Question Number: 17227

Mechanics 10/10/2007

RE: Competive Adult

Jose Sandoval of New Britain, CT USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 1250

on a free kick, by attacking team by about 20 yards from the goal line, the best position for the lead assistant referee is even with the place where the kick is to be taken?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

That would be one of the worst positions for the AR to take up. Well it would be worse if he was back at the half line, but let's be reasonable here.

On a close-in free kick, there are several things that are important to watch. The placement and movement of the players in the wall. Any offside considerations. The goal line to see if a goal is scored. The referee and lead assistant referee have to divide up the responsibilities for watching all these things. Some refs will tell the AR to move to the goal line to watch for a goal. Others will take the goal line themselves, and have the AR continue to have responsibility for offside, and then most likely the wall as well. No one needs to be even with the position of the ball, because the ball isn't going to do anything important by itself.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

There are three very important things that may happen of a free kick close in:

1. There is a handling offence by the defence within the wall or a pushing offence by the attack within the wall.

2. There is an offside offence.

3. The ball entirely crosses the goal line and is immediately pulled out or spins out of the goal.

There are two sets of eyes to see these three things. The referee needs your help on two of the three. In the prematch meeting he should discuss the signal for you to give up offside and become a goal judge on a free kick close in AND when to give up the goal line and assume a position to judge offside. If there is no signal discussed your position is at the last but one player on the defending side until the ball is kicked beyond that player -- then you run with the ball or at TOP SPEED until you catch up with the ball. And it is my opinion that heart attacks are an authorized excuse for not being at absolute top speed when trying to keep up with the ball.

Now there are things you can do that may help the referee, especially when the defenders are not positioning themselves at the required distance. You assume that distance from the point of the offence! When the referee is looking in one direction you look behind him. If the referee is administering discipline you make sure he has the right player. If the referee has cautioned a player twice and not sent him off you MUST get his attention even if you have to hit him with your stick. AND you must not let him restart play if he does either of those two things. Here the Assistant Referee must INSIST rather than assist. Standing at the ball is only a good thing when the ball has gone flat and the referee or players haven't noticed.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The AR still should be even with the next to last opponent unless instruected by the referee in pregame to go to the goal line on close in free kicks.