Question Number: 30641

Law 11 - Offside 7/30/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Freya of Denver, Colorado USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 30621

My question is about what constitutes a 'rebound' to a player in an offside position.

In the recent (29 July 2016) Spurs v. Athletico game, Godin in an offside position scored a goal after the ball came off a defender's head.

Presumably the referee interpreted the header as a deliberate action which reset the offside situation. For many people the header was simply a deflection or rebound - it seems obvious the defender didn't deliberately play the ball.

So how does a referee interpret what is deliberate and what is a rebound?

Is there a guideline e.g. is a rebound only where the player made no attempt to play the ball? So simply the act of trying to play the ball (regardless of whether it is possible to make a play) followed by some contact is enough to reset the offside?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Freya
Interesting one. Clearly the AR saw the header as a deliberate play rather than a deflection so it was a reset of the offside.
My association UEFA has come up with an interpretation which can be viewed here
http://www.law-11.com/uploads/2/7/9/0/27904083/8626672_orig.jpg
Based on the guidelines the header would be seen as a reset as the ball was played. It probably does not sit well with many as historically this would be seen as offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Freya,
offside despite being recently overhauled STILL has the OPINION of the referee attached to any implementation of the criteria.

A DELIBERATELY headed ball that SAVES a goal is adjudged the SAME as a rebound or deflection in NOT resetting offside. However ANY time the defender DELIBERATELY plays the ball it counts as a new touch by the opponent thus USUALLY alleviates the oppositions restriction of previously offside players.
Think a bit on how you determine if a player deliberately HANDLES a ball?
You are aware if it accidently hits the arm play should continue. In retrospect if you think a ball accidentally hit the head then it IS a rebound. If a goal WAS allowed the officials did NOT think that occurred, thus the goal was allowed. Even here on this panel we often engage in discussion as to the merits of certain calls even after dissection of slow play visual review and we still are not in agreement! lol
cheers