Question Number: 28412

Law 16 - Goal Kick 5/11/2014

RE: Premier Under 14

Wendy of Greenwich, CT USA asks...

On a goal kick, the goalkeeper puts the ball down and backs up to take the kick. After a few seconds, she runs up to the ball and moves it to the other side of the goal area and then quickly takes the kick. Is this legal?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Under the laws of the game, the referee can treat it as delaying the restart of play. But, referees should warn the kicker not to waste time and to leave the ball once it is placed. (Caution if warnings are ignored.) For u-littles, my experience is that it really doesn't waste time, nor does it bother the players, except when it becomes a tactic after a team gets a lead.

The approach of the high school (NFHS) rule is different. There it is illegal. But, the application of the rule is the same as TLOG. The player is warned, and the goal kick is retaken. (Caution is warnings are ignored.) My experience is that high school age players do use this as a delaying tactic and it does bother the opponents.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Wendy
If this is done to delay the restart of play then the goalkeeper is cautioned and the restart is still a goal kick.
Many times what happens is that at Underage the GK has been told to take a kick from a particular side by the coach of the goal area and then forgets. The change is not intended to waste time or delay the restart. A quite word with the GK is suffice.