When watching the youth matches in our FA cup run it is interesting to see the differences between this and the senior sides. It shows the areas which are developed later, for example the finishing and composure tends to be lower. As does the fitness, but that is no surprise considering their age. While there are differences in quality there also seems to be much more respect. For both the other players ad the ref. When and why is this lost in senior football? What other differences are there? And what would you like to see transferred from the youth to the seniors or vice versa? I enjoy the youth games, they play with much less fear and go for it which is great to see.
I'm hoping (though doubtful) that respect for refs is going to come back into the game. Maybe 10 years ago the FA didn't seem as keen to drill it into young players, but whilst it's not perfect, I'm hopeful it's better now. As those players come through I'd like to think that the refs will get less grief. Maybe I'm being too optimistic though.
While there is plenty of grief for refs at a lower standard the clubs seem quite tough on it for pro teams youth. Sadly this must be lost somewhere down the line, maybe due to money? Ego? etc But as you say hopefully we will see a big improvement in the coming years
Because the refs are older at youth level perhaps? When age increases and the youth enter the adult arena of the game and unfortunately seeing how there's less respect involved because the stakes are higher; then the agro begins. I can only remember one sending off in playing up to the age of 20 for dissent, after that 'til now (and I'm late 30s) I see it all the time (and I play very amateur level).
I reported a week or so back how there are plans to introduce a rugby-style 'sin bin' and one of the main purposes of it's use is for dissent to officials. http://www.skysports.com/football/n...gin-voluntary-sin-bin-trials-in-lower-leagues Trouble is, is only for the seventh (7th!!!) tier of English football and below, so boogie all use to anybody if someone from the league 92 teams starts screaming obscenities at you! That's a bit like agreeing to trial goal-line technology...but only in Subbuteo!
