Question Number: 18852

Law 13 - Free Kicks 4/22/2008

RE: HYSA scrimage Other

Joyce of Honokaa, Hawaii usa asks...

Please settle a disagreement I'm having with another ref.

I was the ref in a U18 scrimmage, one team was short, so a parent (the ref who disagrees with me) of one of the players joined the fun.

In the last 5 minutes of the match, the score 4-3, a DFK was awarded, about 22 yards right in font of the goal for the trailing team. My friend (and newer ref) on the defending team, stepped in front of the ball, and asked me to set the wall, making it a ceremonial kick with a whistled restart. Instead I gave him a yellow card for delay of the restart(or should it be failing to honor the distance), then set the wall and whistled the restart.

After the match he insisted that the defense had the right to ask for the whistled restart, to which I said NO. That the attacking team had right to the quick kick.

We met at the store yesterday, and again he insisted I was wrong, with him being a newer ref of two years, I tried to explain that with very young players, I MIGHT do a whistled restart in that situation, but not with kids this age, as they are intentionally delaying the restart so their team can mass in front of the goal before the DFK can be taken. That the offending team has no right to stop the quick kick.

I told him about your site, to ask for himself, but he thought, I need to write you. So Was I Wrong?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Your friend if really a referee should know better. What he did was absolutely 100% wrong and you were correct to caution him. You may tell him that the team committing the foul has NO RIGHTS. Where this muddleheaded thinking has come from is beyond me. They have already disadvantaged the opponents and then they think they have the right to further disadvantage them by limiting their ability to take a quick kick? The team committing the foul is REQUIRED to give the 10 yards (which is what you caution for). Please tell him to ask for his money back from his certification course as they obviously did not do a very good job of instruction

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Another heathen mucks up refereeing for the rest of us. If a team uses foul play to harm their opponents all the players on that side must retire a distance of, at least, ten yards from the ball in all directions. Anyone moving toward the ball after it is at the point of the restart should be cautioned because it is obvious he is not respecting the required distance. Players like this offer a referee an outstanding opportunity to sneak up behind them with their book and pen out writing down numbers, times and "FRD". If there is a quick restart just line it out and go with the wishes of the attackers, get on with it! If there is no restart indicate they'll go on your whistle and put the book away, take out your yellow card and wait till dummy figures out somethings not quite right. When he looks at you show him two fives with your free hand then show the yellow card.

He's going to have is incredulous look pasted all over his face, you try go all stink-eye and tell him to get to ten yards or he'll get a second caution. He'll be able to find where ten yards is from there on... Blow for the restart and smile. Life just got easier...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

We expect the players and coaches to get this wrong, but not a player who is also a ref. Referees should not be in the myth-perpetuating business.

I question the wisdom of any soccer coach in a youth game who allows an adult to play, even if it is a scrimmage. The adult would not be covered by the league's insurance. (Not a ref issue, but a common sense issue)

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

We want a portion of the bet money from this guy! You did wager this I hope? You are spot on mate, 100% correct and hopefully the re-education of this other guy occurs before he can mishandle a whistle on some other game!!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Joyce, I am thinking it is his male ego working here. When I first started to referee, before WW1, I wanted to be the players? friend and tried to explain things. Today I say very little but I do very quickly mention to the teams that I will let you take quick free kicks and you should do likewise to your opponents. It is incumbent upon opponents to move away from a free kick right away. They may not estimate 10 yards accurately but if they think one yard is about 10 yards and they do not retire from the ball, they get a caution for me every time. Most catch on very quickly. The caution is for failing to respect (and that word says it all) the required distance. By the way, on a throw-in that distance is 2m. Ah, those awful men!

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 18878