A&H

Educating the players

RefJef

RefJef

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Three opportunities to educate the players this week:

  1. Midweek, trials games for U16s for local National Division 2 team. Award an IDFK just inside box for passback. Clearly tell everyone it's indirect, keep my arm aloft etc. Striker shoots, keeper saves. Indignation from one or two defenders: "it was indirect, he can't shoot" etc. I explain that he can, but if the ball goes directly in it's no goal. The big surprise (for me) was that these were all quality footballers who could be playing in the fourth tier (or higher if they get promotion - but that 'ain't going to happen!) in a couple of years.
  2. Saturday OA league game. Blue striker in offside position, jogging slowly back towards halfway line. Ball gets pumped over the top, landing near said striker who turns and chases the ball. Flag goes up, I blow whistle, offside. "But he was coming back into an onside position ref" yells blue captain. Yes, but he was still offside when ball was played, and by giving chase he became active. Just trying to get back onside doesn't make it alright to be offside. "Fair enough, ref."
  3. Same game as 2. 5 mins to go, blues lead 1-0. Give IDFK to orange 5yrds outside box, dead centre, high foot (no quibbles from blues about this.) Again, loudly tell everyone it's indirect, keep arm up etc. Wall set up, I blow my whistle. Orange 10 steps up to ball, puts foot on top of ball and moves it. It clearly moves, but doesn't roll. Orange 8 strikes the ball, deflects of a defender into top left hand corner. Goal given, cue howls of protest from blues. I explain that the ball moved, blue player/manager agrees with this, but says it didn't make a whole revolution. I remind him that it doesn't have to. Blue 5 then comes up and suggests I'm wrong. To his credit, he backs down when I explain that the only opinion that matters is mine. Chatted with blues after the game about the laws, and how the ball has to clearly move (they agree it did) and that it doesn't have to make a complete rotation. Again to their credit, they listened and learned and all was well with blues, orange & me after the match, which ended 1-1. Of course, because it struck a defender on its way in, it would have been a goal regardless of whether the ball "clearly moved" or not!
All good fun, really enjoyed all the games.
 
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Point 3 it deflected off a defender. legitimate goal whether the ball is kicked and clearlyy moves beforehand anyway.
 
James Long said:
Point 3 it deflected off a defender. legitimate goal whether the ball is kicked and clearlyy moves beforehand anyway.
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... which is what I said at the end of my (admittedly rather long!) paragraph.

Perhaps I should have just sold it to the blues on this basis, but although being a close & keenly fought contest, it was good natured and I saw it as an opportunity to help their understanding of the laws.
 
I think that given that most players have no idea of the laws of the game and quote the often mis-conceived 'rules' any chance to educate them is time well spent.
This weekend I had a call of "He was the last man ref, he has to go!".I pointed out that there is no law governing the last man, it has to be an obvious goal scoring opportunity, the forward was 30 yards out and running diagonally across the pitch from the centre, not a clear goal scoring opportunity, so no red card. Only for the same bloke to reply "but he was the last man, you have to send him off!".
Bless him :)
 
Had one the other week with a defensive free kick not leaving the PA .... Right back moaned when I blew for a retake. I explained why it was a retake and it turned out the right back is actually a ref !! His team mates ragged him a little. :)
 
I saw one last season where a ref forgot or neglected to tell everyone it was an IDFK and didn't put his hand up. The shot goes straight into the top corner from the free kick. He blows and disallows it saying they should've known it was indirect (the foul was also for dangerous play with no contact).
What would you do in this situation? Retake? Admit your mistake and play as per the laws (goal kick)?
 
2nd String Ref said:
I saw one last season where a ref forgot or neglected to tell everyone it was an IDFK and didn't put his hand up. The shot goes straight into the top corner from the free kick. He blows and disallows it saying they should've known it was indirect (the foul was also for dangerous play with no contact).
What would you do in this situation? Retake? Admit your mistake and play as per the laws (goal kick)?
Click to expand...

well, i think if you go according to law its a retake if you havent signalled indirect
 
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