Author: Jim Allen

"Inventive" Refs

OPPONENT CONTROL AND POSSESSION IN OFFSIDE SITUATIONS

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Question:
How much actual possession and control is needed for a pass by a defender to an attacker in an offside position to negate offside?

The following scenario happened to me recently in a high level mens amateur game where I was AR2. Right half sends a long ball intended for his teammate in an offside position behind the defensive teams back four. Pass however is woefully short and left fullback jumps to head the ball. Inexplicably, instead of heading the ball upfield, he executes a twisting header directing the ball back and square to where he believes his teammate/sweeper will be. Instead, it goes directly to the player who was in an offside position at the time the ball was played forward. I keep my flag down thinking it was a pass back. I’m told later by senior referees that it was a “continuation” of the original play and my flag should have went up. Apparently, a twisting header is NOT enough actual possession and control to be considered a pass back. Is this correct? How about if the defender was actually heading the ball downwards and back towards the offside attacker and/or where he though the sweeper may be? The impression I got from the National Level ref working the middle is that the defender basically had to have controlled the ball with his feet and passed it back.

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
In all such cases, only the referee can make that decision, in this case with input from other officials on the game. If the defender was able to exercise as much control as you suggest, then there should be no doubt in your mind — or anyone else’s — that he had both control and possession. In such a case, there is no need for a flag, as the attacking player would appear to have had no influence whatsoever on the play.

Two further comments:
• We hope you misunderstood the statement by the “National Level ref,” as it is wrong. “Control” (for purposes of analyzing an offside position scenario like this) is NOT defined by “had to have controlled the ball with his feet and passed it back.”
• If the defender had controlled the ball with his feet and then kicked it to the goalkeeper, we get into another infringement of the Laws, provided the goalkeeper played the ball with his hands.…

"Inventive Assessors"

THE GOALKEEPER AND THE PENALTY AREA LINE

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Question:
I’ve looked through LOTG and searched the archives and cannot find a definitive answer to the following:

Keeper Punting the Ball – Enforcement of the PA in the taking of the punt. There is differing Veteran Referee opinions / judgements: A) PA is enforced from where the ball meets the foot; B) PA is enforced from where the ball left the hand(s) of the keeper in starting the punt toss.

Example: the keeper tosses the ball into the air from inside the PA but strikes the ball 2-3 feet outside of the area. Legal?

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
Let’s look at it in increments. If any part of the ball is on the line, the ball is within the penalty area. The fact that part of the ball might be outside the penalty area is irrelevant. The BALL on the line is still in the penalty area and, accordingly, it can still be handled by the goalkeeper, and that includes ANY PART of the ball. The BALL is a whole thing and either is or is not in the penalty area. If it is, it can be handled by the goalkeeper. If it is not, it cannot be handled by the ‘keeper.

If the goalkeeper releases the ball from his (or her) hands while within the penalty area, but does not kick the ball until it is outside the penalty area, no offense has occurred. That is entirely legal.

While recognizing that the offense by the goalkeeper of crossing the penalty area line completely with the ball still in hand is often debatable, and that it is usually trifling, we must also recognize that it is certainly an infringement of the Law and must always be treated as such by the referee. The referee will usually warn the goalkeeper about honoring the penalty area line but allow the first such act to go unpunished; however the referee must then clearly warn the goalkeeper to observe and honor the line and the Law. If it occurs again, the referee should call the foul and, if the offense is repeated yet again, caution the goalkeeper for persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game.

We have heard, but cannot believe, that any referee instructor in any state would tell referees to punish this offense with an indirect free kick. The correct restart is a direct free kick for the opposing team from the place where the offense occurred. That means the point just outside the penalty area where the goalkeeper still had the ball in hand.

One unfortunate thing is that in many cases assistant referees do not do their job correctly in this respect. Instead of judging the place where the ball is released from the goalkeeper’s hands, they concentrate on the place where the goalkeeper’s foot meets the ball, which could be well outside the area with no offense having occurred.

[This answer repeats materials used in answers from 2003-2009, all in the archives of this site.]…

Guide to Procedures

AR PROCEDURE FOR ILLEGAL OR IMPROPER THROW-INS

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Question:
I have had several discussions with referees about the proper procedure for an AR when a throw-in is either illegal or improper (never enters the field of play).

A player for the attacking team was taking a throw-in and stepped on the field. I immediately raised the flag straight up in my left hand and waited for the referee’s acknowledgment. Once the whistle blew, I pointed for a throw-in for the defending team. The center referee told me that I should have waved the flag. I argued that if I waved the flag, that I would be providing information that I observed a foul. I could not find this specific issue in the Guide to Procedures, but I reasoned that it should be treated similarly to a ball that leaves the field and immediately returns and is still being played.

If a throw-in never enters the field of play, I normally signal for a throw-in for the same team. When I am the referee, I normally tell my ARs to follow this procedure.

Thanks for your help.

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
The Guide to Procedures is clear: The assistant referee “Supervises throw-in elements per pre-game conference” (p. 18).

That means that the AR should keep the referee informed if the ball is not thrown in accordance with the procedure outlined in Law 15 or never enters the field. This, however, should be discussed in the pregame conference and the AR should not signal at all if the referee has a clear view of the situation.

Note that any AR involvement in signaling problems with a throw-in should be ONLY within the terms of what the referee wants done, as discussed in the pregame. If the referee does not make clear what, if anything, the AR should do in the case of any illegality in performing the throw-in, ASK.

And, assuming the referee has directed the AR to signal certain violations of Law 15, the correct signal is for the AR to raise the flag straight up, make eye contact with the referee, and then signal the correct restart (e.g., for an illegal throw-in by Red, give the throw-in signal in favor of Blue).…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

PLAYING THE BALL WHILE ON THE GROUND

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Question:
This came up the other day during play and I cannot get a straight answer except for “playing the ball on the ground is against the rules.” I did check the league rule book and surprisingly it does not specifically address this issue. I definitely understand it for U6, U8 and U10 games but this is U12 boys. Here it goes;

Offensive player (off) is dribbling the ball towards defensive player (def). Off and Def both attack for the ball. Because of size, the Off player being physically larger than the Def player, the Def falls to the ground. The Def is left lying on his right side facing the Off in front of the ball, not on top of it. The Def never tries to trap the ball with his legs. The Off in his haste to move past the Def kicks the ball multiple times into the Def legs who is trying to get up off the ground. The Off does not try and go around the Def or pull the ball back away from Def. Needless to say the Def was having a hard time getting up when the ball kept hitting his legs. The Def does try to clear the ball away unsuccessfully once or twice by kicking at it. At one point the Def kicked the ball about a foot away and stood up. The whistle was immediately blown and a indirect free kick was awarded to the Offensive player for the Def “playing the ball on the ground.” Needless to say this event lasted about 6 seconds start to finish.

My thought is the Def player has the right to protect themselves and fight to get to their feet. Neither player is required to retreat from the ball. I understand there is a lot of “you had to be there” with this question and there is going to be some judgement on the referee’s part as to each player’s actions. But am I missing something when it comes to playing the ball from the ground. If it does not endanger either player then by itself it does not get an indirect free kick?

I guess I was expecting play to be stopped, possibly one or both or none of the players verbally counselled and a drop ball taken. What’s the call?

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
There is nothing illegal, by itself, about playing the ball while on the ground. Playing the ball while on the ground is NOT NECESSARILY considered to be playing dangerously. It all depends on what the player is actually doing. It becomes the indirect free kick foul known as playing dangerously (“dangerous play”) only if the action unfairly takes away an opponent’s otherwise legal play of the ball (for players at the youth level, this definition is simplified even more as “playing in a manner considered to be dangerous to an opponent”). At minimum, this means that an opponent must be within the area of danger which the player has created. These same acts can become the direct free kick fouls known as kicking or attempting to kick an opponent or tripping or attempting to trip or tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball only if there was contact with the opponent or, in the opinion of the referee, the opponent was forced to react to avoid the kick or the trip.

If this is not the case (for example, the player had no opponent nearby), then there is no violation of the Law. If the referee decides that dangerous play has occurred, the restart must be an indirect free kick where the play occurred (see Law 13 – Position of free kick).
Note that even if a dangerous play infringement has been called, the referee should never verbalize it as “playing the ball on the ground,” as there is no such foul in the Laws of the Game.

In judging a dangerous play offense, the referee must take into account the experience and skill level of the players. Opponents who are experienced and skilled may be more likely to accept the danger and play through. Younger players have neither the experience nor skill to judge the danger adequately and, in such cases, the referee should intervene on behalf of their safety. For example, playing with cleats up in a threatening or intimidating manner is more likely to be judged a dangerous play offense in youth matches, without regard to the reaction of opponents.

In the situation you describe, with the player on the ground attempting to rise and get out of the way, the player to be called for playing dangerously would be the one who was kicking at the ball. Serious misjudgment by the referee.…

Advantage

APPLYING THE ADVANTAGE ON A GOALSCORING OPPORTUNITY

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Question:
Could you please clarify this for me?

A player with an obvious goalscoring opportunity gets tripped by the goalkeeper outside the penalty area. The ball falls to a teammate who has a good chance to score. The referee allows the advantage. The teammate misses the net. Should the goalkeeper be sent off or just cautioned?

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
If the referee applies the advantage and the advantage does not materialize in this case, no goal can be awarded. The referee gave the advantage for a foul outside the penalty area, the ball moves to a teammate of the fouled player. The teammate shoots and misses. Life is hard. The advantage has been squandered, because the teammate was not interfered with or otherwise discomfited by a member of the opposing team.

Caution the goalkeeper and restart with a goal kick.…

Advantage

OCCUPYING SPACE

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Question:
#1 – A recent game an attacker was moving towards the goal. A defender comes up and in the trying to play the ball simply got in the attackers way. The attacker runs into the defender and knocks him down, but is able to keep going of course at the protest of the defender. I didn’t see the attackers arm come up or I would have called it, but was I correct in letting “play continue”?

#2 – This one I am more curious about if you only have time to answer one and it’s the one I’m almost embarrassed to ask. My quick question is: What is the call(if any) when an attacker is driving towards the goal, gets a shot off to the goal, but right after is tripped and hits the ground. The goalie now has the ball and the attacker was able to get a shot on goal. I guess I’m asking the “after the play” call. In normal field of play I know it would be a trip call if said attacker lost the advantage,but am curious about after a shot on goal.

Thank you very much for your site and helping us in yellow ask questions freely.

USSF answer (October 12, 2010):
1. Under normal circumstances a player is entitled to the space he or she occupies on the field and may not be run over or otherwise disturbed by an opponent. However, if the “occupying” player has essentially thrown him- or herself into the path of the oncoming opponent, all entitlements are off, because the “occupying” player has not exercised due care in positioning him- or herself. If you invoked the advantage, even without voicing it, you were correct and the defender has no right to complain. In fact, if the act went beyond careless and moved into reckless, a caution for unsporting behavior would be the right decision (at the next stoppage).

2. The referee need not immediately voice any advantage given, particularly in the case of a shot on goal. If the shot is unsuccessful, then the referee should stop play and award the free kick appropriate to the foul or misconduct committed.…

Advice to Referees

ONE-ARMED THROW-INS

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Question:
At a U19 top level premier game one of the players had only one arm. His other arm was a “stump” extending approximately to just above his elbow.

The issue was that this player due to his disability had a distinctive advantage on the throw-ins particularly in the attacking third.

This player was quite athletic, and had developed the ability with one arm to throw the ball with accuracy from one touch line to the far end of the Penalty area extending out from the far post.

Effectively with his one armed throw-in technique, the team had the equivilent of a direct kick or corner kick on any throw-in.

This player was a very skilled field player, but was able to throw the ball in 50-100% farther than any other player with two hands over the head.

How should a referee, or AR deal with a potential disability issue like this which the team was exploiting his physical characteristics to gain a goal scoring opportunity on every throw-in in the attacking 1/3?

USSF answer (October 7, 2010):
The following excerpt from the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game” may prove helpful.

15.3 PROPERLY TAKEN THROW-IN
A throw-in must be performed while the thrower is facing the field, but the ball may be thrown into the field in any direction. Law 15 states that the thrower “delivers the ball from behind and over his head.” This phrase does not mean that the ball must leave the hands from an overhead position. A natural throwing movement starting from behind and over the head will usually result in the ball leaving the hands when they are in front of the vertical plane of the body. The throwing movement must be continued to the point of release. A throw-in directed straight downward (often referred to as a “spike”) has traditionally been regarded as not correctly performed; if, in the opinion of the referee such a throw-in was incorrectly performed, the restart should be awarded to the opposing team.  There is no requirement in Law 15 prohibiting spin or rotational movement. Referees must judge the correctness of the throw-in solely on the basis of Law 15.

The acrobatic or “flip” throw-in is not by itself an infringement so long as it is performed in a manner which meets the requirements of Law 15.

A player who lacks the normal use of one or both hands may nevertheless perform a legal throw-in provided the ball is delivered over the head and provided all other requirements of Law 15 are observed.

NOTE: If the one-armed thrower you describe does not fulfill the requirements of Law 15, then his throw-ins are not legal. In addition, some two-armed players can also throw in the ball to prodigious distances.…

"Inventive" Refs

REFEREE RESCINDS GOAL AFTER CALLING THE GAME COMPLETE

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Question:
With time running out in the 2nd half and the home team down by a goal, a corner kick is taken by the home team and the ball bounces off of a player and then a home team player heads it into the goal. The CR signals the goal scored and then blows a long whistle signaling the end of the game.

The home team players celebrate and walks off the field and the visiting players also walk off the field. As the teams get ready to exchange post-game handshake, refs approach both coaches and reverses the last goal as a ‘no goal’ citing an offside violation against a home team scorer and declares the visiting team as winner by a goal.

Can the refs reverse call(s) or non-call(s) made during the game after officially ending the game? If so, then is there a time limit or restriction on what type of calls or non-calls can be reversed?

USSF answer (October 4, 2010):
Law 5 (The Referee) tells us:

Decisions of the Referee
The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final.
The referee may only change a decision on realizing that it is incorrect or, at his discretion, on the advice of an assistant referee or the fourth official, provided that he has not restarted play or TERMINATED THE MATCH. [Emphasis added.]

Since the referee had terminated the match, the goal decision has to stand and the decision to change it was in error (as well as protestable, because the referee “set aside a Law of the Game”). After including full details in the match report and submitting it to the appropriate authorities, all that remains is for the referee to either learn from this or turn in his badge.…

Guide to Procedures

WHERE TO CARRY THE AR FLAG

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Question:
I have understood that an AR (in a standard diagonal) should carry the flag in his or her left hand to be closer to and more visible to the referee, then transferring it below the waist to make one of the many right-handed signals. (With the exception that when running towards mid-field while not side-stepping, the flag should be in the right hand, again so it is more visible to the referee.)

I have heard rumblings of a limited change to that procedure by which the AR would carry the flag in the right hand when moving side to side alongside the penalty area. The rationale, I understand, being that more signals are made with the right hand so the signal can be made more quickly.

So my question is which the current proper procedure is — or is either one acceptable?

Thank you.

USSF answer (October 4, 2010):
There is no directive requiring the method you suggest. However, we can offer some advice on the matter.

First, if the referee directs the AR to follow this mechanic, then do it because it is just a mechanic and therefore an assessor, asking the AR why he was doing this, would (reluctantly) accept the “Nuremburg defense” (i. e., “he told me to do it” — “he” being a person in a position of authority), but then the assessor would proceed to grill the referee.

Second, it is arguably a mechanic which replaces an existing standard procedure and thus is not allowed in the Guide to Procedures (which you can find at this URL: http://www.ussoccer.com/Referees/Referee-Development/Instructional-Materials.aspx).

Third, it is possible that you have misunderstood the emphasis — namely, that several of the flag signals performed by the AR down that close to the goal line are signals for offside, goal kicks, and corner kicks, and they ARE recommended to be performed with the right hand (although so far only the requirements for pro match referees have insisted on using the right hand). In most of the games we do it doesn’t matter that much.

Fourth, the emphasis for the last several years has (rightly) been on “getting it right” and not on “getting it done quickly” so the alleged need for a quick signal is not persuasive.

And finally, this is the sort of thing that needs to be discussed at some length in the pregame conference among the officials on the game.…

"Only in America!"

YOUTH RULES ON GOALKEEPER KICKS/THROWS

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Question:
Hi! I am a grade nine referee.I have a question concerning u8 soccer, I believe the rule is that a goalie is not allowed to punt the ball over the half line, correct? But in the case that this did happen, what would the correct call be, and where would a kick take place?

USSF answer (October 4, 2010):
Unless the rules of the competition specify otherwise — see, for example, the USYSA rules for small-sided soccer — a goalkeeper may either kick or throw the ball directly into the other team’s goal.

US Youth Soccer Official Under 10 and Under 12 Playing Recommendations notes under Law 12 – Fouls and Misconduct: Conform to FIFA with the exception that an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the center spot on the halfway line if a goalkeeper punts or drop-kicks the ball IN THE AIR into the opponents’ penalty area. (Emphasis added.) This still allows the goalkeeper’s distribution for the ball to be punted the entire length of the field; it just cannot go directly into the opponents’ penalty area.

There is currently no rule against the goalkeeper throwing the ball the length of the field and scoring.

It could be that your local rules say what you tell us, but we suggest you check with the local authorities to be certain.…