RefJef
RefChat Addict
Three opportunities to educate the players this week:
- 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.
- 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."
- 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!
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