Question Number: 15293

Mechanics 4/26/2007

RE: Pro Professional

Jon of London, UK asks...

This question is a follow up to question 15259

Guys i think this is a little bit pedantic!! I can understand getting frustrated with stuff such as 'handball' as of the conotations on the law, but penalty box?? I've heard some of the best referees in the world call the penalty area the box...something that it has been called in England for years and years, and is part of the spectators of the beautiful game. Yes we as officials should use all the correct terms but sometimes we don't want players to look at us as pretencious idiots...its helps being on their level for game control.

If a penal offense occurs on the edge of the area and i looked across to my assisstant (yes linesman is the other term!!!!!) i would have no qualms with him saying into his mic "Inside box" so i could quickly award a pentaly kick.

I think we have lots more to be worried about such as game control, coach control (and fans at lower levels) and offense recognition than to worry about whether the ball goes out for a goal kick and instead of saying goal kick, we just quickly say keeper's.

Sorry for the lack of post of late...busy stage in the season as I'm sure you are all watching. Getting very exciting over here.

Yours in correct refereeing!!

Jon

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Ah, communication by radio. keep it short to the point and verify the message is received and understood.

From your linesman: Jon - suckers inside.

To your linesmen: [Disgusting word beginning with the sixth letter of the alphabet] - Watch my back lads.

Between referees a whatchamacallit is a whoya. We know what of we speak. Between spectators, commentators and technical staff the whoya is a goal area and nothing less.

Opening day '96; my first decision on my first professional line was to run with the ball leaving an offside striker waiting for it to run past him. The ball hit a sprinkler head, [it is the USA after all], and went straight up. Three defenders passed the lone attacker whilst he waited for the ball to come down. He volleyed it 35m off the cross bar and back to the other striker who had finally caught up. The second guy hit for goals and it went in. Referee looked to me for confirmation - any guesses where my flag was??? No radio, no television replay, no goal, no sweat, IFK inside the centre circle and a look of wonderment from my referee three minutes in. Says he, you ran with the play!!! I'll tell you at the interval says I.

Needless to say the home side was beside themselves with happiness, not so the away side... Have fun with what remains of the season and when its over we'll all suffer from the footie withdrawal again.

Regards, C.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Sorry Jon, I was taught many years ago "there are no boxes on a soccer field" and I teach the same way. Why is soccer somehow immune to everyone being on the same page? You'd object to the end zone being called the end box in American pointy ball wouldn't you? Ot linebackers being called "backer ups"? Why not call the corner flags corner "sticks"? What's the matter with someone saying to you "inside the PA?" instead of "inside the box"? We'll just have to agree to disagree.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Jon, I will admit that some of the corrections for incorrect terms are just words. But when we don't use the correct words, people may have misunderstandings. Believe me, I've struggled through a question or two trying to figure out just what was being described or asked, and have ended up giving a wrong answer which had to be corrected before publishing.

Sometimes incorrect terms can convey the incorrect concept, and that's more than just being pedantic. Terms like handball, pass-back, goalie kick - none of them are as accurate as the correct terms from the Laws. People have questions or misunderstandings about the Laws because they don't know the words in the Laws.

Maybe we've gotten a little touchy in the last week or two, because a lot of questions with these terms have hit lately. We'll try to choose our battles wisely.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Yes you are right that a lot of good referees call it the box. This bothers me and I make sure that I call them on it every time. Truth is that it is the penalty area. "Thats in the box" seems to be the good ole boy way to say it, but we as instructors and referees need to refrain from that talk.