SPACE?

May 12, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
I was recently the center referee for a mid-flight U14 boys game. One player on the white team had foot skills well beyond any other player. This player “fell” twice early in the game when pressured by a defender. I did not see any trip, so let play continue. His third “fall” was a very acrobat twisting fall over a defender’s leg which left me wondering if he was fouled or if he took a dive. I decided to watch this player’s feet closely any time he touched the ball during the remainder of the game.

In the second half, with white up 1-0, the same player had the ball in the opponents’ penalty box. There were two defenders between him and the goal. Both defenders were facing him and standing about 2 feet apart with their legs in a natural position at their sides and slightly out from their hips. The white player played the ball between the two defenders and ran into the gap. Before either defender could react, the white player feet clearly got entangled in one of the defender’s feet and he tripped / went down hard.

In my judgment, the skilled white player could have stepped over the defender’s leg and gotten through the gap without making contact, but chose to allow himself to be tripped to draw the foul and a PK.

My choice was to either caution the white player for diving or to give him the PK for being tripped. In favor of the PK – the white player had a right to the space between the defenders and he was tripped. In favor of a caution – the white player had the skill to jump over the legs and continue to the ball.

I ended up giving the player the PK since he did have a right to the space and did go over the defender’s leg and I felt I should not be judging his intent (did he allow himself to be tripped?), but rather the actions on the field (attacker splits the gap and trips over defenders leg).

Was this the proper call? Should a referee judge the intent of a player?

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
The referee must judge the result of an action, not attempt to divine the intent of the player. The word “intent” was removed from the Law some years ago.

No player has a right to “space.” Each player owns the space he or she is currently occupying, unless he or she ran to a spot and suddenly stopped, effectively creating a blockade of an opponent. If all was as you describe it, the defenders were attempting to play the ball, rather than play the player, and they committed no offense.

Did the player actually dive, or did he fall over the opponent’s foot by running over it? That might be a foul by the attacking player. If the defending player was trying to play the ball, there might be a foul, but we cannot call either of those fouls from the comfort of our desks.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

OFFSIDE ASSISTANCE BY TRAIL AR?

May 12, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
This question relates to what role the trailing Assistant Referee may play in assisting with an offside call on the other end of the field. This situation occurred in a high school game (on whose rules I know you don’t directly comment), but I imagine that it could easily occur in a USSF sanctioned match.

Team A has pushed its defenders up to the midfield line. Due to a rapid exchange of possessions, I am lined up with Team B’s second to last defender about 15 yards from the midfield line (one of those awkward situations where 20 players are squeezed into a relatively narrow slice of the field). Team B gains possession of the ball and clears it into the other half of the field. From my position I judge that Team B has three players in an offside position, and one of these players gains possession of the ball. Where is the Assistant Referee who should be signaling the offside? For some unknown reason he is 40 yards out of position and incapable of assisting. Since the referee’s attention had been on the clearing defender, and the (potentially) offside player was only 2-3 steps offside when the ball was played, he is unable to make the offside call on his own and allows play to continue.

I am about as sure as I can be from 15 yards on my side of the field that the player was offside, as I could see no Team A players in their own half of the field. After seeing that the other AR is incapable of performing his duty, can I raise my flag to help the referee make a decision?

In this case I chose not to signal for offside. Fortunately the play did not result in a goal, as it would likely have affected the outcome of the game. If a goal had been scored, would it have been too late to offer my opinion to the referee that the player had been offside (assuming that I did so before the ensuing kickoff)?

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
As you note, we do not deal with high school rules, but there should be no difference in this situation.

While you may indeed have had a view of the alignment of the players, assistance from you in this case could not be “sold” to the participants because of where you were on the field — not in line with play. If you flagged and offered your opinion and the referee accepted it, that would cause more difficulty than either of you can imagine.

The same applies to offering your opinion after the goal had been scored and before the ensuing kick-off.

Our advice would be to mention it to the referee after the game and have him take it up with the other AR, who should be ashamed for being so far out of position and thus endangering the referee’s control of the game.…

"Only in America!"

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SIDELINES

May 7, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
What is the proper way to handle parents who coach from the spectator area, or as I suspect, teams who place coaches on the spectator side for purposes of being able to instruct players from both sides of the field? Some of these spectator coaches will cross the field at halftime to instruct players in the technical area. What can I, as an official do to stop this?

USSF answer (May 7, 2009):
Unless there is some rule of competition that prohibits coaches from mingling with the spectators and carrying on their role as coach(es), then there is nothing the referee can do about such action during the game. A rule of competition prohibiting coaching from the spectator area is unenforceable unless the competition itself is willing to place monitors in the spectator area. Think about it: How can the referee determine whether some parent yelling generally nonsensical and confusing things at the players is simply a parent or is instead a coach in disguise yelling generally nonsensical and confusing things at the players? The coach’s job should be done in the period before the game begins, in the week preceding the game and over the course of the season. There is little of value to be gained by yelling instructions across a field.

As to crossing the field at halftime to issue further instructions to the players, again there is not much the referee can do without help from the competition itself. As a practical matter, the field is open territory at the midgame break and there shouldn’t be a problem if a parent (or whoever) from the parent side wants to cross the field to be with the team, player, coach, etc. on the other side — nor would we have a problem if the coach left the team side at halftime to go across the field to talk to a parent on the other side. In short, unless the crossing is for nefarious purposes and/or causes a confrontation, the referee crew has more important things to do than keep people off the field at midgame break.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

REFEREE BEHAVIOR AND ETHICS

May 7, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
I recently attended my daughters high school soccer game and the center referee was talking and joking with the spectators during the game. The players on the field then began talking to the spectators. Do the laws of the game address this? The referee also spent his time during half time talking to one of the teams and after the game went and talked to same team extensively. It seems like the referee would not want to do this as it appeared to show bias to one team. Do the laws of the game address the referee etiquette?

USSF answer (May 7, 2009):
We do not do high school rules here, but we can say with great certainty that the Laws of the Game do not address referee etiquette. However, common sense and the Referee Code of Ethics (for USSF referees, which may not apply to the referee you saw in a high school game) certainly apply here.

The Referee Code of Ethics
(1) I will always maintain the utmost respect for the game of soccer.
(2) I will conduct myself honorably at all times and maintain the dignity of my position.
(3) I will always honor an assignment or any other contractual obligation.
(4) I will attend training meetings and clinics so as to know the Laws of the Game, their proper interpretation and their application.
(5) I will always strive to achieve maximum team work with my fellow officials.
(6) I will be loyal to my fellow officials and never knowingly promote criticism of them.
(7) I will be in good physical condition.
(8) I will control the players effectively by being courteous and considerate without sacrificing fairness.
(9) I will do my utmost to assist my fellow officials to better themselves and their work.
(10) I will not make statements about any games except to clarify an interpretation of the Laws of the Game.
(11) I will not discriminate against nor take undue advantage of any individual group on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin.
(12) I consider it a privilege to be a part of the U.S. Soccer Federation and my actions will reflect credit upon that organization and its affiliates.

…

"Inventive Coaches"

COACH/REFEREE UNINFORMED RE UNIFORMS

May 7, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
I had the distinct pleasure of working with our up and coming youth officials as an AR in a U12B game. I sincerely hope that the coach/referee reads this site and you feel it is pertinent enough to post the question and supply the answer.
It was a tournament game with games back to back. The referee and AR were fairly new so they only had the yellow shirt. The coach of the yellow team (solid yellow jerseys), 3 minutes before game time (when we had been there inspecting the nets/players for a few minutes) introduced himself to the referee and demanded that the crew change jerseys because of the confusion it has caused all tournament and season, for that matter. He claimed that he, too, was a registered official and had all the secondary colored referee jerseys in case of conflict. The young referee stated that he did not have an alternate color jersey nor was it practical to run back to the referee tent (far far away) and try to find someone who could loan us two shirts because the games had to run on time. We did a check of both teams while they were warming up but they had on black warm ups so we did not assume that they would have yellow jerseys. It was our error that we did not ask t o! see the color of the uniforms. But, the stripes in our shirts clearly delineated us from the team and has done so in the past when there was a “conflict”. The coach went ballistic and claimed that since we were all professionals, we were required to have alternate colors. He said that, despite the two officials being young that all officials were required to have alternate jerseys!! He yelled at me (because I have all the gold on my badge, I guess) and said that there had to be five distinct colors on the field. We resolved it because we found 3 pennies to wear so, that indeed, gave us five distinct colors. The game started on time.
At half time, the coach substituted his goalkeeper. The new goalkeeper had a jersey the same color as the opponents. I called it to the referee’s attention before the second half began. The coach was livid! He claimed that he did not have another jersey because the previous goalkeeper did not want to loan his jersey to the replacement. He was gently reminded that there needed to be five distinct colors on the field. He huffed and puffed and threatened to file a complaint about our being “unreasonable” and overstepping our authority. We did not start the second half until he satisfied the color requirement. The next tournament game on our field started on time.
Question: What are the requirements for youth officials regarding alternate jerseys? They are local officials and there are no yellow teams in our area. Parents are very upset at the start up costs for just the starter kit and are reluctant to put out anymore money because it is not clear which alternate jersey to buy since you would conflict with most teams, anyway.
Oh, the yellow team lost the game and apparently had a losing tournament.

USSF answer (May 7, 2009):
As a referee, the coach should KNOW that the Law requires the teams to change so as not to conflict with the referees. (After all, who started wearing black jerseys and thus took away what used to be “the referee color”?)

Referees, particularly at the beginning of their career, are required to have only a gold jersey. If they can afford to buy more colors, good for them, but they do not have to. It was very kind of your crew to find some pinnies to borrow and thus do the yellow team a major favor. The referee on your game would have been justified in requiring the yellow team to change its jerseys. And the referee was also justified in insisting that the goalkeeper change, if only because the coach/referee was a pain.

There are times when the goalkeepers may wear the same color as one another, but they must make every effort to wear a different color than the opposing team’s field players.…

Advice to Referees

INTERFERENCE BY AN OUTSIDE AGENT?

May 6, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Several of us were discussing recent games and the subject of outside agents came up. Most of us have seen banners, umbrellas, seagulls, and the occasional dog on the field. Normally these situations take care of themselves, with the exception of the dog who wants to grab the ball and run with it.

One situation we encounter is when a ball comes onto the field from a neighboring field. Usually a player just kicks it back at the first opportunity.

We saw a situation in a game where a ball comes into the penalty area. Play is not very close, so the keeper picks up the ball and kicks it back to the neighboring field. However, as she is doing so, play in her game turns around and her opponents take a shot and score.

Is this a goal or interference from an outside agent? And why?

USSF answer (May 6, 2009):
This is interference by an outside agent. To quote the “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game”:
An “outside agent” (under any portion of the Laws of the Game) is anything that enters the field without the permission of the referee and plays or misdirects the ball or otherwise interferes with the game. This means that outside agents can be dogs or coaches or spectators. Interference by any outside agent will result in the referee declaring a stoppage of play, restarting with a dropped ball where the ball was when play was stopped*.

If the referee was not observant enough to do what the Advice recommends, then he or she was negligent. If the nearer assistant referee did not provide assistance in this situation, then he or she was also negligent.

And then we come to the issue of terminal stupidity: We cannot help feeling that, in this case, the ‘keeper shares some culpability. In point of fact, it could be argued that the presence of the ball by itself did not interfere with play; it was the goalkeeper’s error in deciding that she should divert her attention from her main job to do something that wasn’t strictly necessary. We must repeat the old saying that the Laws of the Game are not intended to compensate for the mistakes of players.…

"Inventive" Refs

DOGSO AND YELLOW CARD? COWARDLY REFEREE!

May 6, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Boys U18 league game. I am the coach (also a referee and referee instructor). My forward beats the 2nd to last defender about 8-10 yds from the penalty area line.. Now 1 v 1 with the GK. GK advances to just beyond the penalty mark. Within the penalty arc heading toward the goal with the ball at his feet is taken down from behind by the defender he just beat. No attempt to play the ball, foul was not hard but enough to trip the attacker and cause the ball to go over the goal line outside the goal.

The center official was following the play approximately 15 yds behind. Immediately blows his whistle, displays a YELLOW CARD??? and restarts with a DK in our favor.

Obviously in my opinion this really looks like a DGSO and a red card. I address my comments to the AR2 who was following the play, even with ball, expressing my opinion that this is a DGSO and that I hope you address this with the center at half time. His reply? “Well, you know there are a lot of referee’s who wouldn’t even award a yellow card for that.”

Am I missing something here or what? Of course I am partially venting but more importantly in my recert classes the video’s provided to me by our state organization seem to clearly show that this is an area that we all should be clear on. Mandatory red card.

USSF answer (May 6, 2009):
We join you in regretting that there are indeed referees such as the assistant referee describes. No courage equals poor referee. However, in this case, the referee may have exercised his opinion, certainly his right, and decided that there was no obvious goalscoring opportunity. But that would be the only possible excuse for not sending the defender off in this situation.

Nor does the AR escape unscathed. His comment was as unprofessional as the referee’s handling of the situation.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

FOUL? OBVIOUS GOALSCORING OPPORTUNITY? DISMISSAL?

May 6, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
2 players from opposing teams running towards goal, side by side enter the penalty area. Only the goalkeeper is between them and the goal. the ball is at waist height in front of the attacking player. The defending player raises his foot across the attacker and gets a slight touch on the ball (just enough to take it away from the attacker). At this stage with the defender’s leg outstretched the attacker falls to the ground.
There is no question that the defender is responsible for tripping the attacker in the penalty area… But there is also no doubt about it that the defender definitely played the ball away before making any sort of contact with the attacker.
What should the result be? play on? penalty? red card?

USSF answer (May 6, 2009):
You do not mention any contact between defender and attacker (opponent). If we assume that there was indeed contact, then we have tripping, just as you suggest, which is punishable by (in this case) a penalty kick. If there was no tripping, then there was a good possibility of playing dangerously, punishable by an indirect free kick. If it was, in the opinion of the referee, playing dangerously, rather than a simple fair play for the ball, then in either case the correct action to be taken is to send off the defender for “denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or penalty kick.” If it was a fair play for the ball, there is no infringement of the Law and nothing should be called.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

GOALKEEPER MISHANDLES BALL

May 6, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Is the goalie aloud to touch the ball wither by hand or foot after they have attempted to drop kick it out of there defensive area. For example: Goalie picks up the ball attempts to drop kick it but misses the ball completely. Can they pick it up again and kick it if they are inside the area aloud by goalies to handle the ball? Same situation however the ball is outside the handleing area and they kick while its on the ground. Is this goalie mishandling infraction?

2nd situation: Goalie goes to drop kick the ball and just nicks the ball with their foot. Can they play the ball again either by picking it up and drop kicking it again or just by running up to it and kicking it?

Im under the understanding that if a goalie makes a drop kicking motion and nicks or misses the ball they can not play it again. If they do its goalie mishandling and its an indirect free kick for the other team.

USSF answer (May 6, 2009):
If the goalkeeper releases the ball from the hands and kicks it away and it hits the the ground, the ball is in play for everyone and the goalkeeper may not pick it up again until some other player has played it. Correct restart is an indirect for the opposing team from the place where the goalkeeper touched the ball again after releasing it.

On the other hand, the goalkeeper may certainly kick the ball without touching it again with the hands. That has never been an infringement of the Laws.

That said, this sort of thing often occurs among younger and less-skilled players. The referee should use discretion in calling this foul, at least the first time it occurs, during a game with such players. The correct action in that case would be to remind the goalkeeper that he or she may not touch the ball again. We might add at least a brief reminder that, most of the time, this scenario would and should be deemed trifling by the referee and not worth stopping play in order to punish such a violation where no one was impacted.…

"Inventive Coaches"

OFFSIDE?

May 4, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Picture this! Last minute of play, Team A is losing 2-1 and is awarded a Corner Kick. The keeper from Team A runs up field to participate in the Corner Kick, leaving 1 defender and 1 attacker (Team B) behind. Corner is taken and Team B defense clears the ball all the way to the other half of the field where the lone attacker (B) was next to the defender(A). The AR promptly signals the attacker for Offside as he made a play for the ball. Team B players and Coach of course, were upset with the referee claiming that there should’ve never been a Offside called because the keeper (A) being up field, put the attacker (B) in play-negating any offside.

USSF answer (May 4, 2009):
Another case of “inventive” coaches and players. We all know that a player on the team attacking the opposing team’s goal may be no nearer that goal than either the ball or at least two opposing players to avoid being in an offside position. There is no requirement that the goalkeeper must be one of those two players.

According to your description, there was only a single defender anywhere near the attacking player (Team B), so the attacking player was clearly in an offside position and must be declared offside if he becomes involved by making a play for the ball. Correct decision: Offside for interfering with play.…