Making Yourself Heard

BRIAN de SALVO on raising your voice in public

“Shout louder, you’ll get it!”  

Mike Kerley doesn’t mutter but he rarely raises his voice either.   His criticism of the theatrical antics employed by an opponent to win a corner was probably too softly spoken to be heard even by the fourth official.   Although the Athlone manager may look like a civil servant who has strayed into the dugout area, his track record speaks for itself.   But his match play dialogue with officials is, shall we say, restrained.

Call it gamesmanship or protecting your team’s interests, this business of pressurising the officials has become part of a manager’s armoury.   I startled one referee by pointing out that at any particular game his team could be the only people present with an unbiased view.   The ebullient Ian Foster, who looks as though he will part company with Dundalk at the end of the season as yet another domestic club seems likely to implode financially, is a master of the craft.  

The line between keeping the referee under pressure – heaven forbid, I almost wrote influencing his opinion! – and abuse is fine and banishment from the dugout can be the end result.   Most Irish grounds are so small it’s not really a handicap as far as communication with your players are concerned – you can be heard from the back of the stand almost as well as from the dugout area.

The constant barrage of, shall we say, “advice” to the officials from Ian Foster alarmed me so much on one occasion at the UCD Bowl that I offered him some of my own -  that he should shut up before he got sent off.   This seemed to me particularly relevant since his team was winning three-nil at the time!   But he carried on at full tilt right up to the the final whistle when, to my surprise, wreathed with smiles he moved in quickly to give the fourth official a warm hand shake and pat on the back.   “I always carry on like that”, he grinned afterwards.  

The implication is that such behaviour is simply custom and practice not to be taken out of context.   Ian Foster will be a big loss to our game and I, for one, agreed with what he has said on record about the problems it faces, even when his own club disowned his comments!

Of course managers also use their lung power to cajole, congratulate or berate their players.   Dermot Keeley spent most of the first half of one game at Tolka giving his left back a piece of his mind as to his alleged inadequacies.   When the second half started, Mr Keeley was absent from the dugout area.   It didn’t take long for his strident tones to announce his presence on the far side of the pitch whence he’d pursued the unfortunate full back!   Why he didn’t just substitute him at half time is something I haven’t quite fathomed but after the game he said he’d picked the wrong players and resigned.

Since the ability to project is an essential part of a manager’s skills it’s surprising more don’t take the trouble to study the craft.   You can do serious and permanent damage to your vocal cords by regular abuse and, anyway, you’ll shout louder if you learn the correct technique.   I was so concerned about the damage Paul Cook was doing to his voice box that I rang him up on the subject.   Now, if you call Paul about the beautiful game he’ll debate with you for as long as you like.    But on the subject of voice production he couldn’t get me off the phone quick enough!   

Unlike Mike Kerley I discovered to my surprise that I have a very loud voice honed, I suppose, in those large theatres that have now gone out of fashion.   I found out one evening during a pause in play after a player had been injured.   The referee proceeded to admonish the aggressor, leaving his victim prone on the pitch.   “No, no, Mister Referee!” I apparently declaimed in my best thespian tones, “You call on medical assistance, then caution the offender!”   The referee stopped mid booking and looked up; the sponge man forgot to administer to the injured player; the injured player had at this stage stopped writhing with agony.   All eyes were turned on me.   I felt sure I was going to be evicted, perhaps banned for life.   Then the players began to giggle, the fourth official snorted and suddenly everyone was in good spirits.    Even the referee smiled.  

Mind you, he still booked the player.   That’s referees for you!