La Liga bosses have pleaded with referees to exercise more calm and common sense in dealing with them.
This season has seen seven Coaches dismissed so far in La Primera, the same number as in the whole of last season.
Tito Vilanova, Mauricio Pochettino, Paco Herrera, Miroslav Djukic, Michel, Manolo Jimenez and Paco Jemez have all been sent to the stands, while assistants Toni and Michel Troin from Espanyol and Real Sociedad respectively have also been dismissed.
It is a situation that prompted a meeting between Eduardo Caturla, President of the Coach’s Committee, and President of the Referees’ Technical Committee Victoriano Sanchez Arminio, on Wednesday.
Deportivo de La Coruna boss Jose Luis Oltra summed up the feelings of the majority of Coaches.
“We Coaches feel a little persecuted by referees. They have become more aware of us but surely there is a directive from the Referees’ Committee,” pleaded Oltra.
Indeed, there is a new edict this season, as Caturla explained to AS.
“The referees are bothered about the protests and gesticulations and have highlighted two areas where players, assistants, kitmen etc. get up off the bench en masse and also the gestures to the fourth official. They believe this incites the crowd.”
Caturla said that in meetings between the two committees, both parties requested mutual respect.
“We are asking for calm and that the referees are not so strict. Coaches live every match under pressure and sometimes a gesture can come out. We are asking that the fourth official becomes more relaxed and not so aware of the benches.
“Coaches, in turn, must also try to relax. Take the case of the Champions League, where there are hardly any dismissals.
“In UEFA matches the Coach lives with more fear of being dismissed and the referees are more lenient.”
The new conditions of conduct do not only apply to La Primera, insisted Caturla.
“They are affecting all categories including La Tercera and Preferente…Coaches and referees must work hand-in-hand,” he added.
At the end of the 2012-13 campaign both sides are expected to meet again in the presence of Coaches and referees to discuss a strategy for the following season.
