Question Number: 24493

Law 5 - The Referee 1/16/2011

RE: Competitive Under 19

Kevin of Philly, PA USA asks...

I was reading the 09/10 Advice to Referees and have a question relating to the application of advantage. The advice given in Sec 5.6 dicourages the application of advantage for fouls that happen early in a match, in front of team areas and for misconduct involving violence unless the chance of scoring is immediate.

I completely understand the need for stopping play immediately in cases of violence but what is the thinking behind discouraging the use of advantage in the other situations described?

If applying advantage is the same as calling the foul why would we adjust using it based on the the time in the game or what side of the field the foul occurs on. I know that if a defender is fouled in the defensive end of the field the opportunity to apply advantage is probably pretty slim but now we seem to be restricting its use on one side of mid-field. Relating to the time of the game the foul happens, how does this effect whether it is in the teams best interest to allow them to keep the play moving up field? I can see adjusting what is considered triffling based on the time and temrature of the game but why do we need to adjust advantage for other than game management calls which has always factored into the decision?

I just want to ensure that my thought process in line with how the game should be called in these situations.

Thanks in advance for your insights.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

One great value of the Advice To Referees is that we can gain wisdom from the experience of others without having to have suffered the mistakes from which the wisdom sprang.

Fouls that occur right in front of the benches tend to inflame teammates. They can lead to immediate retaliation (where the risk of mass confrontation is extreme). The players then respond to the actions/statements of coaches and substitutes (both their own and the opponents). Conversely, there is a lessor chance of immediate scoring opportunity from the corners of the halfway line and touchline. Calling the foul tends to settle the emotional response to it. Indeed, if it was a tactical foul designed to stop an imminent attack, a caution may be warranted and very helpful to match control.

Using advantage in the first few minutes of a match is high magic. The referee is trying to gauge what the players will accept, and players are trying to adjust to what the referee will allow. Letting 'that' go early in the match tends to produce more of 'that.' The referee must be very good at controlling the flow of the match to keep things from heading to disaster.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

The referee is never required to give advantage (it is a power, not a duty), so the question becomes 'when is it beneficial to a team?' As you noted, advantage is a tool in the referee's arsenal to manage the game. Early in the match, the referee may still need time to determine what the players want and need, so an advantage call may be premature and backfire. Offenses in front of team benches are best dealt with directly, for the safety of the players, and for the authority of the referee.

The Advice is just that - advice. There may well be situations early in a match that warrant the giving of the advantage - if the advantage is open and obvious and the offended team is looking at the referee for it, go for it. But early in the game is not necessarily the time for the referee to look for reasons to give advantage just because he can. As the Advice notes, such decisions 'should generally' be avoided in the named situations - generally meaning most but not all of the time. I like Ref Wickham's 'high magic' reference, because he's right - using advantage early in the match requires much skill and experience.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Kevin
Advice is what it is. If the referee believes that it is the best decision for the game to play advantage early door or in any location so be it. Referees' match control can depend on what happens in teh game in the first 10 minutes and it can set the tone for the rest of the game.
What the ATR gives is experience. Sometimes it is compulsory while other times it is not.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

First, you are obviously interested in doing your best and you should be commended for not only reading Advice but also for questioning it. It is unfortunate but true that we have instructors that don't even bother to read Advice so it's rewarding whenever we see referees utilizing Advice as is should be. Good for you!



The good people that put Advice together have many,many years of experience among them and we benefit greatly from their wisdom.

Giving advantage early in a match may not be a good idea as the referee is still trying to gauge what the players will and will not accept as fair play. The most difficult part of our job is reading the players.

A foul in front of a team's bench probably should be dealt with for game control reasons and the safety of the players.

But......Advice is not a "how to referee" book. You are free to give the advantage whenever you deem fit. Law 5 clearly gives you that authority. The authors of Advice are trying to give you the benefit of their experience when they make suggestions such as these concerning advantage. They have at the least made you think and question which is always a good thing