I think it's a great pity that Reading's game against Sheffield United was overshadowed by the fracas that took place in the United dug-out.
I'm sure everyone locally is aware that the whole thing revolved around United's manager, Neil Warnock's explicit miming of a violent over the top tackle. This so enraged Reading assistant coach Wally Downes, that he charged across the
divide between the two dug-outs and pushed Warnock in the chest, as he believed that, following United's Gillespie being sent off, Warnock was instructing his players to retaliate. Warnock's explanation was that he was complaining to the referee about a previous tackle.
We get a lot of coverage on television and in newspapers about the antics of coaches/managers in or around the dug-outs or to give them their correct title - technical areas. When I used to run the line in senior football, admittedly a long time ago now, I can't remember coming up against such actions which now sadly seem commonplace. This has meant that regulations have had to be drawn up to cover behaviour in the technical area. It's worth looking at what they say.
They appear rather strangely under Law 3 - Number of Players, as an International FA Board Decision and it says, 'A team official may convey tactical instructions to the players during the match and he must return to his position after giving these instructions. All the officials must remain within the confines of the technical area, where such an area is provided and they must behave in a responsible manner.'
All seems very reasonable doesn't it, but of course it's not enough for some coaches. How often do you see coaches standing up for the whole of the match, often outside the boundaries of the technical area, shouting at their
players?
Personally I'm always amazed that, having trained all week,
players still need to be told what to do. The IFA Board decision only gives coaches the entitlement to give instructions to their players,
;nowhere does it say that club officials are entitled to hurl criticism at the referee or give him advice, which really adds up to the same thing.
But of course they do.
One surprising sight at the Madejski Stadium after all the rumpus had died down, was a policeman positioned conveniently between the dug-outs. It reminded me of a story told by Tony Murphy of Basingstoke, who was a Football League linesman before the introduction of fourth officials. At one game at Millwall, the away team manager was letting rip with some particularly foul language. He remained seated in the dug-out, so the language was not too apparent to anyone except Murphy, who was running that line. He spoke to the manager on several occasions but without success.
When they broke for halftime, Murphy spoke to a police sergeant and asked him to stand beside the dug-out during the second half and make his presence felt by the manager. For the first ten minutes of the second half there was silence from the dug-out. Then the manager called out to him. 'OK lino, I've got the message.'
The policeman moved away and the manager didn't repeat his language for the rest of the game.
Perhaps a police presence could also be
the answer to keeping squabbling coaches apart or maybe they have got it right down at Cirencester Town. I ran the line at a cup final on their ground last year and the technical areas, instead of being close to one another in the middle, were nearer to the goal lines, so probably sixty yards apart. Difficult for the fourth official to keep an eye on of course, but in the case of any disagreements, the coaches will probably be calmed down or worn out by the time they reach their opponents dug-out.
Dick Sawdon Smith
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© R Sawdon Smith 2007