Do soccer referees ever change their mind?

[Masu485]

What's the use of all the mindless arguing after the ref calls a foul or pulls out a card? I've never seen a ref go 'oh that's what u were trying to do? oh sorry, i'll take back the yellow card'

[pavyracer]

They are lobbying for the next call. That's what really it is. They want to feel they were treated unfairly so when the next call comes the ref will call in their favor. They do the same thing in the NBA. Look at Kobe when he doesn't get a call how many moves he does with his hands or with his face to make it seem he got robbed and then next time no one touches him and he gets a foul called.

[flyingillini]

They are lobbying for the next call. That's what really it is. They want to feel they were treated unfairly so when the next call comes the ref will call in their favor. They do the same think in the NBA. Look at Kobe when he doesn't get a call how many moves he does with his hands or with his face to make it seem he got robbed and then next time no one touches him and he gets a foul called.

Great post! You are right on with this.

[acarmelo1]

their decisions are final, and they do not have video playback of plays.

[Masu485]

They are lobbying for the next call. That's what really it is. They want to feel they were treated unfairly so when the next call comes the ref will call in their favor. They do the same think in the NBA. Look at Kobe when he doesn't get a call how many moves he does with his hands or with his face to make it seem he got robbed and then next time no one touches him and he gets a foul called.

i've heard this too in the NBA. how does it work though? do they make the refs feel bad enough that they have to make up the call later? maybe make refs feel like they made a mistake?

[pavyracer]

i've heard this too in the NBA. how does it work though? do they make the refs feel bad enough that they have to make up the call later? maybe make refs feel like they made a mistake?

The refs feel the pressure from the fans. So all the theatrics from the players are designed to make the crowd react. When the crowd reacts angrily towards the refs it is easier for them to call a 50/50 call in favor of the team that feels they got robbed in the previous play. It happens in every sport.

[JOHON8]

This is why some Italian refs are the best. They cut through all the BS and make some ballsy calls. 1 example the Bayern/Lyon match, Ribery getting a red card.

By the way I've seen refs change their minds about cards and penalties, but the real reason to arguing was already posted.

[Chi_archie]

doubtful

[skrtelfan]

This is why some Italian refs are the best. They cut through all the BS and make some ballsy calls. 1 example the Bayern/Lyon match, Ribery getting a red card.

By the way I've seen refs change their minds about cards and penalties, but the real reason to arguing was already posted.

But there are more rigged games in Serie A than any other league and the refs play along with it, like that "penalty" in the one game earlier this year that was discussed at length, I think it was Chievo/Catania?

[Wilforth]

But there are more rigged games in Serie A than any other league and the refs play along with it, like that "penalty" in the one game earlier this year that was discussed at length, I think it was Chievo/Catania?

How did you determine that?

[Karayilan9]

The refs feel the pressure from the fans. So all the theatrics from the players are designed to make the crowd react. When the crowd reacts angrily towards the refs it is easier for them to call a 50/50 call in favor of the team that feels they got robbed in the previous play. It happens in every sport.

Great post

In some soccer stadiums the stands are very close to the pitch, when you have an ultra stand full of guys you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of breathing down your neck it can help sway even the strongest ref's decisions. The soccer crowds are generally different to the major US sports crowds, there is alot more passion, intensity and fanaticism, its not very often referees need armed escorting off the pitch and out the stadium in your average NBA game but in soccer if the ref makes too many blatant bad decisions against the home team infront of a full house he may have to go into hiding for a while.

[mihaita666]

nice thread. And yes, I've seen refs that take decisions influenced by the pressure of the fans/players

[protein]

I wonder will they ever change the outcome or replay the game. I still can´t forget the "hand of frog" from the late past. Shame

[Podes]

As a scorekeeper for "AA" level soccer I can also tell you there is a huge desire to have as close to an even number of fouls for each team as possible. And I can guarantee there is an internal count that every referee has when it comes to fouls for each team. I even had some ask me at halftime what the foul count was

[Slainte]

The most avoidable by arguing are the cards i think.
I don't remember replay due to wrong ref decision, the only replay i know was one in the english league due to lack of fairplay. Team A didn't return the ball after foul, but i don't remember which game was that?

[TT22]

Another interesting thing is the offside calls. Refs like to stay under the radar. That's why in almost every game you see 1-3 offsides flagged when the player was actually onside. There's a lot of talk afterwards, if a goal is scored from a wrong call, but somehow it seems to be no biggie, if clear breakthroughs gets spoiled by the linesman.

[ararat2010]

what the shame it is ....... they will add 2-4-5 additional refs - but no video playbacks ((((

[Slainte]

No video for several reasons. Very important reason is the support of the big teams, you know soccer is decided sometimes by just one goal and one wrong decision, it's very different from the american high-scoring sports. If we had video replay, the favs would've suffered big time.

[mihaita666]

for sure they would. Inter won 2 championships thanks to refs. South Korea went to the semifinals of WC 2002 after the refs have destroyed Italy and Spain. Obviously,. seeing a team helped regulary by refs isn;t a coincidence.

[Josu]

I hate these pussy refs who gets pressured into making "make-up" calls, they fall for group pressure from the crowd and home team players. If they can't stand the heat, they should get out of the kitchen. GTFO, you chose the wrong career.

[Karayilan9]

I hate these pussy refs who gets pressured into making "make-up" calls, they fall for group pressure from the crowd and home team players. If they can't stand the heat, they should get out of the kitchen. GTFO, you chose the wrong career.

I agree to a point but sometimes the group pressure is so intense they fold, even the strongest minded of refs could collapse under some of these games. I have been in games were the ultras fire shots in the air after a goal, I've been told of games the supporters bring coffins to games, I've seen games were refs had to be surrounded by armed security and rushed off the pitch put in an armored car and drove out of the place.

The pressure some supporter groups put on refs is intense, when your in these stadiums the atmosphere is so charged, its like nothing else, people get tribal at games.

The refs know all this and some let it get to them, its part of the game and adds to the home advantage.

[mihaita666]

what can a player do when getting annoyed by a linesman's decision ? (i think ive posted it before, but worth another look)

[Domestic]

They are lobbying for the next call. That's what really it is. They want to feel they were treated unfairly so when the next call comes the ref will call in their favor. They do the same thing in the NBA. Look at Kobe when he doesn't get a call how many moves he does with his hands or with his face to make it seem he got robbed and then next time no one touches him and he gets a foul called.

Great Explanation!
Also:

[Dark Horse]

Pavy is right. Sports are full of makeup calls.

In the NBA there's an added angle that a coach will sometimes exaggerate his protest against a call. His goal is to be tossed from the game in the hope that it will inspire his team. I've seen it work quite a bit.

[ZXCVBNM]

There was an famous incident during Atletico Madrid/Valencia this season where a ref DID change his mind - he didn't see the play at first but there was such an uproar he reconsidered and asked the linesman - it was the right thing to do but no one had ever seen something like this before. Is it the right call, or is it indecision?

[mihaita666]

I've seen this match, ended 2-1 for Atletico i think...and this is a wise ref

[Dark Horse]

I remember another reversed call. Vaguely. It may have been at the World Cup and I think Italy was playing. Or maybe Spain. Not too many years ago. 21st century. It was a big call, but I forgot what it was.

[skrtelfan]

How did you determine that?

Look at some of the goofy draw odds from some of the end of the year Serie A matches. At least 4 of them had lines where the draw was around evens. One could argue that the line merely reflects the perception these games were rigged, but the penalty awarded in the game I mentioned was so dodgy it certainly raises questions. There was a lengthy thread in this forum about the game in question, it was about a month ago, and the thread contains a Youtube clip of the dodgy penalty.

[M@ximo]

What's the use of all the mindless arguing after the ref calls a foul or pulls out a card? I've never seen a ref go 'oh that's what u were trying to do? oh sorry, i'll take back the yellow card'

97% of the time the referee will not change the desition, even if he realices he made a mistake..., because it will make him look insecure.
It is very stupid, but thats the way they do it. That is one of the things on soccer that dont make any sence, if they are allow to review SOME of the plays, maybe will be easier and more fair for both teams.

did you see the france goal against ireland??!!!

Referee fault.., if there was a review on the play, ireland would be on the world cup instead of france