Question Number: 14876

Mechanics 2/21/2007

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, on canada asks...

May be someone already asked your opinions on the UEFA manU vs Lillie game. My question on that game is should the referee add time to the second half as a result of the walk off disturbance? Does it matter which side is causing the delay when deciding time added?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Alex,
Great question! I suspect time would be added only grudgingly as the team needing the lost time to be accounted for are themselves responsible for it slipping away. But given a referee is neutral I wonder if FIFA would require at some point some time to be made up? Ethically I find myself less likely to totally discount the stoppage but as we are quick to get on an attacking team to get back with play it seems odd we would be as harsh on the losing or scored upon team to do the same as they waste their time.

Mind you cautions for dissent or leaving the FOP without permission could be acknowledged but given the fact the match was of such importance and the team had been scored upon in an undignified manner it was more a loss of face then a true revolt even if they did blame the referee! It is true in certain leagues there are standards of practise they become accustomed to that have NO basis in law. When these customs are violated or perceived to be, it unsettles the mind of those used to a certain outcome

Lille was upset that they let their guard down expecting a whistle which in law is not required.

At issue was the mechanics of the referee somehow inappropriate in that he impacted the game by deceiving Lille?

The CEREMONIAL free kick which is CREATED because the defending team wants not only the foul to stop the attack but additional time to prepare and regroup from a further attack is a blight on the game the same as diving to draw a non existent foul.

The rights of the defenders are non existent and a referee ensures the attacker's rights are respected not to further disadvantage the opposition but to have no concern for their readiness to continue provided the referee has not specifically stated he will signal in the restart then did not do so!

A referee decides if any ongoing play can restart after a whistle by acknowledging the restart was done according to the law, from the point of the infraction and the ball is stationary before it is kicked to resume play!

I mentioned mechanics in the procedures a referee may follow that will be expected by both teams. We cannot be too liberal in around the goal so a blade of grass restart in scoring position is more in keeping then the general area further back .
A referee indicating the exact position the ball must be spotted has NOT Yet created a must be ceremonial restart
A referee who reinforces the concept of a 10 yard minimum distance for defenders to withdraw by telling them to withdraw immediately has NOT Yet created a must be ceremonial restart.
A referee who talks to the attacking team either to infer or confirm their intentions has NOT Yet created a must be ceremonial restart.

WHEN a referee has the NEED to stop play and show a card we will likely have a ceremonial restart!
When a referee is ASKED by the ATTACKING team they wish ten yards and time to set up we will likely have a ceremonial restart!
When a referee feels game control or man management REQUIRES his intervention we will likely have a ceremonial restart!

If a referee wishes to have a ceremonial restart he will INDICATE to the kicker of the attacking team in a manner which should make those watching aware that it will be a whistled restart!

A referee should instruct pregame his ARs on the importance of being alert to action both off and on the ball as he will be concerned with achieving eye contact with the kicker! The referee will SAY! WAIT for the whistle and the ball stays right there unmoved until it sounds! Personally I hold my whistle up at least face level and point to it, sometimes language is a barrier but an emphatic NO we wait hand gesture ball stays put and point at the whistle. We get an affirmative response from the attacker before we turn away to deal with the DEFENDING team who can ONLY now rest assured there will be a whistled restart. A quick eye contact and thumbs up to the ARs before and just after we set the wall and ensure everything is to our liking before moving off to the best vantage point in anticipation of the free kick. You always check in with ARs before restarting to be sure something has NOT gone unnoticed by you.

I think the misconception here is the referee was seen talking to the MAN U player Giggs who likely said can I go? or if asked by the referee do you want ten/time to setup he said No!

The point being is if defenders are in fact doing as they are supposed to which is withdraw to the 10 yards usually it leans to 8 at best they might not overhear what was said and simply assumed as most kicks from this distance are in fact ceremonial that this one would be too! If you watch the replay you notice the wall is setting itself it was NOT managed by the referee intervening but look how quickly the referee moved away once he indicated where the kick was to be taken.

It will also be telling what the FIFA boys have to say in response to the allegations the referee acted improperly.
It will be interesting also to see if players wind up being cautioned in the second match for preventing restarts or failing to withdraw 10 yards!
My opinion good goal, bad defending keeper must stay focused and players must always expect play to restart UNLESS TOLD it will not!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

One of the stated reasons for the referee adding time listed in Law 7 is for "any other cause." This certainly applies to the game in question. It doesn't matter which team creates the disturbance, the referee is empowered to add time and the amount of time is at his discretion. The referee is not REQUIRED to add time for this but he may.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

When I ref youth games, I will usually let the team that is behind use up all the time they want. If they are taking their merry old time putting the ball back into play, that's their concern. I will add time for things that are out of their control, such as the ball being blasted over the sideline, across the ditch and into the pricker bushes. (A second game ball - HA! We're lucky they could find one ball that was up to spec, and that's after I used the air pump I carry around in my ref bag.)

I finally saw a video clip of this game. To me it looks like the ref indicated where the ball should be placed for the kick. When the ball gets there the ref backs away and ManU kicks it into the net. Good play, good mechanics all around except by the defenders.

I didn't see a clip of all the brouhaha, so I'm not sure just how much time was lost. The referee who is confronted by a crowd of angry players may be able to partially diffuse the situation by reminding the players that time is running short. And that he's not listening to their dissent, so they might as well get on with it.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The time added on is at the discretion of the referee. He should add time if it caused a delay in the match. The amount of time is his discretion.