Question Number: 26392

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/27/2012

RE: Select Under 19

Brian Butterworth of Bakersfield, Ca USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26347

This follow up question focuses more on the attempted trip part. Not sure if I quite understood your answer but are you saying that there has to be contact made for an attempted trip? Ie a defender slightly clipping the foot of an opponent but the player is barley affected?
A scenario I had as a CR during a U19 boys game was a defender (already on a yellow card for USB) came in behind an opponent on a running attack and attempted to sweep the legs out from under him. He completely missed. I yelled out "advantage, play on". I dont think the attacker even knew what had just happened. He went on to take a good shot on goal but missed. When play had stopped, I called over the defender, gave him his second yellow and sent him off.
When discussing the game after with my ARs they were mixed on their input. One said that nothing happened because there was no contact and it didnt affect play at all. I said that while it didnt have an immediate effect on the game, the team mates of the attacker who saw the attempted trip (take out) could have taken matters into their own hands had I not called anything. The other AR wasnt really sure. I told them that I had even considered serious foul play. More for what could have happened to the attacker had he actually been tripped from behind at that speed.
It was clear to me that the defender was trying to take the legs out of the attacker. But he missed. The attacker never even broke stride. Clear attempt to trip? Could you see this as SFP even though no contact is made?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Brian
There is no need for contact in an attempted trip or kick. As described the clear attempt to trip is a foul. The only question is the disciplinary action to be taken. IMO it could not be serious foul play as excessive force has not been used against an opponent. Had the player jumped lunged two footed in the air but missed the opponent that can be serious foul play. In your scenario the referee can caution for unsporting behaviour if in his opinion the the attempt was reckless. The Laws state that "Reckless" means that the player has acted with complete disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, his opponent.
Here is an example of a caution for a no contact foul. Had Rooney made contact with the player IMO it would have been a dismissal.

http://www.videowatchr.com/watch/gZJn4UgpjY4

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Attempting to trip means you definitely saw the opponent try to trip the attacker, but he was not successful. Contact is not required. In fact, although this is a relatively rare call, I'd guess that more often than not an attempt to trip does not involve contact.

Regarding misconduct, certainly it could be regarded as SFP if you thought the opponent was totally out of control. Or you could decide it was a yellow for USB as you did. Incidentally, USSF advises us that if you're sending off the player (whether direct red or second yellow) you should only invoke advantage if a goal will be scored imminently. No ball going in net within a second or two, call the foul and send him off.

Alternatively if you decided the challenge was neither reckless nor excessive, you could play advantage and then at the next stoppage have a nice dressing-down of the player. '#7, you're already on a caution. Don't be making challenges like that. You're lucky you missed or you'd be off the field.'

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

I concur with my colleagues. There is no requirement whatsoever for contact to occur to penalise a player for an 'attempt to trip'.

It is certainly possible for a player to commit SFP without touching the player - for instance, if he jumps in, straight leg and studs up right at the player but the player jumps over the leg, that could definitely be a red card.

While the effect upon play is typically a main determining factor in whether to consider something a foul, when a blatantly deliberate foul attempt has occurred we have no choice but to take action. As such, it sounds like your actions were completely appropriate, and you know better than I whether the attempt deserved a caution.

One thing though - when a player commits an offence that results in their sending off, whether a red card or second yellow, be very careful of applying advantage. I'd only look to apply advantage if it would be extremely disadvantageous to do otherwise. In short, only in extreme cases.

I've found that when you want to apply advantage from a cardable offence, the ball has a nasty habit of staying in play for a long period of time. How would it look if that player scores a goal in that time? Or something else controversial happens, and you need to fuel the fire by issuing a card that nobody remembers the reason for? I'm sure you can think of other things that can go wrong. In short, be very careful when applying advantage to any card, and extremely careful when a red card is involved.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'll go a bit further and say there is almost never contact when attempting to trip. If there's contact, it's almost always a trip or no foul. I can't remember ever seeing contact on an attempting to trip call.

What you describe easily was endangering the safety of an opponent even with no contact. A straight red would have been reasonable for SFP.

The Rooney video is also illustrative. His one legged swipe was at least reckless and deserving of a yellow card. Had he come in 2 footed studs up and missed or had made contact with the one leg, I'd venture to guess he'd have been sent off.

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

See Question: 26397