Question Number: 28459

Law 18 - Common Sense 5/25/2014

RE: Select Under 17

Bob O'Brien of Plano, Texas USA asks...

On a field with steep inclines out of bounds, a defender goes to chase the ball after a missed shot. The referee does not stop the player, thinking the defender will quickly grab the ball and bring it back into play. The ball ends up rolling down quite a bit, and the player takes a while getting back.

A ball sits by the goal ready to use with the offensive team getting antsy wanting the game to go on. Do you:

A) Wait for the player to come back and add time to the end of the half to compensate?

B) Instruct the defending team to get the free ball and proceed with the goal kick, playing a man down until the player returns.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Answers are never just A or B.
If the referee believes that the defender's actions are to delay the restart of play then a caution is appropriate with the time added on. If he feels that the player is doing his 'best' then no disciplinary action is required and time is added on.
The referee should also consider this in his game management plan. For instance does he use one match ball or will multiple balls be used? Have all the balls that are likely to be used been checked? What has happened so far in the game in these type of situations? Has it been a regular occurrence and retrieving the ball is part of the game, or is it being done in a way to waste time? The answers will influence the decision that the referee makes. I would not recommend restarting with a player short and that also cause other problems such as dissent, re entry, concerns such as offside, etc.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee can hold up any restart when it is just. In this case, it is just to do so. It would, IMO, be inappropriate to compel a team to play short.

But, the referee also needs to consider the whether to caution the defender for delaying the restart. That too may be just, but a warning and a public announcement that time will be added often can suffice. The circumstances of the match will inform the referee as to the best resolution for the players and the game.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Bob,

I would argue that the referee has no right to order a team to play a player down just to save time - it's not like ordering a player to leave the field for an injury, or to fix his equipment.

If there's a nearby ball then the referee should try to get the player to use that ball instead - using voice and/or whistle to get his attention.

If it's a problem and it's having a significant impact upon the match, it may be worthwhile asking the captain for his assistance, to ensure you don't need to pull out the cards.

If you believe a player is delaying the restart of play it's certainly a caution. I think the only time you could look at making that decision would be if it's blatantly obvious (eg the player is next to the close ball, clearly sees it but runs after the far away ball, especially if he ignores your signals), or if it just keeps going on, and on despite all your attempts to manage it.

It's difficult to find a balance between protecting the game, and not being overly officious over what's likely an unintentional delay.

You would definitely apply stoppage time either way - and if there are multiple spare balls, it might be worth putting other ones behind the goal instead of spreading them around the field, or even asking the coach if there's anybody available to hang behind the goal to save time. All possible options.