A&H

Play on or Failing to Respect the Distance

Much as I respect the views of those contributors who are inclined to police this stuff according to Law, I'd be leaning towards game management, stern warnings and doing what 'football expects' (depending on the circumstances).
 
The Referee Store
Warn the attacker if its not his freekick, he doesnt need to go to the ball. Warn the defender thats not how it works and kicking the ball at a retreating attacker isnt gonna speed things up or get a player booked. Both attacker and defender in the wrong. Take it back to the original offence. Retake the kick. Good game management. Clear communication and keep control. No issues.
 
There are occasions where a retake is the correct outcome...
In situations where a whistle is required to restart play and the referee has not blown the whistle. Unlikely, yes.
In this scenario I'll admit I have taken both options so I am not going to get I volved in the argument.
For the OP. What could you have done differently. Sounds to me that you could have communicated your decision to allow play to continue more clearly. As soon as the kick was taken, and you decided play was continuing. A big shout of Ball is in play, keep going. This tells the appellant that you're not falling for their game of trying to get opponent booked, warns matey he can't pick it up and tells everyone else to carry on playing.
 
It depends on how it happens. If a player has genuinely tried to take it quickly and it hits an opponent who is trying to retreat I'd be inclined to have it retaken on the basis I wasn't ready. But if he blasts it at the opponent with the sole intention being to get him cautioned he will be on his own and can face the consequences of me playing on.
 
It depends on how it happens. If a player has genuinely tried to take it quickly and it hits an opponent who is trying to retreat I'd be inclined to have it retaken on the basis I wasn't ready. But if he blasts it at the opponent with the sole intention being to get him cautioned he will be on his own and can face the consequences of me playing on.
Glad to hear it
Ref's shouldn't lose sight of common sense by worrying excessively about observer's assessments
 
I can see why people would choose the option to manage the situation with a retake, but when the attacker has actively kicked it at the defender, screw them. Play on. I'd manage that by them learning from their own mistakes
 
Tried to take it quick, Celtic player danced around and blocked it

Our most experienced referee, simply retook the fk
This is pretty much the opposite of what happened in the scenario we are discussing.This was not a player deliberately failing to respect the required distance and intentionally blocking the kick. This was a player trying to retreat but who did not have enough time to do so because the kick was taken quickly, and where in addition, the ball was deliberately and aggressively kicked at the player by the opponent. Following which, even though the ball had come back into the possession of the team that took the free kick, one of their number decided to deliberately handle the ball.

So all in all, not even close to the situation in the Celtic game.
 
My point rings true, the retake is sensible when by your description it should have been a fk to the other team and maybe a caution
 
It’s very rare indeed that a player has simply not had time to retreat. Invariably they’ve moved into position to slow down the taking of the free kick.
Effectively punishing the taker for having the temerity to highlight the fact we are ignoring an opponent has delaying the restart seems harsh.

The game expects a player to get away with standing over a free kick, likewise it expects a retake when the ball is kicked at him.
 
Several items......

First off hats off Ossie on some outstanding refereeing! A lot of us here are hardcore referees and a lot of us are beyond that into the admin side of things. A lot of the referees I know do not have the balls to show reds when they should. This is grassroots 101 and a great job by the referee. The experience we gain by running a gnarly game is an asset to us as referees. I was in the middle in a bench-clearing brawl during my past HS season. It sounds like you were spot on and again fine work.

Onto the second primary discussion. I hold up this Law but also I can say that I use more discretion in this Law over others. I players that I referee, and it is different for me because I know all the players being on such a small rock., know how I referee and what I expect. I have also learned who will the most offenders of the Law by encroaching. Those said players are given a yellow after a stern warning. This works for me but I have had to issue two yellows to said players.

There are lots of answers to this law during any given match and you as the referee will need to make it. I have always thought I maybe had it harder here on my tiny island but now I think different. I know the players more possibly and can forecast their actions to a certain extent.

Mahalo and great topic....Ossie keep on running!
 
Obvs YHTBT but I am interested in the OP:
How far away, and was it a deliberate attempt to kick the ball at the opponent, also how close were you, what did you shout, how quick did the handball happen, was this the first delay of game or distance incident in the game?

I think the smart thing is to manage free kicks so hitting a player less than required didtance doesn’t happen. Depending on the heat of the match and insanity level of the taker, getting involved and on the whistle is the only option.

Leading me to a solution mentioned elsewhere:! ”guys, I wanted it on the whistle, again please, wait for the whistle.”

That’s the get-out-of-jail-free card
 
Back
Top