Question Number: 30118

Mechanics 2/16/2016

RE: Hypothetical Question

Gwyn Williams of Bridgewater, New Jersey USA asks...

With ten minutes left in a tied game the red team scores to go ahead. Before the ensuing kick-off the red team's captain tells you that the red team now does not want you to play any advantage that may accrue to his team. He wants you to blow for the offence and let his team take the free kick.
Do you listen to him and do what he asks?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi, Gwyn,
I was going to say a referee referees players play short answer NO but there is a maybe,
age appropriate advantage does dictate we pay attention to who teams wish to play and how skilled they might be to use it wisely or effectively. If they have a great dead ball striker they could prefer stop to go! Here you suggest they want to use up time on a dead ball. Referee simply reminds, If I WAS do as you ask I stop the watch after all we do not want to waste time do we?
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gwyn
Short answer is no. It is a matter for the referee to decide if he wishes to play advantage or not. Some advantages may be the best decision for the game such as a minor foul and the ball goes to a team mate who was going to be the recipient of the ball in the first place in acres of space with plenty of team mates close by or does the captain really want the referee to stop play when his star striker is fouled, recovers and is through on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat or where the ball is safely in the goalkeepers hands after a tame header from an offside player. Yes sometimes a team will prefer the free kick as it wants to go with a set play as that is in its opinion their best chance of a goal.
I would also say that referees do take signals from players. Sometimes we see a player that want to get on with play and the referee evaluates that from an advantage perspective. I saw in a Champions a League game last night a player get fouled and he catches the ball as he falls on the ground. No possibility of advantage so the foul is called. What the referee has to ensure that a team does not engage in time wasting on all restarts in the last few minutes and the less stoppages he can achieve the better. He also does not to benefit the fouling team by not calling the foul or playing a poor advantage.