Expectations of an MOF Referee

1. Punctuality

• be at the field at least 15 mins before scheduled kick-off time
• if teams are late and do not have at least 7 players to kick off the game 15 mins after scheduled kick off time, u have the authority to enforce a walkover for the other team. (for this to be enforced you have to be at the venue 15 mins beforehand)
• once you are geared up and ready – be at the centre of the pitch ready to kick off the game. this is to ensure the teams know you are already at the pitch, and importantly to create a sense of urgency for teams who are still getting ready to kick off the game.

It is of the utmost importance for you, as the match official to be at the field at least 15 minutes before scheduled kick off time. If you are late and teams have to wait for you, that will cause the teams to feel frustration thus making your life more difficult during the game, especially when there are difficult calls to make. 

2. Confirming your availability and ensuring you turn up for the games that you are assigned to

• please confirm your availability (day and timing, Sat 3pm and Sun 11am/1pm for example) to referee by end of Monday
• Assignments for the coming weekend will be given out to the referees every Tuesday
• Full game details indicating team names, jersey colours will be given out to the referees every Friday, in case there are changes of jersey colours during the week or if league teams postpone their game during the week.

You are required to confirm your availability to officiate games during the weekend by the end of Monday, this gives us ample time to assign our games to other referees should you be unable to do so.

Should you not turn up for the games you are assigned to or state that you are unable to officiate the game at the very last minute, we have no choice but to cease scheduling games for you to officiate and be placed on our banned list – http://ministryoffootball.com.sg/referees-blacklist/ Our goal is to deliver proper games to paying customers so we seek your understanding for this.

3. Performance and attire during games

• please ensure you are properly attired: referee shirt/dri-fit polo shirt tucked in, black shorts and black shorts, and black boots/sports shoes
• have a proper and audible whistle, like the Fox40 Fingergrip whistle (see pic below) – this is the recommended one. A normal regular whistle (so long as it is loud enough) is OK too – but this one prevents problems from biting and slipping 
• 
• have a notebook and yellow and red cards (see pic below)

• Always record the correct scores – often times the scores are reversed because of poor recording, and the winning team complains why in  public they are recorded as the loser
• NO lazy refereeing i.e walking around the centre of pitch while refereeing. You must always keep up with game play and be close enough to the action such that you don’t obstruct the players, but are close enough to make the correct call.

First impressions are important and by creating a good one before the game even kicks off will help in the teams’ opinion of you and how they treat you during the game. Making your presence felt by introducing yourself to the team managers/players before game and not staying in the toilet where the teams can’t see you or know you’re at the field, inspecting the balls, nets, lines, briefing both teams before kick-off on how YOU are the official and your decision is FINAL. 

As you are the sole match official for the games, all eyes will be on you with regards to your decision making. By staying at one spot in the field during the majority of the game, will leads to the teams thinking that you are not making an effort to stay close enough to the action and are not in the best position to make the right calls.

As such, teams need to see you make an effort by staying close to the action (not too close that it obstructs play) by running and following where the ball moves. We have a major complaint when a team posted a video on social media where the referee was clearly running in a circle at the centre of the pitch, and was heard to remark “your game is too easy for me” as a reason. Such behaviour is not acceptable. 

4. Firmness and fairness in refereeing. 

• be firm with the teams/players in your decisions and communication
• do not offend them when their decisions are challenged by being rude or react to them in a disrespectful manner
• if teams are overly abusive (verbally/physically), inform us and we will take action against the guilty parties – http://ministryoffootball.com.sg/teams-expelled-from-mof-leaguescups/

We require you to be versed in all rules and regulations (pls refer to this link: mof-11s-weekend-leagues-rules-n-regs). At the same time, we require you to be firm with the teams. We have examples which have made the teams think the referee is weak, such as: asking the team for permission to wear a particular jersey colour, giving a team ‘additional time’ (more than rules permit) to assemble the required number of players, allowing a goal to stand and then disallowing it after giving in to protests by opposing team, before giving a penalty to the other team for a chance for them to score again.

In addition, the more experienced teams tend to give verbal challenges or make requests before the game, or at the start of the game – this is their way of ‘testing’ the referee so that they know they can (for example) get away with pressuring the referee later by kicking up a big fuss. We will do our part to ensure that the teams keep their conduct and behaviour in check. However, as the match official you are required to set the tone of the game by making sure the points listed above are complied with, before making sure that you are firm and decisive in your decision making during the game, so teams do not have a reason to question your ability and effort.

5. Water breaks for both MOF League and Friendly games

Please ensure quarterly water breaks are given for all MOF games, once temperature on the day reaches 31 degrees celcius OR if the team requests. This is to be strictly complied with for safety reasons – and should there be heat victims as a result of your non-compliance with this policy, the legal liability will fall squarely on you the referee. 

6. Bad or Incelement Weather

Regardless of the weather you must be at the venue at the appointed time ready to kick off. The weather is unpredictable and can change within 5 minutes. The lightning alert system and the warden instructions at every venue must be complied with – if you do not do so serious charges can be brought against any non-compliant individual(s).

You and the teams may wait up till 60 minutes for league games, and 75 minutes for friendly games (in order to achieve at least 55 min of game time for league games, and 45 min for friendly games, so that their trips down for the game is not wasted).

Please record in detail how many minutes exactly is played (as it affects payment/refund procedures, and then insert into your report (which must be submitted within 90 minutes from the game). Please DO NOT inform the teams how many minutes, as many times there have been miscommunication and the teams heard differently after the msg is passed down from one to another. 

7. Strictly no cash transactions or handling in MOF activities.

Under no circumstances are referees to collect any payment or money, nor should teams pay to the referee (if they do so mistakenly, please reject them and ask them to pay into MOF’s bank account. All referees are paid through internet banking by MOF, received by you latest coming Monday 2359 hours (exceptional delays are very rare).

Thank you!

Team MOF

Passion. Teamwork. People.

Bringing Out The Best of Singapore Grassroots Football.