Question Number: 24281

Kicks From The Penalty mark 11/6/2010

RE: Under 16

steve tempest of stevenage, herts england asks...

In our game today 2 things.

1. IT WAS A CUP GAME AND WENT TO EXTRA TIME. WITH A MINUTE OR SO TO GO WITH PENALTIES INEVITABLE THE OPPOSITION SWAPPED AN OUTFIELD PLAYER WITH THE GOALKEEPER NO SUB INVOLVED IS THIS ALLOWED? THIS LOOKED A DELIBERATE PLOY WITH PENALTIES LOOMING.

2. BEFORE THE PENALTIES THE OPPOSITION KEEPER WHO HAD JUST CHANGED(see above)WENT IN TO A GOAL AND PRACTICED PENALTIES. IS THIS ALLOWED? AND ALSO DURING SHOOT OUT OPPOSITION KEEPER STOOD NEXT TO GOAL AND WAS TELLING COLLEAGUE WHICH WAY TO TAKE PENALTY. SHE WAS STANDING NO MORE THAN 4 YARDS FROM THE POST ON THE GOAL LINE

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
1. Yes this is allowed. The goalkeeper can be changed at any time in the game. The referee is informed and it happens at a stoppage. Indeed there was no need to change the goalkeeper during play as any player that is on the field of play at the end of the game can go into goal for the penalty kicks.
2. There is nothing wrong with practising during the period between the end of the game and kicks from the penalty mark begins. However the referee should ensure that KFTPM begin without delay and that is up to both teams to identify the order of penalty takers and to ready themselves in the correct positions without delay.
The only issue I have with the referee's handling of kicks from the penalty mark is that the goalkeeper of the player that is taking the penalty kick should be positioned on the field of play at the intersection of the penalty area line and the goal line. Having said all that as long as the goalkeeper did not distract the opposition GK and both stood in the same position then it is not a huge issue. The referee may have been unsure of the correct position or that it helped speed up the kicks. There is nothing wrong with communication between players even during KFTPM provided it is not done to distract during the actual kick. Indeed some players may not take kindly to being told what to do with their kick during KFTPM by a team mate.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Teams are allowed to swap the keeper with an on-field player at any stoppage after informing the referee. Time will be adjusted to compensate for the time it takes the teammate & keeper to get geared up correctly. This is not a substitution, although if it was an appropriate substitution opportunity, the keeper could be substituted for assuming there were substitutions left for his team.

During the KFTPM phase, the keeper who is not in goal is supposed to be off the field near where the penalty area line intersects the goal line (basically, behind the AR on that side). He should never be allowed to stand near the goal and 'coach' his teammates on where to kick the ball. This should be construed as interfering with the KFTPM process and should have been stopped by the referee at the first instance. If the referee deemed this to be unsporting behavior, a caution should be issued - although a warning would be in order before going to the card.


P.S. NO NEED TO SHOUT! All caps is like shouting, except it hurts the eyes instead of the ears.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Coach, of course this is a ploy. That's what you guys do all game long. Every tactic you use is a ploy. The question becomes: is the ploy legal? As long as the referee is informed this is not only legal but probably a good idea with the kicks phase possibly coming up.

Practicing is fine as long as the referee allows some time for it but the opposing goalkeeper once the kicks phase begins is to stand on the goal line where the penalty area boundary line intersects it and he is not allowed to coach his teammates or interfere with his counterpart