Marc H, a U13 – U19 coach, asks:
When a free kick is given and the kicker asks for the Referee to give him the required distance for defenders (10 yards in a regulation match), does the Referee take into consideration the goalkeeper setting up the wall and being ready before the Referee blows the whistle to put the ball in play? I’ve seen circumstances where the Referee blows the whistle and the keeper Is still setting up his wall. Is there any consideration to the keeper in this case?
Answer:
Short answer – none whatsoever.
Goalkeepers think they are special – and in some respects they are (it is a dangerous job after all) – but in this case the goalkeeper is taking a risk by his involvement. Here’s the main point. Asking that the minimum distance be enforced converts the restart from a quick to a ceremonial event. By definition, the referee is the only person who must be involved and her only function here is to signal the restart when she is satisfied the minimum distance enforcement task is finished – i.e., the 10 yards is achieved.
The referee is not and cannot be concerned about any opponent not being where some other opponent thinks is not optimum. In other words, it is the Referee who sets the wall, not any defender (much less the goalkeeper). It is a simple matter of applying the Law and the Law is only concerned about a minimum of ten yards in every direction. If there is any opinion by a defender that a teammate, while not closer than ten yards, isn’t in the “right place,” the problem is not the referee’s. If a goalkeeper is sufficiently concerned that teammates are not where he wants them that he is prepared to be out of position to defend against a free kick, that’s his problem.
We feel safe in observing that the first time such a goalkeeper is scored against because he wasn’t where he was supposed to be, his coach will make the lesson clear.
