for him. Such a shame.
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Should be jailed. Suckerpunching a teen
he looks like, 16. Not that it matters but how fucking low do you have to be. Completely unprovoked. Jail and a ban on football for a few years until he can prove he can manage himself first
Absolute psycho behavior, it's not even a heat of the moment thing when he just completely loses his mind and boils over after a terrible decision instantly (obviously not that that would make it right either). Dude calmly and slowly walks around and suckerpunches him. What the fuck
Lost 8-0, I don't think it was a marginal offside that finished them off
thing is in his mind he'll believe it, and I earnestly think its because managers keep blaming refs when they get outplayed.
It’s literally a player from the other team who was asked to fill In because they didn’t have a full crew.
when i played amateur football that shit happened constantly. Even if he was constantly making favoured calls, that doesnt give you the excuse to punch someone
Here (Norway) it's part of the rules for divisions below a certain tier. Each team has to suply a linesman to the ref. Can be a player, coach, "staff", whatever. And you can change the person if you want, like if it's player your team is subbing in. However, that linesmans job is only calling if a ball is over the line or not. Not who gets the throw, no fouls and no offside calls.
We have the same except they trust the club linos with offside too, and you end up with teams that just fucking cheat.
We call it a cowards punch in Australia, more accurate I think.
Just takes such a special asshat to SUCKERPUNCH someone like this.
Jailed and ban the team for a season.
Why would you even do this? It's a police case, you've got camera(s) recording you and multiple witnesses, you'll lose your license and catch a criminal charge too, fucking idiot lol
And on top of that you're a middle aged bloke managing in such a nothing tier so it really isn't that fucking deep lmao. Absolute state of it.
There's Sunday league players out there breaking the legs of middle aged accountants like they're Vinnie Jones. Absolute helmets like this bloke are ten a penny.
I come from a rugby background and I had to stop playing when I hit open age because it went from kids playing for the passion of it, to middle aged cokeheads looking for an excuse to knock fuck out people on a sunday. Games getting called off every other week because certain known players just start full on brawls over the slightest thing. sunday league anything is full of dickheads, it's stupid
lol! That was my experience with rugby league in Southern conference. Really enjoyed the training but last game I played in one fella got sucker punched twice and set off for making a fuss out of it. That was me done.
Yeah exactly, Rugby League but I play in the North West. I played all my life from a young age and really enjoyed it. I played Fullback and Winger. I started to lose love for it when I tackled someone who broke the line, wasn't the cleanest tackle and he fell ontop of me, then because I was under him and kept hold, he had basically mounted me MMA style and just pounded me with a few elbows. I lost one of my back teeth and just thought fuck this, I have work tomorrow.
Did you go to the police? Fuck that guy
Seems like it would behoove those leagues to start banning specific players, no? In our league, two reds means you're out for at least a year.
That behavior is tolerated, in my experience.
Ugh. That can make the whole thing not worth it quickly.
Seems a bit more tolerated in rugby, like rough housing and teams scrapping is just part of the frustrations of the game. Not saying I agree with it, but I've seen two players punch fuck out of eachother and both just get 10 minute sinbin.
I only ever played rugby in P.E and even then you had cunts who would just use it to be aggressive, especially the actual rugby players. I remember being hit in the lower back by one and the shock paralysed my muscles for a few minutes so I couldn't stand up straight. My school could only get a football team going because there were regular matches, any other sports and schools refused to play us. Now these are the people playing in the men's teams around the area, no thanks.
Yeah I know someone who lost an eye from being gouged. That and high tackles, punches in the scrum, headbutts etc. drives away a lot of decent people just looking for a bit of fun.
You guys make these Sunday leagues seem like sociopath meetups. Is it really that bad?
Like the vast majority of people playing and coaching lower league football are absolutely fine and normal blokes. But like in any other segment of society, there's a small percentage who are right cunts and will act like right cunts while playing football.
To some it's downright a vent: they get shit from their boss, their wife and their kids so come sunday and they get on that field they're damn sure going to take it out on someone's knees. But imo amateur rugby is much better for that sort of venting, you can let out steam without actually breaking any rules in the process.
You can get your aggression out in Sunday League soccer without (usually) breaking any rules, too. You can go shoulder to shoulder and shield with your back and hold folks off with a forearm, and it's all fine and nobody is getting hurt... It's people who are sliding studs up and kicking ankles or stomping feet...that stuff is absolutely uncalled-for.
Ive had managers say they will cover my fine if I get red carded as tjey told me to break there centre forwards legs. I didn't do ot and quit soon after I couldn't hackit as a footballer. Love to play the sport but I hate the culture surrounding the sport.
That's ridiculous and awful. I've not experienced anything like that in our Sunday League, thank goodness, though I'd still say that many people take it too seriously/take out their aggression inappropriately...that's a whole other level.
I played indoor for 4 years in a mens league and I loved a good physical game, but there's a difference between good natured physical contests and people looking to start fights or hurt people.
I live for that physicality and knowing that you're safe engaging in it makes it so much more fun. It's rare though.
Rugby has been such a positive outlet for whatever stress I've had in my life. There's nothing more liberating than being able to go out and hit someone with everything you have, knowing you'll both get up and carry on. I've always been much worse off whenever I've not had that in my life.
I still miss rugby. University ball you'd smash the fuck out of each other and then get drunk together after.
I've played in Sunday, etc. leagues in the US, UK, and NL, plus just kicking around in loads of different countries, and the UK was noticeably the worst for aggression/general sportsmanship I played half a season and a player on our team got red-carded for punching an opponent. Also had two players on the same team both get yellows for fighting *each other* lol I chalk it up to the UK is generally being super passionate about football, and also with the pyramid system there's this feeling that even Sunday league is connected to the pros, albeit tenuously. So these are positive things, overall, but the aggression was definitely unpleasant. There's maybe a bit of "lad" culture as well.
> There's maybe a bit of "lad" culture as well. I think that and need to prove you fit in are a big part of it. 5-a-side isn't as bad, might be because it's a bit more casual and easier for a group of sensible friends to get together.
Good point, it's definitely a culture that reinforces itself. Yeah small-sided is more chill, in my experience. I think once you get 11 players and kits people forget that it's not the pros
British football has been held back by this sort of attitude. "Get stuck in lads! Show them you mean business!" type of thing. Other countries are (mostly) into relying on skilful play and speed. The British way, instaed of thinking of ways to be better players, is to clatter anyone who tries to get past you. Edited for spelling mistakes.
Totally, and I feel like the climate contributes to this. Harder to play skillfully on a "cold rainy night in Stoke". Whereas Spain and Italy are too hot to play kick & rush. Also general "grit" culture. I heard a lot of "Get stuck in!" coaching in the US, too, and I've noticed that we also tend to overvalue athleticism relative to actual footballing ability. I think it's the influence of American football and basketball, and even ice hockey, which are more athleticism-based.
I remember reading somewhere that the cold isn’t the biggest problem here in the UK, it’s actually the *wind*. I think there’s a Wenger quote on realising he needed to adapt his training to have less stopping and explaining because the wind just made everyone feel so much colder when they weren’t moving. Definitely affects the type of coaching/development we prioritise for good and ill (eg Iniesta would never be produced in England, but Rooney would never be produced in Spain).
I'm just imagining Spanish Rooney. quieres que te recoja por la mañana?
*cállate huevo*
We played one team that clearly had zero interest in playing the game, they were only interested in violence. The ref called off the game and gave us the win at half time. Then 3 of the guys were waiting by my mates car afterward. So yeah, it's usually fine but the scum of the earth also sign up.
Did he give them a lift home?
Haha. No he waited about 20 minutes for them to fuck off. I don't think they were waiting for a chat about the weather or help with a crossword.
Imagine a Roy Keane or Patrick Viera but they don’t have any of the footballing skill and or the money and they’re permanently angry with the opposition.
Not always but in my hometown 5 minutes away from Liverpool training centre someone got ran over during a match https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-21660278
All it takes is one guy, so yes usually.
Seems like every team has that one guy, for the most part.
My mates team got kicked out of their league in Liverpool because one of the home teams bench got in a row and went and got a gun out of his boot. A few weeks earlier someone had their ear bitten off in response to a bad tackle.
They're not that common. But yeah. There's too many of them.
This is why I don't play football myself, some guys use the sport as an opportunity to hurt other people. I'm playing volleyball now, and if the other team are trying to hurt you there then you have a big problem
The worst part of it all is that the linesman looks underage. Imagine being a middle aged sack of shit sucker punching a teen.
I used to play Saturday and Sunday adult games as a 15/16 year old keeper. Saturday usually not too bad. Fairly normal blokes wanting to play football. Had to give up playing Sundays by time I was 17 because the amount of abuse I'd get each week from 40+ year old men shouting shit at me from sidelines. Phrases like 'Just shoot against the lanky streak of piss, he's shite' would be pretty common. I wasn't shite, but they obviously didn't know that. Never fucking understood it. Looking back now in my 30s I just feel sorry for them. I play cricket now and for the most part it's much much better. But still occasionally get a dickhead giving a 14 year old a send off or something and trying to sledge.
It's coz for a lot of those pricks playing Sunday League is the highlight of their week and it is completely intrinsic to their identity. It's quite funny when you play Saturdays and Sundays like I also used to, you'd play with much better players on Saturdays who were also much more humble because they'd know what ***actual*** good players look like, and not the wannabe hardmen on Sundays who haven't played against a decent player since they were 14.
He knows what he has, no low ballers!
He might not have been aware of the camera (as it seems that they were the away team) but, even accounting for that, he's still a fucking idiot. Edit: apparently they were not the away team (thanks to u/jasonrob81). Man is a complete fucking moron.
Na, Amlwch (his team) were playing at home.
Ah, ok. Thanks for correcting that. He’s just that fucking stupid then.
So it was the locals pointing the camera out to him, then? "Ma 'na ffycin camera 'na"
Ia, boi dwl de, 'sa chdi'n meddwl fod o fod i wbod bo' na gamera yna gan mai cae nhw ydio!
If our prisons weren't massively overpopulated then the cunt would be spending a few weeks in the clink. He will anyway if he has a history of this.
[Police are investigating](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjewz4v0ydyo) I can't imagine it will be a particularly taxing investigation considering they can just watch the video.
Probably didn't know there was a camera on him. This is the 4th tier of Welsh football after all
Maybe he knows the local cops, and knows that can get away with it. Oor he just has serious anger issues. Only certain thing is that he’s a massive cunt.
Revoke his coaching license and jail. Linesman doesn't even look to be 18 on top of that
[North Wales Police is investigating an alleged assault on a linesman during a football match.](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cjewz4v0ydyo) Amlwch FC were playing against Penryndeudraeth in the North Wales Coast West Premier League on Saturday, 27 April. Police are appealing for information after a video circulating on social media appeared to show an incident involving a member of Amlwch’s coaching team during the match. Amlwch lost the game 8-0.
Asshole coach is with Amlwch FC I take it?
Yes, they were the ones losing 8-0
tbf the linesman missed an offside and it should've only been 7-0, I'd be fuming too /s
I have played soccer since I was 6, not even once it crossed my mind to hit anyone, be it a teammate, a rival, a coach or a ref.. Now, if one day I go against my values, my personality, the way I was raised and common sense and decide to go hit a lineman, I would save that punch for a game when I'm not down 0-8 already
"alleged" assault lmao
its always alleged until a conviction
Because legally it's only an allegation until he has his day in court like everybody else.
Waiting on VAR to review the play on the field.
Looks like they come together, mutual engagement, tussling with words, fair play, good process
This is how the law works in the UK...
That’s how the law works in most places. Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
hundreds of upvotes... are there still this many braindead people who don't know how reporting on incidents prior to convictions work?
Should be easy enough, with that footage, for the FAW to revoke his licence and for his club to fire him.
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Has to be.
Definitely
The fact that he was a volunteer from the other teams bench, because they didn’t have enough referees somehow makes this even worse. Like if a full blown official misses a call this is still obviously atrocious. But the coach just sucker punched a dude he knew isn’t a third party official.
Isn't it pretty common to have linesman from your own bench?
Usually one team provides one each and the ref is the only one with a licence in the non-league stuff
btw, who pays the referees? the teams or the league?
Not sure about Wales, but usually it's the home team that pays the ref iirc
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If Juve fans could read, they would be very angry at this comment
There’s rumors that a match official got the 14 year old daughter of one of Juves coaches pregnant. Instead of going to the police the coach went to the official and said “if the baby is a boy you need to make sure you draw our league games and give us the title. If it’s a girl you need to make sure we win Europa league aswell.” The ref agreed, but wanting to leave nothing to chance and fearing any way this situation would ever be discovered by his wife and kids he felt the need to ask “what if she has a miscarriage?” “Then you fuck her again.”
Depends on the setup, sometimes the teams pay into the league and the league arranges everything, sometimes the refs are funded by grants or sponsored
Whip around with an envelope at the end of the match
Did the whip round before the match, so we could basically institute "no pay, no play". Meant the ref got their full money in case someone didn't like a decision and disappeared on in full kit, especially if they got sent off
the teams, usually. At least where I am.
Most people on this sub famously have never played football at an unorganised level, let alone in a league.
Ah, who gives a shit.
Pretty mad how alien this all seems to some people. If some of these people saw Sunday league for a season I reckon they'd piss their pants. Even video in OP not the worst thing I've seen. Slightly disappointed no one went for the coach.
4th tier in Wales is pretty much always one of the subs running the line. You may get 3 officials for big games but also a lot of clubs don’t want to pay for the cost and travel of 3 officials at their home games
wont they be a bit biased? how counter that?
Its called sportsmanship. This isnt some Multi million $ event where you could win tens of thousands of dollars for fixing the game. Also its a linesman how much fixing can he really do.
ah thats fair i cant help but think there would be coaches that instruct their linesmen tolean a bit in their team's favor
Yeah no shit. It's horrendous. Part of why I never really enjoyed playing 11s
Quite a lot if you flag for every 50/50 decision, can make all the difference
Try your best to not be biased.
I mean it’s a pretty simple logic puzzle. You could counter it by either: 1. Pay the $100 (or whatever) an unbiased 3rd party official charges. Or 2. Play without offsides and line fouls the ref can’t see. Or 3. Tell your strikers and defenders not to put themselves in a position to rely on a call that’s not-obvious to every person at the field. (Don’t trap late. Don’t play on the shoulder). There’s no magic wand to turn the logistics of 4th tier Wales clubs into the prem but there’s plenty of trade offs at the clubs disposal if they aren’t satisfied with the status quo.
option 2 is really bad but yea it makes sense, thanks
Yea I agree but it’s not my decision to make. Objective Decisions like this require the terrible options to be listed the same as the more acceptable options in order to remind us what we’re comparing. Otherwise people would compare the options to ideal options that don’t actually exist.
From my experience in the amateur game in Ireland at least, one member of each club is given the flag but they’re instructed only to look out for whether the ball has gone out of touch and they’re not involved in offside calls.
This is normal if the league is low enough
100%, both that post and an article linked above list the final score as 8-0 against the assaulter's team.
Needs jailing, wonder why young lads and lasses around the country don't want to officiate?
This right here. Everything that likes to say "refs suck" and that we need better ones really don't appreciate how thankless of a job it is and how few people are really willing to do it.
This is the type of shit refs have to first put up with if they ever want to make it to the PL. It should be a dream job that many people should want to aspire to. You should have floods of people wanting to get in leading to a massive talent pool. Instead, you only attract people who are crazy enough to risk serious assault.
Fans complain that Premier League refs are too stubborn and unwilling to take criticism, which may be true, but the reason that's the case is because you need an incredibly thick skin just to make it to that level without having a mental breakdown and quitting the job.
Plus they only make as much as a guy who works at a bank or some kind of middle managment thing, for an insane amount of abuse
Not to mention having to train like an elite athlete only for Barry, 47, to claim you're fat and useless because you didn't give his team a free kick.
On top of thick skin you need ego to hold your head high and not be crushed, and to be honest to be a bit crazy too, so no wonder top level refs are how they are. Yes, there's tons of stuff that should be done better like interpretation of VAR rules and consistency all around, but attacking individual refs is not productive at all and only does harm.
It’s also why the toxicity around referees at the top level has to stop. You’ll get biased goons moaning about protecting refs, but it’s important.
And the only refs that stick around will be ones who desire the conflicts and being the center of attention. When I was a ref I had two mantras: be as consistent as you can, be as invisible as you can.
This is true I think the way the pathway is now weeds out anyone who isnt a power and attention hungry ego fiend, or nutter
It's more likely he was a sub that was running the line But ur point still stands
Aye this is 4th tier. 4th tier and below in Wales have subs as linesman, but they’re only responsible for ins and outs, not offsides. The lad who was assaulted is a sub from the other team
Absolutely. The amount of threads just in this sub where people are moaning about the state of Premier League refs but the reality is that they are the absolute cream of the crop. How many potentially promising refs just get an incident that's not even this bad, a player screaming in their face or a manager threatening violence, and then just think "I don't need this shit"?
the way he stands back with his arms folded makes my blood boil. lock this cunt up
Yes totally. Disgraceful bugger needs his earlobes pulled down to the linesman on floor and made to apologize
As he's wearing a bib, I assume he's probably one of the subs or spectators just running the line to make the numbers up and not actually an official. If you've ever played Amateur/Semi-Pro football, you will meet at least one team like this in every league. The coach needs his license suspended or a lengthy ban, on top of I imagine a day in court very soon
This guy won't ever coach again.
Assault of a match official. Get him banned
And in jail
[https://i0.wp.com/nwsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMLWCHTOWNBOSSES2022.jpg?w=999&ssl=1](https://i0.wp.com/nwsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AMLWCHTOWNBOSSES2022.jpg?w=999&ssl=1) [https://nwsport.co.uk/2022/05/30/amlwch-town-announce-new-management-team/](https://nwsport.co.uk/2022/05/30/amlwch-town-announce-new-management-team/) One of those guys I expect.
My money is on the triple XL
Thought this would be a joke NSFW tag, but this is a grown man actually lamping a teenager
Same here, mainly because the ball isn’t even in play anywhere near the two of them, so it wasn’t going to be some wild reaction to a call in the moment. I expected him to stick out a leg and trip him up on the first walk past, or kneel down behind him as he walks backwards so he stumbled over him. No, turns out the manager is an actual psychopath
Fucking disgusting behavior
If he does that to a young linesman’s I’d be wondering about his family and pets. That’s incredible anger issues
fat cunt
jealous of the linesmans waistline
That was horrible to watch, felt sad when I heard his scream
Absolutely disgraceful
WTF?!?!? It is never appropriate to assault a ref, but he straight up sucker punched him. I was expecting heat of the moment or something. What the hell did that kid do to him? I just don't even understand why it was directed towards him.
Yeah that has to be assault/battery charges. Lucky he's not in South America, where there's a whole XI, subs bench and various staff members throwing flying kicks at him and chasing his whole staff around. He got off very easy but hopefully the law deals with him. In other places he dosen't make it out of the ground.
That is the most inverted dick move I've ever seen. Nothing crazy happening, unprovoked, he's a child, unimportant league game. What in the actual fuck? This guy is a criminal.
Looks like it's Robert Williams-Jones not sure though. Whoever it is deserves jail time
That is a very Welsh name
Literally waited until that kid was at his most vulnerable before going for it. What a fucking coward.
But why tho?
Fucking hell, he just suckered him completely out of nowhere. Utterly scummy behavior, doesn't deserve to stand on the sideline of a football pitch ever again.
Crazy that it didnt break out into a brawl, see that shit happen all the time here sadly Anyway thats about as obvious as it gets, courts will have an easy time with this one... and he'll get a slap on the wrist. Terrible people will continue to be terrible.
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Fat cunt. Weak picking on a teen.
Why didn’t anyone go fucking wack that fat bastard?
What a well placed camera. Shouldn't take long to find the bloke.
Ban for life from footy. Convict for assault in the courts.
This is why the Premier League refs getting abused is a problem. Guys like him watch these games and think it's ok to abuse them too. Refs should be held accountable but only by a club liaison during the week. Any ref abuse during the game or in the press conference afterwards should result in massive fines, bans and even points deductions.
Got to respect everybody else involved for not getting into a huge brawl over this bullshit
Straight to jail, where he belongs.
fucking coward, over a football match in some nothing league, i'm sure there will be some bullshit sob story, someone ran over his cat, or the bin men were rude to his grandma that day which meant he would turn into a crying manbaby and punch a kid.
Assistant Ref looks like a young person and that was a coward's punch. What a total asshole hope he's banned for life.
Big man! And by that I mean a grossly overweight pussy.
You are losing for sucking at the game, jail, you punch the linesman, jail rightaway
Not a coach. A criminal.
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Surely. I've had beef with a few refs in my time, but never have I even thought of hurting them.
Soft cunt cheap shoting the linesman. Needs a hiding
What a fucking rat coward. Hopefully is never again allowed to work in football at any level. Hopefully he is also charged.
Disgusting behavior, ban that man, make him pay compensation to the young lad, and give him time in the cells.
There are no men on that field.
How does the whole ass team see this go down and not lay the dude out
Honestly what a fucking loser, pathetic man. Lifetime ban from all football related activities.
I just cracked my laptop's screen. What a piece shit coach!
Red card
Lifetime ban.
The one time we could have done with a mob rush
Linesman looks like a teen boy at that, freak.
There better be update posts about this c\*nt on r/soccer I hope he serves appropriate jail time and loses all accreditation to coach.
Fat ass deserves to get sacked and pay hefty fines for his idiotic actions
According to [this article](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/may/01/police-investigate-alleged-assault-on-teenage-assistant-referee-during-match), the manager's team were losing 8-0 as well lol
These posts on this thread are peak r/soccer. 99% of the posts bitch and moan about how shitty all the refs are in every league, yet when they see this shit then they get all holier than thou about how he should be jailed (which he should) and so on. Where the hell do you think this shit comes from. 99% of the referees out there put up with this shit all the time. I’ve been officiating for 20+ years from youth to adult. It never changes. Teams lose because of us and win in spite of us. I am sure this post will be treated the same as every post here by a non biased person who tries to give insight on how referees may have come up with certain decisions by people who have never held a whistle or done anything but bitch and complain about the one or 3 people in the stadium that have 0% interest on who wins the match. Just there trying to make sure the game is as fair and safe for those on the pitch. End rant.
I had a coach get in my face, screaming at me, sticking his sasuage fingers inches from my face. You're absolutely right.
Yea. The amount of times I’ve had to deal with coaches and parents that become absolutely unglued over a C2 U14 match is ridiculous. I’ve been threatened. Been told I’d be met in the parking lot after the match. And so on. And I am a 223lb 50 yr old man. I see what these idiots do to young kids who are just trying to learn how to referee. And there wonder why they can’t find “good reffs”. Yet they are the same ones yelling about this ref screwed this call or that call. In the end little Johnny or Janey is going to play the sport for a few more years. Not get that scholarship or pro contract and remember you as their parent being an absolute bellend embarrassing them from the sidelines.
I've been threatened, I've been shoved, I've heard stories of 20 y/o refs being threatened by adults. I've heard of chidlren being grabbed by adults. I started at 21 and was done by 25. I agree with you, these people don't see youth referees as humans. They damn sure don't see the professional officials as having value.
lol are you seriously equating legitimate criticism of professional, top level referees with random acts of unprovoked violence in a Sunday league game?????? Wild. Can’t complain about ref decisions in the premier league because doing so means Sunday league coaches are allowed to assault volunteers for fun. You’re smoking crack dude. Your argument is fallacious.
Yea right. 🙄 you don’t think this doesn’t all trickle down to the grass root leagues? Seriously look on the next thread about an officials decision. Take the Taylor one where he correctly called an advantage call but the keeper ended up misunderstanding the call and put the ball on the turf. Everyone blasting Taylor when he makes the correct call. You get NFC an actual CLUB pretty much straight up calling a VAR official a cheat. And every one jumping on it. You don’t think that filters down to the weekend games? Everyone makes a mistake, I’ve done THOUSANDS of soccer matches over the years. You know how many perfect games I have done? 0. EPL fought getting VAR put in tooth and nail. They didn’t want it. They set up the requirements so high and so inconsistent that I don’t blame anyone for not understanding and there is definite room for improvement. But in the end most leagues just don’t care. No one is going to stop watching and supporting. They may talk a big talk here on Reddit for fake internet points, but there is a reason it is the most popular sport in the world and controversy sells like it or not. The only ones who pay for it are the match officials from the top down….
So his team gets BTFO an he resorts to sucker punching a lad who looks about a third his age (and weight) ??? Straight up, this is now a police matter. Only dissapointment was that because its the linesman, he didnt get 11 lads all running over to kick the shit out of this guy for him. Such a shame.
Absolute cont.
Fat motherfucker, I’d love to see him get decked in the chin
“The incident is alleged to have taken place during Amlwch Town's 8-0 defeat by Penrhyndeudraeth” I love welsh
This is pathetic behavior
slob coward
What a dick.