"Leave it!"

[Craig Evans]

Afternoon fellas,

I had incidents that left me a little stumped this weekend;

First of I gave a FK to home team about 35 yards out, it took a good 6/7 seconds for the away team to get the ball back to the kicker, when he received it he said: "outta the way ref, quick one!" and passed to a teammate out wide who couldn't control it and ball went out of play. Away captain got on my back about letting him have it quick, as home team were setting wall. What actually is the stance on quick FK?

Secondly; ball played into box by away team, home defender is screaming at me about something, away team muster a weak shot on goal that goes straight to keeper. Away defender asking why I haven't stopped play, he's saying away attacker said "leave it" as the ball came in. Once he tells me I know that I think I did hear it. I just let play carry on however, what does the LOTG state on players saying "leave/my ball" etc..

 

[Aled]

If with 'leave it' you deem it's to distract/deceive an opponent it's an IDFK and possibly a YC for USB I'd be tempted to say...

 

[BES]

1. I'm always happy to let a team to take a quick free kick if the ball is in the right spot. In your case the defending team have had ample time to organise themselves. In your instance I would have very much allowed the quick fk and then awarded a throw in from the resulting poor control. My ideal is keep the game flowing as much as possible.

2. A 'leave it' shout should be punished if it is intended to off put an opponent, if calling to inform a team mate with no opponent near, although not the best communication I would allow the game to continue.

 

[MattyontheWhistle]

What has been said is entirely true.

Assuming the ball is in the correct place and stationary, nothing in Law gives you the authority to prevent a team taking a quick free kick if they choose to do so, indeed, you can not pull the kick back just because defenders aren't ready for it. The attacking team has the option of asking for their ten yards, in which case, they have handed control of the restart to you. The only other time I ever pull them back is if there is a player still down injured or if I am going to issue a card.

Also 'Leave it!' is only an offence if shouted to distract an opponent.

 

[CA]

One thing that I have been told in respect to dealing with quick free kicks, is that if (it's in the last third) you get to the ball (without darting over, unless you have to), then make them wait for the whistle. Can make it easier to diffuse the situation and prevent a potentially awkward encounter with the opponents who may have just conceded a goal from it!

 

[JimmyT]

This "leave it" issue really annoys me. As kids we were told to put a name on it, and to a large extent that's good advice as its good practice, but I have on a number of occasions seen referees incorrectly penalise shouts of "mine", "leave it" "jacks it" (used a lot round these parts bizarrely to mean the same thing) and similar. UNLESS its deliberately done to deceive or distract an opponent, a player can within reason, say, shout, or mutter pretty much whatever he wants in calling for the ball or advising a team-mate. I have twice issued cautions for the deliberate act, once when being assessed a few weeks ago when some tool literally screamed at an opponent as he was about to shoot. The player in question was astounded that he was being cautioned and claimed (quite amusingly imo) that he suffered badly with hayfever! The first came a few years ago when the visiting goalkeeper insisted on shouting 'Keepeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr' in the finest and broadest Scottish accent I have ever heard at every cross, corner, throughball etc. A home team striker (who was not remotely Scottish) decided to impersonate the keeper's accent when a cross was delivered into the box from a freekick, himself screaming 'Keepeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrr' with his best Scottish voice, purely to stop defenders going for the ball. He was cautioned and laughed his head off, as did other players and myself. Please, please, please tell players and older refs who seem to think normal shouts of "mine" and "leave it" are not allowed, to belt up. Rant over.

 

[Southend-ref]

On the 'leave it' issue I agree with everybody else. I only took my course in April and we were explicitly told that saying 'leave' etc. is not an offence in itself. The only time you would penalise if, in your opinion, it is done for the purpose of deceiving the opposition. And seeing as I could never be certain that this is the case, I will never penalise for it.