The FA are tightening up on the stream of verbal abuse from managers and coaches in technical areas by introducing a formal code of conduct for staff who continually cross the line.
Although referees already have the power to dismiss club employees from the technical area, they have told managers they will implement a two-step system that could lead to dismissals from the bench any member of staff this season.
Technical area staff have been left in no doubt that abuse of the fourth official or opposition benches will no longer be tolerated as part of the new system.
Fourth officials have been told to monitor touchline behaviour and technical staff will be issued with a warning in the first instance for persistent verbal abuse or, for example, sarcastically applauding a decision.
The next transgression will lead to the employee being sent to the stands and charged by the FA for falling foul of the guidelines that have been agreed by each Premier League club.
Referees’ chiefs have rightly argued that the fourth official already has a rough enough job assistant the referee without being used as a verbal punchbag of outraged club staff.
The clubs were told of the new code of conduct relating to behaviour in the technical area at a meeting of Premier League managers on Tuesday afternoon in London.
With so many employees on the bench in the modern era, the initiative is designed to keep a lid on rowdy and unruly behaviour in the dug-out.
Chelsea’s assistant manager Rui Faria is notorious for abusing fourth officials and members of the opposition backroom team, but he is by no means alone.
The FA have noticed an increase in the level of abuse directed towards the fourth official from various figures on the bench, including coaching, medical and substitutes, over the past year.
Managers had been told that the FA were considering the introduction of a series of cards, similar to those used on the pitch, to act as a deterrent this season.
Instead they will be issued with verbal warnings from the referees, who have been left in no doubt about the powers they have over the antics that have become commonplace in the technical area.
There will also be tougher sanctions imposed on teams who continue to surround the referee in an attempt to coerce or influence the match officials’ decisions.
Mass confrontations have been outlawed by the FA because of a noticeable increase last season in the number of players surrounding referees.
From the start of this season the number of players allowed to approach the referee and address them during the game will be cut from three to two.
Players who ignore the new regulations could be booked and the club could face a charge of surrounding the match official if it is mentioned in the referee’s report.
Premier League bosses have also been briefed by referees on the alteration to the offside rule.
Previously players have been allowed to stand in offside positions without being punished, depending on whether the match official thought they were actively involved in play.
Now there will be a free kick to the opposition if they attempt to play a ball close to them if the referee believes it would have an obvious impact on the opposing team’s chances of playing the ball.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk