Question Number: 29553

Law 11 - Offside 7/24/2015

RE: Intermediate Under 13

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29552

I have 4 follow-up questions:

1) Referee Joe McHugh showed a link (http://garcia-aranda.com/offsideifab/eng004video007.html) & then posed the question as to whether it was a deliberate play or a deflection. As I looked at the video, it appeared to be deliberate (as the defender back heeled the ball (or sort of side heeled it). However, it appeared to be a deliberate save, as he was trying to clear it. Does anyone agree with that or must it be a sure goal for there to be a deliberate save?

2) There is another issue that the rule change brings up. I wish I could remember the exact game from about 2 years ago, where A1 kicked a long ball down the right touch line. A2 was offside & knew it. He sort of danced toward the ball until a defender got it right near the touchline. A2 immediately challenged for the ball & was called offside. Under the current rules, would this still be offside? (The defender deliberately got the ball, but was immediately pressured.) And challenging a defender for for a ball is still interfering with a defender. However, what if the PIOP waited until the defender controlled the ball. It used to be that after the defender controlled the ball, offside reset. Now I think it's a little unclear what has to transpire before a PIOP can challenge. Any explanation would be welcome.

Thank you,

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
The reason I posed the question on the video is to show that it is a matter of opinion. Whoever or what ever committee that prepared the video opined that it was a deflection. I agree with that yet other see a deliberate play in this. From the video we can also see that there was no debate about the offside call as the PIOP was without doubt clearly in an offside position and interpreted that it was gaining an advantage by being in that position. The difficulty will arise if the referee determines perhaps after a raised offside flag that it was a deliberate play and allows play to continue or that it is not called.
As regards deliberate save the Law is vague on this and we are left to seek interpretation from our associations on this. These interpretations are given to our most senior referees. UEFA has opined that deliberately playing the ball requires a clearly deliberate act of a player making a clear movement towards the ball while the quality of this action is to be ignored by the referee.
A deliberate save can be compared to a goalkeeper's save. It is applicable for every player on the pitch though and means that a potential goal is prevented from being scored by this save.
In the video I posted I would not consider that to be a save as the ball was headed away from goal. It was either a deliberate play or a deflection.
On your second point again it is a matter of judgement. Clearly we expect a player in possession of the ball to be challenged at some point. In the case of a challenge by a player in an offside position the referee must consider whether the defender had sufficient time to play the ball in an unfettered / unchallenged manner. Clearly there will be examples of clear offside on an immediate challenge and then there will be grey areas of the defender being challenged not immediately but almost. That is a judgement call based on context and the way the play unfolds.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
there is a degree of ambiguity when OPINIONS decide yes or NO decisions. .
Offside law as it is CURRENTLY interpreted has flaws in an offside attacker can indeed affect play without penalty just from perceived pressure of close proximity and yet NOT be held accountable for any challenge.

There is NO offside offence if a defender deliberately plays the ball and THEN is challenged because offside is reset for the opposition, there is only an offence if the PIOP challenges the actual defender's attempt to play the ball.

The deliberate save generally involves the keeper but can be attributed to defenders' goal line clearances that prevent the ball from crossing the goal line under the crossbar and between the posts without the keeper in behind. There is in my opinion GREATER latitude for the keeper as balls that might not necessarily have entered the goal could still be looked upon as a deliberate save including crosses or balls directed high or wide.

As I have previously stated deflections and rebounds that DO NOT reset offside must in the opinion of the referee impact the player without his knowledge or at a speed and distance where there is no time or space to react effectively by choice. What is difficult is long time officials used to calling offside for miskicks or flubs cannot easily make the transition to new offside protocols. Although I encourage the offside reset criteria as THINKING it is similar to DH (deliberate handling) just not conditional to the arms but all body parts
ball hits player = no offside reset
player hits ball = offside reset
One only has to review the numerous and in my opinion often terrible DH decisions on many matches across the globe to realize there will be similar misjudgements on the resets for offside as well!
Cheers