Keeper Off His Line At Penalties
- Thread starter BriggsRef
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I hate it, but you can't penalise every time. My policy is this:
I give the keeper one step, if it's more and he saves I order a retake, if it's more and it's blasted over then I don't bother (unless he's ridiculously far out).
I give the keeper one step, if it's more and he saves I order a retake, if it's more and it's blasted over then I don't bother (unless he's ridiculously far out).
Xman
Member
Common sense dictates that it is impossible for a goalkeeper to remain perfectly on his line while attempting to save a penalty. For this reason, it happens that even although the rule was added fairly recently (after the 2002/3 season I believe) it is rarely enforced.
Based on my own opinion and the opinion of other referees I have worked with, the keeper should be allowed some leeway in the form of a couple of steps, amounting to him being ideally no more than 2/2.5 yards from the line.
For a penalty to be retaken following the offence, the keeper would have to be taking the p*ss with his distance from the line, for example, over half way towards the 6 yard line. The reason that you only penalise under these circumstances is because you would be seen as overly officious and causing trouble for yourself as generally this rule is rarely enforced. So for me to bring a penalty back, it has to be very clear to everyone that the keeper encroached.
And for the record, I believe Benfica's 2nd penalty should have been retaken.
Based on my own opinion and the opinion of other referees I have worked with, the keeper should be allowed some leeway in the form of a couple of steps, amounting to him being ideally no more than 2/2.5 yards from the line.
For a penalty to be retaken following the offence, the keeper would have to be taking the p*ss with his distance from the line, for example, over half way towards the 6 yard line. The reason that you only penalise under these circumstances is because you would be seen as overly officious and causing trouble for yourself as generally this rule is rarely enforced. So for me to bring a penalty back, it has to be very clear to everyone that the keeper encroached.
And for the record, I believe Benfica's 2nd penalty should have been retaken.
So because no one enforced the law from Day 1 it is no longer enforceable unless you want to give yourselves trouble?
No wonder we are accused of inconsistency and not applying the laws correctly.
Xman
Member
There is a difference between applying the laws to the letter and refereeing. In practice, we all know that there is a distinct difference between knowing the laws and administering the laws, allowing for common sense to take effect. But if you want to retake a penalty after it has been saved with the keeper taking 1 yard off his line then that is your prerogative. Then see how you get on with your games.
one of these, two camps, no solution issues tho i'm with jertzee on this one, 100%
for all those referees biased in favour of the keeper and his one or two yards, how many wouldn't pull the ball back to the penalty mark if the penalty taker stole a yard or two - the answers none, right
funny old world....
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One step, okay; two steps, retake.
SM
The avuncular one
You just have to be prepared for the fallout if you do order a retake. I've done it and it resulted in two OFFINABUS reds. Was I correct yes, would I do it again? Now that would depend on circumstances. It was a lot of grief for a decision that nobody asked for or expected!!!
Doesn't matter. It's your job to do it and deal with the fallout. Also, you can't be sure that there will be OFFINABUS -- I've done it a few times and it's never resulted in any sendings off. Once it resulted in a caution when the GK refused to go back into his net after I told him three times.
SM
The avuncular one
You are right you cannot tell what the future holds. However, It potentially causes a flash point. I was once advised - No surprises. If you give something nobody asked for or that only you have seen, you are asking for problems. Unless there are tv replays! And even then you may get slaughtered if it's wrong.
Hence why I said it would depend on circumstances.
Remind me what he law says again?
I'm being pedantic, yes. However...
Hence why I said it would depend on circumstances.
Remind me what he law says again?
I'm being pedantic, yes. However...
The law says that if the keeper encroaches (i.e.: is off his line) and the kicker does not score, the penalty is retaken. If the keeper takes one step off the line but has one foot on the line, he's still on the line as far as I'm concerned so I'll tend to not be pedantic there. However, two feet off the line before the ball is kicked is fairly clear encroachment whether the players want it or not.
Well, no, not as per law, but as per interpretation of the law yes.