Question Number: 29112

Law 11 - Offside 1/19/2015

RE: Competitive Adult

Peter Wilson of Nairobi, Kenya asks...

This question is a follow up to question 22268

It doesn't seem like this question was answered as it's refereeing to the GK's own players at the other end of the field and not as people who have answered assumed at his end of the field. I've never seen a player being allowed to be in an offside position from a goal kick at the other end of the field i.e he manages to kick it the length of the field. Surely if this was allowed you'd see teams have at least their strikers standing right beside the other GK?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Peter
A player cannot be offside from any goal kick either from his own team or an opponents kick. So when the players own goalkeeper kicks the ball the length of the field of play then the player in an offside position can play the ball without fear of being called offside. If the ball is mis kicked by the opposing goalkeeper then that cannot be offside either.
The reason you don't see it very often is for the following reasons
1. The ball is not kicked that far.
2. The player is excluded from play on a subsequent touch by a team mate such as a header or kick on.
3. Defenders position themselves in the normal drop zone for a goal kick.
4. Teams can be concerned about having a player so far up the field of play and not part of subsequent play such as challenging for the ball or closing down should the ball be lost from the GK
So the answers given in 2009 were 100% correct and still correct today.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Peter,
Forgive my presumed arrogance, I saw it exactly as stated. The original question stated there was a player in an offside position down in the opposing end. I answered to that understanding.
There is in fact nothing stopping a striker to go down to the opposing keeper's penalty area and wait beside the other keeper for his keeper to pound the ball the length of the field if capable of doing so.
The initial GOAL kick is exempt from offside.
If the keeper at the other end of the 90 yard kick was to catch that ball but mishandle or drop it that striker is still free to play the ball it BECAUSE an opponent's deliberate play/touch will reset offside for the opposition to nothing to worry about! If the ball rebounds or deflects or is a deliberate save it will not change offside parameters in this case the original goal kick exemption is still in effect .
A tactic is only as good as the team can effectively implement it and in my case to explain it. I apologise for doing it poorly!
Cheers!