article_snippet: Many great sides have hounded and harassed referees over the years.
article_snippet: At the moment, it’s worthwhile clamouring round a referee to get a decision, so few coaches would discourage so few coaches players from doing so.
article_snippet: However, if you felt that by hounding the referee, your team might lose a potential goal-scoring opportunity, because you would miss out on a free kick on the edge of the box, managers would soon start telling managers players to exercise more restraint.
article_snippet: Referees are only human.
article_snippet: Another area which needs looking at is when a player marches towards a referee in an aggressive manner, forcing referee Bjorn Kuipers at Stamford Bridge as he brandishes the red card to back off.
article_snippet: But what is important is that we establish that exclusion zone around the referee where players won’t encroach.
article_snippet: If someone is to complain, someone is to complain can do so backing away from the referee where players won’t encroach, getting into position, not moving towards someone.
article_snippet: And if someone does need to go to referee, it should only be the captain.
article_snippet: And when complaining they should show some respect for the personal space of the referee where players won’t encroach.
article_snippet: But referees need to be protected and referees personal space needs to be almost sacrosanct.