Question Number: 29267

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 3/25/2015

RE: AYSO U12 Under 12

Karl Gajdusek of Los Angeles, CA USA asks...

Hi there,

This season more than any other I am finding time and time again the player about to take a corner kick looking to me for a whistle or some indication that they can take the kick. I usually respond by pointing to them and saying something like 'Go ahead' but am I doing something wrong here?

Unless I have stopped play to intervene in some manner (injury, foul, misconduct in the line-up for the kick) then I should stay out the way and not get involved when the corner kick re-start is taken, correct?

Also, the attacking team does not have to wait for the defending keeper to get all his defenders the way he wants them, correct?

I believe that in the case of the corner kick, like the free kick, the attacking team has the right to a quick re-start if they want without a whistle from me and so after indicating the corner kick I stay out of it unless some other business requires me to stop play. Am I wrong in this?

Thanks,
-Karl

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Karl
Yes you are correct. There is no requirement for a corner kick to be on the whistle except where there has been an *intervention* by the referee to deal with a substitution, caution, injury etc.
Now I don't believe you are doing anything wrong. Players have now just become accustomed to the use of the whistle. I tend to use the whistle as little as possible so that players dont need to *hear* the whistle as a cue to restart every single time.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Karl,

I find that this does happen in some grades - it can then make it difficult if, for instance, the opposing team takes a quick free kick at some point.

I think you would only be doing the players a disservice by promoting the idea that they need to wait for the whistle. I would respond the same way you do - if it's clear the players are waiting for me, then 'Play!' will be enough.

As for your second question - the attacking team definitely does not have to wait for the defence to prepare. If they want to take it quickly they have that right, like any other restart.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Karl,
unfortunately in todays match climate there is a great deal of commotion going on in front of goal and the keeper, at a corner kick . I suspect the whistle is now used more to restart as a referee is routinely busy sorting out the actions in front of the goal. Thus the quick restart principle is not really allowed to flourish because of his constant intervention. In youth often substitutions are permitted on corner kicks which also create whistle intervention. Below is the additional instructions that outlines the truth but the paragraph at the bottom reflect the reality of many corner kick encounters, Something to consider this free kick, while it can be taken quickly, is NOT a foul, it is simply getting the ball back into play

The whistle is NOT needed to:
• stop play for:
– a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in
– a goal
• restart play from:
– a free kick, goal kick, corner kick, throw-in

A whistle which is used too frequently unnecessarily will have less impact when
it is needed. When a discretionary whistle is needed to start play, the referee
should clearly announce to the players that the restart may not occur until after
that signal.

Cheers

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

See Question: 29273