Question Number: 29456

Mechanics 5/31/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29453

I'm confused about the mechanics described by Referee Dennis Wickham & Referee Richard Dawson.

I've been told by referee mentors that, when running from one end of the field to the other, I should try to stay out of the middle...that my run should be sort of a lazy 'S'...so that my AR is almost always in sight. This does keep the play between my AR & myself.

Of course, it's nice to anticipate plays, but at U10 & even U12, the strategy is often 'kick the ball toward the other end of the field' & hope for the best, so there's a lot of running.

If I'm understanding what is said here, the 'lazy 'S' running' is not recommended. Is that right? And is Referee Dawson saying to run parallel to the touchline, toward the AR?

e.g. if goals are set up on the North & South ends of a field and you are, say, on the Northeast side of a field, facing AR2, with the play between you & the AR. Now the ball is kicked toward AR1. Are you saying that I should run straight North toward AR1, even though that puts both AR1 & myself on the same side of the ball?

I appreciate any clarification.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
When discussing positional decisions you must remember we talk mostly in generalities. You are not incorrect in thinking staying out of the passing lanes in the middle of the field is a wise generally efficient motion. It is essential to maintain eye contact so yes you do try to ensure you and the ARs are cast adrift for only short durations if at all.
I can not say if that a straight line approach in your situation is what is required. If the play was headed up the touchline, then yes temporarily you need to regain lost ground. It could put you out of eye contact, so get into eye contact position at the first opportunity afforded to you. Eye contact is certainly important but SEEING the play is even of greater importance . Being able to see the AR on the far side of the field if you are 40 yds from play is not where you want to be. While there is NOT a specific distance you will...GENERALLY...vary between 5 and 20 (10 to 15 is the general distance) and can even get further on a punt out or free kick waiting for the ball from 40 to 50 yds away.

If I see a pattern where no pressure is placed until the ball carrier is up at the mid, I back off and expect the pass. Looking around to see what's is going on, shoulder checks, thumbs up to the AR. A player who is not pressured does not need you 5 yds away or even 20 if he begins to advance into trouble then we close ranks but aware of the impending pass. Also youth ...BECAUSE... they like to run and gun it is in fact easier to anticipate clearances rather than dribbling forays so we adjust.

Let me ask you when the keeper gains ball control with his hands you anticipate a punt out. Your position will be determined by how well he does this. Once satisfied the play no longer requires your presence, off you go to where you think it will be required. Rather than follow the zig zag of a ball you run a straight line to get there faster. That straight line could be a diagonal run across the field it just usually is not following the ball path but trying to head into where the ball is eventually going to get to. Rather like a beaten defender along the touchline he falls back into the middle of the goal rather than chase a faster player to cover a shorter distance, to get back into effective position.

In essence positional play is rather like advantage, you do it well and things work out, you look like a genius, it fails, you look, well you know what it looks like lol

The diagonal system control is ...one... feature that guides the movement of a soccer referee, it is not a dictatorial route that is unyielding to necessary intervention or change. It is based on the fact another set of eyes from a divergent angle is there to HELP, but remember, that help is quantified by his duty to offside. Every referee needs to be fit and active on the field, moving with the ball so as to ensure he has a close eye on all actions. He has to do this without interfering with the play, to be positioned in a way that it is unlikely to happen. The referee remains flexible on how fast to move ,whether to back-pedal &/or jog or sprint. The referee decides when to ...leave... the diagonal run path in order to go to the next best position. The referee completes the transition across the field when the time is right.

Draw 2 pictures of a 110 yd by 70 yd soccer field, on the one draw a dotted diagonal line between the outer edge of the corresponding PAs on the other drawing do the same but make it the s bend through the middle, extend the s across the top of the PA cutting through the arc. Now think on the width of the field where the ball could go and draw straight lines out and away from both sets of dotted lines to areas of the field you might have to get say every 5 meters along the line. Put a < on the end of each line leading away from the diagonal main line. It will look a feathery boa radiating tentacles both sides of those dotted lines into the areas of the field you will have to ...LEAVE... that diagonal to be able to see the play. When I talk straight lines I am ...generally...talking about recovery and or anticipation to be somewhere ahead of play. But if you put yourself at the end of any of the < lines think a bit on getting to another end of another < line else where of that diagonal if play is changed quickly?

An anomaly is an incident that occurs only once.
Teams tactically play into the corners, cut into crosses, go wide for space, they do this all the time! HISTORICAL perspective is calculated and so we came up with the diagonal system to cover ...EVERY... eventuality. If you follow the mechanics and technology an average medium of movement is extrapolated . The referee actions on the FOP consist of : walking, (37%), jogging (26%), running (20%), sprinting (6%) back walking (6%) and back running (5%)
to a maximum distance of 10,000 meters for a full out match with extra time.

Normally I do not start with a position near the goal line just outside of the PA on a throw in but if big arm McGurk is hitting the far post with a powerful long throw we need to adapt.

In my youth even up to my 50s I was fast, essentially faster than the players. I could run 100 meters in 11 seconds not world class but faster than 98% of most. What I do, I do because I could. I like to be AHEAD of play as often as I can so if play is right sided I will be wide to touchline and move back in to the diagonal rather than chase out. If play is left I tend to be middle of diagonal and extrapolate the play to follow out of the diagonal and or drift back in. I often rotate around the play as it develops, using straight lines to get me close or recover back into the diagonal if play suddenly reverses itself. My S pattern the top of the s will extend to the left PA corner not stop at the right, it will cut quite close to the touchlines on either side where the ARs are not and tends to not cut through the mid circle very often but rather around it.

You choose the path that best gets you where you need to be.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

On a counter attack, as soon as the referee tries to go behind the players to get to the left side of the field, the referee cannot see the foul. Particularly when dealing with a potential denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity, the referee needs to get a good angle on any play. From behind, the referee has a poor time seeing who fouled whom, if it was a fair or foul tackle, whether the arms were used to cheat, and the relative position of the ball and players. When the keeper is also rushing forward, the referee needs an angle to watch who collides with whom.

This means that the referee needs to continue to run forward following a counter attack to maintain a 30 degree angle until a safer moment to move back to the normal diagonal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
Viewers of the last World Cup will have noticed a different control path method used by referees. Referees were encouraged to be well ahead of the ball and also to come well off their diagonal which then places the referee almost on the opposite diagonal.
The challenges with this system is that it
1. Narrows the control area between the CR and lead AR very tightly
2. Places the referee many times centrally and in traffic
3. On counter attacks it means that the CR is well out of position.
4 European Referees would not be familiar with the control path.
Now whether it was a good advice or not is a matter of debate. However if it is requested by the Referee Committee / assesors that is what the referee must adhere to.