Question Number: 22464

Law 5 - The Referee 11/8/2009

RE: Level 9 Referee Under 14

Katherine Copas of Hendersonville, TN USA asks...

Hello.
If the player is not offside and the AR did not say the player was offside and the goal was scored, then the coach of the other team said,'Hey Ref, That player was offside.' Then the center ref said,' Oh. . ., Thanks coach i didn't see that.'

That is what happened in my game yesterday as a player, but I am also a referee and i was a mid-fielder and I was down on the field where the play was happening. It was not offside.

If you could email me back about this.

( katherinecopas@yahoo.com )

Thanks,
Katherine Copas

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Katherine:

If the referee didn't see it, the only source of information on which the referee is neutral assistant referee. Sometimes, however, a statement by a player or coach causes the referee to focus on something that the referee saw but forgot was important. (We shouldn't forget, but sometimes we do.)

If the referee called the player offside because the referee judged that the player was in an offside position, then it is a correct decision even though it looks like the coach 'told' the referee. If the referee in fact 'didn't see it' then the referee made an error. On offside, all doubts are resolved in favor of the attacking team. So, even if the referee wasn't sure the player was offside, the goal should have been allowed.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Katherine
Very strange indeed and it is something that should not happen. The referee is then seen as not being impartial if he takes advice from a coach and ignores the AR who has not flagged.
Whatever about making a 'late' call after shouts that prompt its reconsideration and then being accused of 'Your listening to the shouts Ref' but saying 'Thanks I didn't see that' is not on.
Any sense that it was said with sarcasm?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If a coach tried to 'remind' me about offside, I'd check with the AR for confirmation. However many times things that look offside from one angle are not offside when seen from the angle of the AR, who has the correct view (presuming she's keeping up with play). There were 3 or 4 times in the game I centered today that I thought I'd be seeing a flag, but not so. This is from an experienced and respected colleague, not a newbie that I'm not sure about.

Other times I see an AR not call offside, I agree, and still the sidelines call for it. They're not looking at the position of the players when the ball was kicked, but rather when the ball was received. Sorry coach, the fact that their players are faster than yours doesn't make them offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

While a referee is not infallible and can admit to a mistake and has up until the restart of play to change a decision to accept coach's input and then say he did not see that seems ludicrous at best. I have no issue with a decision if truly righteous, agreeing with the coach may be perceived as unfair but if true then the decision is correct to be changed. I will say such banter is unprofessional and creates the impression of unfairness! Especially if the AR is not in agreement and does not flag offside!
Cheers