The FA’s Head Coach Steve McClaren has backed Chief Executive Brian Barwick in his bid to bring the behaviour of footballers towards match officials into line.
The pair were part of a panel facing a series of questions from 300 local supporters at West Bromwich Albion’s Hawthorns home in what was the first ever FA Roadshow.
After seeing 60 local youngsters put through their paces by five of The FA’s Skills Coaches in the Albion Academy’s indoor facility on Monday afternoon, Barwick and McClaren were joined by Director Of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking and Director Of Communications Adrian Bevington to answer on a wide variety of topics.
And both McClaren and Barwick made it clear that one of the priorities is to try and improve the way in which players often react to decisions made by the match officials at both professional level and right down to the grassroots.
Pointing to the example of international rugby where the referee has a microphone connected throughout the game and exchanges with the team captains can be heard on television coverage, both McClaren and Barwick gave their thoughts to those in attendance.
“We feel strongly about this at the top level and we are working on it all the way down,” revealed McClaren.
“Without referees, we don’t have a game and it’s important to keep a deal of respectability between the officials and the players.
"People are coming to us less disciplined every year and it starts at the bottom, it starts at school and in teams.
"So coaches and teachers have a great responsibility, it's a problem that we receive with players who are 16, 18.
“If you watch rugby, then it puts a marker down for our game.”
Barwick couldn’t hide his feelings on the matter either and admitted that he feels it is one of his ambitions to establish a better relationship between players and referees.
“I have taken it upon myself as one of my own aspirations while I’m in this job to improve behaviour on the field of play, footballers to referees,” he added.
“I’m determined to make an impact – and I’ll do it. I’ll start in January and I’ll start at grass roots level.
“We have three pilot schemes. One, where only the captain can approach the referee. Two, roped off areas so over-indulgent and abusive parents, guardians and spectators can’t get at them.
“And number three is a memorandum of understanding. Everyone signs up to a standard of behaviour. If it’s breached then you can’t go out and play, basically.
“It’s the young people who represent the future of the game and we will ingrain them with good behaviour. It’s not going to change overnight but we’re working very hard at it.”