Question Number: 19583

Mechanics 7/7/2008

RE: Competative Under 17

AL Sinopoli of Covington, LA USA asks...

On a two competitive games where I was an AR, I had 2 interesting situations that I'd like to get a second opinion. It regards offside mechanics.

The first is I was working with a higher level ref who indicated to me that when I signal offside, I should only show location (near, middle, or away) if there is a doubt as to who is offside. In other words, he wanted the flag to go up, but did not want the location shown if the perpetrator was the only attacker out there as it would be obvious. No big deal, but I never recall this procedure. Any opinion?

The second situations seems very wrong to me. I had a center ref instruct me aloud during a game stoppage to indicate the number of the defender who kept an attacker onside, in order to quell the complaining defenders who felt they were being 'cheated'. Sure enough, 5 minutes later, the line of defenders kept an attacker onside that broke out and scored. The center ref looked over and I said 'the whole line kept him on' and dissent erupted. The center ref seemed to appear sympathetic to the defense and frankly I was a bit taken back. So at halftime, after he told me how I needed to give him a number, I indicated to the ref that in looking down the 'second to last defender line' and with no numbers on the side of the player's shorts, that it would be difficult to do this as the situation is dynamic and I would have to move my eyes away from the play to catch a number on the back of a shirt which may or may not be facing me. Also, if I gave him the wrong number for whatever reason it would be like hanging us. I commented as diplomatically as possible, that his request appeared to me to be creating a bad situation, since this sort of request could only divert my attention away from judging everything including offside. He did agree only that he wished he'd made the request discreetly, but still re-iterated I needed to find a way to give him a number. Any thoughts?

You know, I have many more games as center than as AR, so my ARing skills get a tad rusty once and a while - but getting 2 comments like this which I never would make to my ARs is curious.

Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks for all you do.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

MY thoughts are these two referees need to better prepare their ARs for more meaningful endeavours. The guide to proceedures is a very good and comprehensive collection of well thought out and useful signals. Now we can tweak a few discreet hand signals and agree to look for that number if all our other duties are not affected. Yes an offside by one player can be rather obvious but that does not guarantee a correct restart location if there was a lot of movement and yes the restart location can be a long way off as trifling.

I try to have faith in MY ARs and when I ask in the pregame for their help to not let me mess up. I tell them the offside is their baby and please work real hard to be accurate and sharp because I will only be stopping for their flag and I will expect them to know why they raised it and where that restart is to be because the chances of a referee knowing are simply not good at all.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

It appears these centers aren't used to working with AR's much either. The USSF document 'Guide to Procedures' should be consulted: http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/07_gde_proced.pdf

The foreward of the Guide says, 'Alternate signals, procedures, and methods of communication within the officiating team are not authorized for games under the jurisdiction of the United States Soccer Federation using the diagonal system of control. Other signals or methods of communication intended to supplement those described here are permitted only if they do not conflict with established procedures and only if they do not intrude on the game, are not distracting, are limited in number and purpose and are carefully discussed within the officiating team prior to the commencement of the match.'

Your referees have given you two alternate methods of communication. The first is a rather inoccuous conflict with established signals, but still incorrect. The other obviously resulted in distraction to the game, generating dissent.

I would speak to my assignor or a referee instructor in the area to get these two refs back on the strait and narrow.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

First: Your 'higher level' ref is simply wrong. You ALWAYS show location with your flag. You know this and so should he.
Second: Another referee with bad ideas. You, again, are correct. What the referee asked you to do is not only wrong but, for just the reasons you state, idiotic.
I would approach your assignor about both of these referees. Neither seem to know what the job of the AR is nor how to best act as a team