Junior/Youth Backpass?

[one]

For me, once the GK has kicked the ball, we enter a new phase of play. A phase in which the ball is entitled to hit his hand. So no issues with this scenario

I don't have a strong opinion on if a non-deliberate touch should count but I do disagree with your logic. Consider the keeper receiving the ball with his foot from a deliberate kick by a team mate in the top left corner of his PA. Seeing the left winger approaching he dribbles the ball all the way to the bottom right corner of the PA. With the winger now very close he picks the ball up. Even though a number of phases and several seconds have passed I would give this a IFK every time because this is precisely what this law was introduced for.

 

[Russell Jones]

I don't have a strong opinion on if a non-deliberate touch should count but I do disagree with your logic. Consider the keeper receiving the ball with his foot from a deliberate kick by a team mate in the top left corner of his PA. Seeing the left winger approaching he dribbles the ball all the way to the bottom right corner of the PA. With the winger now very close he picks the ball up. Even though a number of phases and several seconds have passed I would give this a IFK every time because this is precisely what this law was introduced for.

In this latter scenario you describe, I too would be giving an IFK. As you say, the Law was introduced exactly to avoid situations like this. However, this just reinforces the point that it should not be an IFK where the GK miskicks the ball and it happens to touch his hand (without him ever having control of the ball with his hands). This is far removed from the intent of the law and would be seen as extremely unjust by all concerned. I do understand the technicality of the point you raise but feel we can legitimately apply common sense here.

 

[Peter Grove]

For me, once the GK has kicked the ball, we enter a new phase of play. A phase in which the ball is entitled to hit his hand. So no issues with this scenario.

In this latter scenario you describe, I too would be giving an IFK. As you say, the Law was introduced exactly to avoid situations like this. However, this just reinforces the point that it should not be an IFK where the GK miskicks the ball and it happens to touch his hand (without him ever having control of the ball with his hands). This is far removed from the intent of the law and would be seen as extremely unjust by all concerned. I do understand the technicality of the point you raise but feel we can legitimately apply common sense here.

OK, but now you've presented two completely different arguments. As @one points out, phases of play have no relevance to whether a keeper can touch the ball with the hands after it was deliberately kicked to them by a team mate and for me, cannot be used to say that a keeper is now entitled to touch the ball with the hands. If you want to use the "common sense" or "spirit of the game" argument to say that a totally accidental touch with the hands could be excused, that's a totally different matter.

 

[Russell Jones]

If you want to use the "common sense" or "spirit of the game" argument to say that a totally accidental touch with the hands could be excused, that's a totally different matter.

I do. And thank you for clarifying. Apologies for confusing with 'phases of play'.