Agree with Hurst and ROH...behavior that is likely to lead to injury (whether through direct action of increasing the chances of retaliation and escalation) needs to be addressed. Don't get me wrong; soccer is a contact sport, and some physical pressure is expected; I hate to see every little bump and nudge called when players are simply going for the ball, and I'm a fan of "If you get knocked down (in the normal course of play), get back up and play harder!" At the same time, intentional contact meant to attack the players and not the ball is pretty easy to distinguish in most cases and needs to be addressed quickly before really unfortunate things can happen...when an athlete already has a season-ending injury or a previously-uncalled player goes straight to a red card for a blatant violation, it's too late.
I feel fortunate that in most situations when physical and verbal contact gets out of hand, it has been addressed by both coaches and officials; it sets a good example when coaches of opposing teams can back each other up and set clear expectations of sportsmanship towards competitors. And while I appreciate officials who let the players play their game hard without letting the whistle always decide the course of the match, I also appreciate those who set clear expectations for safe and sportsmanlike conduct--even when the girls drawing the whistles are mine. It pays off in the end.
