WEEKLY WHINE

How to shake hands with your referee

Hi. I'm FC Barcelona's Ronaldinho. Today we're going to learn how to shake hands with your referee. And here to help me today is one of the top referees in the world, Mr Manuel Mejuto González. Hi Manuel.

Hi Ronaldinho.

Notice the way I'm shaking Manuel's hand. The key to any handshake is the grip. You want to clasp your referee's hand firmly, but not so tightly that his hand is injured. If that happens, he'll have to use his other hand when he shows you a yellow card!

Ha ha ha! Too right, Ronaldinho!

Ha ha! All kidding aside, Manuel, a proper handshake is important, isn't it?

Oh, absolutely. When done properly, a good handshake is a wonderful way to show your respect for the referee. After all, how many times have we been caught up in the atmosphere and tension of a big game and done something we may regret later?

I know I have!

We all know the feeling, Ronaldinho. Perhaps a call goes against you and you give the referee a furious stare, a dismissing wave. Perhaps you make faces at him when his back is turned. You might say something about his wife, or his mother, or his daughter, or his cousin, or his good female friend whom he spends time with on occasion but comes home to find that his wife is jealous of her, even though he would never think of...

Manuel...

...violating the trust of the wonderful relationship he has with his wife, who perhaps might be too hard on him when he fails to do the dishes sometimes, failing to recognise that officiating football matches is a very stressful job, and having to do more work at home is...

Manuel!

Oh. Yeah, handshakes are important.

They certainly are, Manuel. And today we're going to show you how to do it right. But first, let's look at some common handshaking mistakes. And such a mistake was made very recently.

That's right, Ronaldinho. In Sweden, the assistant coach at Hammarby shook hands with the referee and the two assistants at the end of a nil-nil draw with Örgryte. But the handshakes were too strong, indicating that the coach still felt upset about some of the decisions that were made during the match.

And you never want to give that impression, do you?

You certainly don't, Ronaldinho. What you have to keep in mind about referees is that they are encouraged to keep meticulous records. At the end of every match, the referee is required to write up a match report discussing all significant events during the match. That includes goals, cards given, substitutions, and other footballing matters, but the referees are also asked to describe any other events surrounding the match, especially involving players or coaches.

Such as handshakes.

Exactly. The Hammarby assistant coach in this case could be fined or suspended by the league, so that's why you don't want to shake hands improperly.

Well, Manuel, let's demonstrate an improper handshake right now. Note what I'm doing. I'm holding Manuel's hand very tightly. That's uncomfortable for you, isn't it, Manuel?

Nah, I can take it.

Well, it's still tighter than a proper handshake should be. And now I'm vigorously moving my hand up and down. This is another thing that you shouldn't do when you're shaking your referee's hand. Excessive movement, whether vertical or horizontal, is another thing that can cause discomfort.

That's right, Ronaldinho. But remember, being too kind with your handshake can be just as bad as being too harsh. Several years ago, a Lazio player was suspended for a match after he shook Pierluigi Collina's hand too firmly.

So Manuel, I guess the lesson is that handshakes shouldn't be too mean or too friendly.

That's exactly right, Ronaldinho. The footballing authorities want to ensure that referees can remain neutral. So they are always on the lookout for any kind of emotional interactions with players or coaches, whether positive or negative.

Well, then maybe I shouldn't have done this video with you!

Ha ha ha!

But let's demonstrate a handshake that's too kind. My grip now isn't so firm as to be uncomfortable, but it's still firmer than normal. There's little motion, but the key characteristic of this handshake is the duration. A handshake that goes on too long can be viewed as too friendly, and the opposing coach may well complain if you are seen shaking hands with your referee for too long. Especially if the opposing coach is Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ha ha! Well, the proper duration for a handshake is just a couple of seconds. It really doesn't take much time to convey your respect for your referee.

That's right, Manuel. And another option that you have to convey your respect is by saying something to the referee. Just a few words is generally adequate. For example, after the match, I usually say something like "Good game" when I'm shaking hands with my referee. So let's recap now by showing you the best way to shake hands with your referee. You want to grip the referee's hand just firmly enough that the hand is secured both above and below, like this.

And a vertical pump is optional, like this.

Once again, the optimal duration is just a couple of seconds. So now, let's do the whole handshake in real time.

Good game.

Good game. And that's how to shake hands with your referee. Manuel, thank you for joining me today.

My pleasure. Hey, that handshake was just a little too firm.

Ha ha ha! You're such a kidder, Manuel!

Ha ha! You're one to talk, Ronaldinho!

Ha ha! This is Ronaldinho, reminding you to shake hands responsibly.