Refereeing Advice
23 March 2003, 11:21 AM
#1
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I am due to do a bit of refereeing in the near future and I need a bit of help on the finer points of Soccer
. I play the game so I know most of the rules, I just need some pointers on the line calls, pentalty area, and other minor rules. A site, or reference to a book would be good, or even some helpful advice from the master herself 'Chelle
. I play the game so I know most of the rules, I just need some pointers on the line calls, pentalty area, and other minor rules. A site, or reference to a book would be good, or even some helpful advice from the master herself 'Chelle
23 March 2003, 11:31 AM
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Hehehehe, you just knew I wouldn't be able to resist looking.
Firstly, get yourself a copy of Soccer Rules! which is the Aussie copy of the FIFA Rules.
Secondly, I would urge you to join a referee's association local to where you are as IIRC, they provide you with insurance cover for when you are refereeing and will back you up if you get assaulted or a booking goes to an appeal. Also if you are going to be refereeing kids games, you will need to sign a "working with children" declaration.
Thirdly, get yourself down to some local games of the level that you will be refereeing, watch the referees, their styles and also take notice of the players/teams. If you have to referee them, it will be good to remember which ones are likely to kick off so to speak and which ones are a run in the park to ref. (Sorry for the poor puns)
As for tips on what you have stated above, give me a bit of time and I'll have a few down for you.
As for sites, that is a good idea, I'll go through a few search engines and see if I can find a few decent sites.
Hopew this helps so far.
Firstly, get yourself a copy of Soccer Rules! which is the Aussie copy of the FIFA Rules.
Secondly, I would urge you to join a referee's association local to where you are as IIRC, they provide you with insurance cover for when you are refereeing and will back you up if you get assaulted or a booking goes to an appeal. Also if you are going to be refereeing kids games, you will need to sign a "working with children" declaration.
Thirdly, get yourself down to some local games of the level that you will be refereeing, watch the referees, their styles and also take notice of the players/teams. If you have to referee them, it will be good to remember which ones are likely to kick off so to speak and which ones are a run in the park to ref. (Sorry for the poor puns
)As for tips on what you have stated above, give me a bit of time and I'll have a few down for you.
As for sites, that is a good idea, I'll go through a few search engines and see if I can find a few decent sites.
Hopew this helps so far.
23 March 2003, 11:51 AM
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I found an "Ask A Referee" site which is a US site, not particularly taken by it in all honesty....but this quesiton and answer made me laugh......
PLAYER POSITIONS AT THE KICK-OFF
Your question:
I am the coach of a U14 girls team. I was told of that when the opposite team scores on your team, your goalie can send the ball as fast as she can to middle of the field and your team can restart the game even if the other team still in your half of the field and your team doesn't have to wait for the referee. Is this a FIFA rule?
USSF answer (March 19, 2003):
No. Law 8 requires that both teams be in their own half of the field of play for the kick-off to take place. Your informant should be more careful about using illegal substances.
Trust an American. LMAO
PLAYER POSITIONS AT THE KICK-OFF
Your question:
I am the coach of a U14 girls team. I was told of that when the opposite team scores on your team, your goalie can send the ball as fast as she can to middle of the field and your team can restart the game even if the other team still in your half of the field and your team doesn't have to wait for the referee. Is this a FIFA rule?
USSF answer (March 19, 2003):
No. Law 8 requires that both teams be in their own half of the field of play for the kick-off to take place. Your informant should be more careful about using illegal substances.
Trust an American. LMAO
23 March 2003, 11:56 AM
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To help me help you, I really need to know what level of competition you will be refereeing in, age range, availability of club or official linesmen and rules of the tournament if possible.
You say you play, but believe me, the amount of footie, sorry, SOCCER players who don't know what offside really is, is quite astounding!
You say you play, but believe me, the amount of footie, sorry, SOCCER
players who don't know what offside really is, is quite astounding!
23 March 2003, 12:18 PM
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To just do a brief help out....
By "line calls" I presume you mean offside?
Okay, going by the rule book.
(Start of rule quote)
Law 11:
Offside position
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if
* He is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.
A player is not in an offside position if
* He is in his own half of the field of play.
or
* He is level with the second last opponent.
or
* He is level with the last two opponents.
Offence
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his own team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
* Interfering with play.
or
* Interfering with an opponent.
or
* Gaining an advantage by being in that position.
No offence
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
* A goal kick.
or
* a throw-in.
or
* A corner kick
Infringements/Sanctions
For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringment occured.[A]
(End of rule quote)
[A] Basically this means that at the time the ball is played by a team member of the player in the offside position, the offside position turns into an offside offence. The indirect free kick is awarded at the point where the player was in the offside position.
To signal an indirect free kick as a referee, you blow the whistle, point in the direction the free kick will be taken and whilst the kick is taken you are to have one arm raised until the ball has been played by a second player.
In many competitions you will not have official linesmen, you may be lucky to have club linesmen, you will more than likely have none.
With club linesmen, it is always best to leave them to signal ball in and out of play, because more often than not, they will be more interested in coaching their team mates and flagging for offsides at every given chance.
This means that you need to be fit enough to be able to keep up with play no matter where the ball is.
Of course this is impossible. So, applying Law 11 becomes common sense and also depends on the situation and your view of the game.
If you are at the one end of the pitch, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to accurately judge an offside up the other end. So try to remain as close to play as possible.
Always ask yourself....is the player in the offside position actually committing an offence, is he gaining an advantage? If the player in question realises that he is offside, then 9 times out of ten, that player won't interfere with play. But if he does walk himself onside after the ball is played by a team mate, then all of a sudden decides to get involved with active play, then he can be deemed to be gaining an advantage from being in the offside position.
A good example:
A player can be on the left wing, but just inside the penalty box and in an offside position. His team mate could be running on the right wing, also coming just inside the penalty area. The team mate with the ball kicks the ball and it enters the goal. The goal will be awarded as the player in the offside position was not interfering with play or gaining an advantage. However, if the ball rebounds off the post, crossbar or goalkeeper, lands at the player in the offside position's foot, an offence has occurred and an indirect free kick for offside will be given.
This rule has so many scenarios placed on it, I will see if there are some I can put up here as an example.
[Edited by Little Miss WRX - 3/23/2003 12:23:53 PM]
By "line calls" I presume you mean offside?
Okay, going by the rule book.
(Start of rule quote)
Law 11:
Offside position
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position.
A player is in an offside position if
* He is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent.
A player is not in an offside position if
* He is in his own half of the field of play.
or
* He is level with the second last opponent.
or
* He is level with the last two opponents.
Offence
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his own team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
* Interfering with play.
or
* Interfering with an opponent.
or
* Gaining an advantage by being in that position.
No offence
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
* A goal kick.
or
* a throw-in.
or
* A corner kick
Infringements/Sanctions
For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringment occured.[A]
(End of rule quote)
[A] Basically this means that at the time the ball is played by a team member of the player in the offside position, the offside position turns into an offside offence. The indirect free kick is awarded at the point where the player was in the offside position.
To signal an indirect free kick as a referee, you blow the whistle, point in the direction the free kick will be taken and whilst the kick is taken you are to have one arm raised until the ball has been played by a second player.
In many competitions you will not have official linesmen, you may be lucky to have club linesmen, you will more than likely have none.
With club linesmen, it is always best to leave them to signal ball in and out of play, because more often than not, they will be more interested in coaching their team mates and flagging for offsides at every given chance.
This means that you need to be fit enough to be able to keep up with play no matter where the ball is.
Of course this is impossible. So, applying Law 11 becomes common sense and also depends on the situation and your view of the game.
If you are at the one end of the pitch, it is highly unlikely that you will be able to accurately judge an offside up the other end. So try to remain as close to play as possible.
Always ask yourself....is the player in the offside position actually committing an offence, is he gaining an advantage? If the player in question realises that he is offside, then 9 times out of ten, that player won't interfere with play. But if he does walk himself onside after the ball is played by a team mate, then all of a sudden decides to get involved with active play, then he can be deemed to be gaining an advantage from being in the offside position.
A good example:
A player can be on the left wing, but just inside the penalty box and in an offside position. His team mate could be running on the right wing, also coming just inside the penalty area. The team mate with the ball kicks the ball and it enters the goal. The goal will be awarded as the player in the offside position was not interfering with play or gaining an advantage. However, if the ball rebounds off the post, crossbar or goalkeeper, lands at the player in the offside position's foot, an offence has occurred and an indirect free kick for offside will be given.
This rule has so many scenarios placed on it, I will see if there are some I can put up here as an example.
[Edited by Little Miss WRX - 3/23/2003 12:23:53 PM]
23 March 2003, 01:03 PM
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Editing bug deleted my last post 
- here it is again.
Penalty Area.
Always a nasty one and no matter what you decide, in the eyes of either team, you will be wrong.
For decisions that are made in the penalty area, don your thick coat and get away from any possible trouble as soon as possible.
If you award a penalty, blow the whistle, run OUT of the penalty area backwards. This takes you away from any potential trouble and allows you to keep your eye on all of the players. Trust me, the last thing you want is a melee of angry players around you!!! At least if you are running off you have a chance of dealing with the real troublesome players individually
Be assertive, don't take any crap. I remember some advice given to me on the referee's course.
If a player is nearby and giving you some ****, give him a verbal warning, if he persists, then at your discretion book him for the appropriate offence - yellow (caution) for dissent - red (sending off) should he be abusive.
However, if a player is prepared to walk/run 20 or more yards to give you his "advice"
- ensure that you visibly and verbally warn him. If he keeps on coming, then book the player, because he obviously intends to be dissentful (if there is such a word ) or abusive to have made the effort to travel so far!!!! If there is a crowd, this also shows that you DO have control of the game and you WILL NOT tolerate any crap.
Right, back onto the real subject LOL.
(Quoted from Law 14 - The Penalty Kick)
A penalty kick is awarded against the tam which commits one of the ten offences for which a direct free kick is awared inside its own penalty are whilst the ball is in play.
(end quote of Law)
(Quoted from Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct)
Direct Free Kick
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or even using excessive force:
* Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent.
* Trips or attempts to trip an opponent.
* Jumps at an opponent.
* Charges an opponent.
* Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent.
* Pushes an opponent.
A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following four offences:
* Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball.
* Holds an opponent.
* Spits at an opponent.
* Handles the ball deliberately (except the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
A direct free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.
A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.
(End quote of law)
If you see any of the ten penal offences above committed in the penalty area, you have to be 110% sure that the offence was DELIBERATE and that YOU DID SEE it not your linesmen (unless the linesmen are officials).
Do not award a penalty if you are in any way unsure.
Be careful with the handball one and remember that if a goal scoring opportunity was stopped - a member of the opposing team (excluding the goalkeeper) handles the ball thus preventing it from going into the goal - then the offending player must be sent from the field of play under Law 12.
In cases where you see a player deliberately diving in order to make you think that an offence was committed against him/her. My advice to would be to blow the whistle, quickly indicate that a free kick is going to the defending side (indirect as none of the above offences were committed), ensure they know NOT to take the kick until you signal to do so and pull the offending player to the side. It is then up to you as to whether to administer a severe verbal warning or brandish a yellow card and caution him/her for unsporting behaviour. That soon puts a stop to any diving or such.
Feel free to throw more situations my way.
- here it is again. Penalty Area.
Always a nasty one and no matter what you decide, in the eyes of either team, you will be wrong.
For decisions that are made in the penalty area, don your thick coat and get away from any possible trouble as soon as possible.
If you award a penalty, blow the whistle, run OUT of the penalty area backwards. This takes you away from any potential trouble and allows you to keep your eye on all of the players. Trust me, the last thing you want is a melee of angry players around you!!! At least if you are running off you have a chance of dealing with the real troublesome players individually
Be assertive, don't take any crap. I remember some advice given to me on the referee's course.
If a player is nearby and giving you some ****, give him a verbal warning, if he persists, then at your discretion book him for the appropriate offence - yellow (caution) for dissent - red (sending off) should he be abusive.
However, if a player is prepared to walk/run 20 or more yards to give you his "advice"
- ensure that you visibly and verbally warn him. If he keeps on coming, then book the player, because he obviously intends to be dissentful (if there is such a word ) or abusive to have made the effort to travel so far!!!! If there is a crowd, this also shows that you DO have control of the game and you WILL NOT tolerate any crap. Right, back onto the real subject LOL.
(Quoted from Law 14 - The Penalty Kick)
A penalty kick is awarded against the tam which commits one of the ten offences for which a direct free kick is awared inside its own penalty are whilst the ball is in play.
(end quote of Law)
(Quoted from Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct)
Direct Free Kick
A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following six offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or even using excessive force:
* Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent.
* Trips or attempts to trip an opponent.
* Jumps at an opponent.
* Charges an opponent.
* Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent.
* Pushes an opponent.
A direct free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following four offences:
* Tackles an opponent to gain possession of the ball, making contact with the opponent before touching the ball.
* Holds an opponent.
* Spits at an opponent.
* Handles the ball deliberately (except the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)
A direct free kick is taken from where the offence occurred.
A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play.
(End quote of law)
If you see any of the ten penal offences above committed in the penalty area, you have to be 110% sure that the offence was DELIBERATE and that YOU DID SEE it not your linesmen (unless the linesmen are officials).
Do not award a penalty if you are in any way unsure.
Be careful with the handball one and remember that if a goal scoring opportunity was stopped - a member of the opposing team (excluding the goalkeeper) handles the ball thus preventing it from going into the goal - then the offending player must be sent from the field of play under Law 12.
In cases where you see a player deliberately diving in order to make you think that an offence was committed against him/her. My advice to would be to blow the whistle, quickly indicate that a free kick is going to the defending side (indirect as none of the above offences were committed), ensure they know NOT to take the kick until you signal to do so and pull the offending player to the side. It is then up to you as to whether to administer a severe verbal warning or brandish a yellow card and caution him/her for unsporting behaviour. That soon puts a stop to any diving or such.
Feel free to throw more situations my way.
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24 March 2003, 08:04 AM
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6 posts chelle!!! Cheers for that. I will be reffing some Secondary schools matches so I will have two linesmen and a handful of involved parents
I DO actaully know the offside rules, i made sure to learn these as I myself am a striker. So, in reference to those direct free kick rules, it is only those that have to happen for a direct free kick to be taken. What are some examples of an indirect free kick (My mind has just completely left me on this one) and What happens when the goalie handles the ball outside of his area?
That American question is just so........ American
. I will be reffing some Secondary schools matches so I will have two linesmen and a handful of involved parentsI DO actaully know the offside rules, i made sure to learn these as I myself am a striker. So, in reference to those direct free kick rules, it is only those that have to happen for a direct free kick to be taken. What are some examples of an indirect free kick (My mind has just completely left me on this one
) and What happens when the goalie handles the ball outside of his area?That American question is just so........ American
24 March 2003, 10:56 AM
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If the refs actually adhered to the foul and abusive language guidelines, then no game would ever finish with more than one player on the pitch...I have to say I dont know how you guys do it...the amount of abuse that the ref receives from the players is frightening. I've reffed rugby at a lowly standard, and was quite happy to give a penalty for the words "but, ref...." if they didnt come from the captain.
The worst thing is that the language, and 'diving'/face clutching that goes on by those overpaid 'professional' t0ssers filters down to the little kids (and their overly aggressive parents)
The worst thing is that the language, and 'diving'/face clutching that goes on by those overpaid 'professional' t0ssers filters down to the little kids (and their overly aggressive parents)
24 March 2003, 12:03 PM
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What happens when the goalie handles the ball outside of his area?
Him also refers to her - I just can't be arsed to type out her all the time.
This is where Law 18 - the unwritten Common Sense Law!!
If the keeper has basically fallen out of the penalty area with the ball in his hands, you still have to penalise the offence, but I personally would keep the cards in my pocket. If the keeper was pushed out of the area, you would penalise in favour of the keeper with a direct free kick.
However, if the keeper comes out of his area with full intention to handle the ball, then you need to be penalising the offence not only with a direct free kick, but also with a card.
I personally, would err on the side of a yellow card (caution) if there are defenders who have managed to get back between the keeper and the goal line.
Should there only be the keeper between the attacking player and the ball, then you can consider the keeper to have denied a goal-scoring opportunity and therefore an automatic red card (sending off) would be appropriate.
If the ball has been played back to the keeper by a member of his own team which the keeper then handles outside of the penalty area, then you penalise the more serious offence. Which in this case of course is the handball. I personally would also issue a yellow card (caution) to the keeper.
24 March 2003, 12:11 PM
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If the refs actually adhered to the foul and abusive language guidelines, then no game would ever finish with more than one player on the pitch...I have to say I dont know how you guys do it...the amount of abuse that the ref receives from the players is frightening. I've reffed rugby at a lowly standard, and was quite happy to give a penalty for the words "but, ref...." if they didnt come from the captain.
Where the foul and abusive language is penalised is if the language is foul and/or abusive and directed AT somebody. Be it the referee, the assistant referees, another player, a team mate, spectator, whoever. You simply cannot let a player get away with that. The punishment is a red card (sending off) resulting in an early bath for the offending player.
I am not tolerant of this kind of behaviour, but I am tolerant of the accidental slip in language.
After all, as you state, you would have no players left on the pitch if you penalised every foul word that came out of any players mouth!
When you first start refereeing, it is hard to get used ot the kind of abuse that you suffer. you find that most of your problems come from overly-aggressive parents - the dads of whom are re-living their youth through their son's and the mums being, well mums! No offence, but there are rarely any mums who attend a youth match who I have had no problems with.
The worst thing is that the language, and 'diving'/face clutching that goes on by those overpaid 'professional' t0ssers filters down to the little kids (and their overly aggressive parents)
26 March 2003, 04:56 PM
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If you dont't want to read anything, just pop yourself down to Bournemouth to see how not to referee with the only exception being last Tuesday against Torquay where play continued until we equalised
There has been some quite unbelievably bad and inconsistent officialing this season...
There has been some quite unbelievably bad and inconsistent officialing this season...
01 April 2003, 08:46 AM
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Well, I'm back with a few more questions for you Chelle.
1. Line calls. The ball must be completely over the goal line to be a goal? But what is the rule for the sidelines etc.?
2. I'm stuggling to think of more than two examples for an indirect free-kick (pass back to keeper, keeper holding th eball for too long). Some more?
That would be all
1. Line calls. The ball must be completely over the goal line to be a goal? But what is the rule for the sidelines etc.?
2. I'm stuggling to think of more than two examples for an indirect free-kick (pass back to keeper, keeper holding th eball for too long). Some more?
That would be all
01 April 2003, 01:04 PM
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Can you explain more with what you mean by sidelines?
If you mean sides of the pitch, same rules apply, whole of the ball must be over the whole of the line.
As for the others, I will be online to answer more later.
If you mean sides of the pitch, same rules apply, whole of the ball must be over the whole of the line.
As for the others, I will be online to answer more later.
01 April 2003, 01:14 PM
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All you need to remember in terms of free kicks are the ten penal offences in Law 12. For every single one of them a DIRECT free kick is scored.
Therefore, everything else in terms of a foul that you stop the game for you will award an indirect free kick.
Don't forget that offside is punishable by an indirect free kick!
Not forgetting of course that if you stop the game and no foul has been committed by either side - for example a player getting seriously injured or a spectator interfering with play - you will restart the game with a drop ball in the spot where the ball was when you stopped the game.
However, if the ball is within the six yard box, then the drop ball takes place on the six yard line parallel to the goal line and perpendicular with respect to the goal, where the ball was at the time that play was stopped.
Therefore, everything else in terms of a foul that you stop the game for you will award an indirect free kick.
Don't forget that offside is punishable by an indirect free kick!
Not forgetting of course that if you stop the game and no foul has been committed by either side - for example a player getting seriously injured or a spectator interfering with play - you will restart the game with a drop ball in the spot where the ball was when you stopped the game.
However, if the ball is within the six yard box, then the drop ball takes place on the six yard line parallel to the goal line and perpendicular with respect to the goal, where the ball was at the time that play was stopped.
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