Question Number: 31876

Law 13 - Free Kicks 10/7/2017

RE: Competitive Under 16

Mark Watts of Pines , fl USA asks...

Free kick is called on top of the 18yd box. Referee signals 'on my whistle' to all the players then proceeds to walk the wall back 10 yds. As he is doing that the Goalkeeper is on her post ready to organize her wall as soon as the wall has met its 10yds. Ref gives the 10yds, and within a second or two he blows the whistle without giving the goalkeeper any time to organize the wall or move back into the center of the goal. They shoot into an open net and the goal counted.

Correct or no?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Mark,

The purpose of a free kick is to benefit the attack, not the defence. The referee isn't there to ensure the defence are prepared.
The ref walks the wall back. He will then run into position, and as soon as the ref is ready he blows the whistle. Then the attack will take a moment or two then start their runup. There's a good few seconds that elapses between the wall being set and the kick actually occurring. Ever goalkeeper and defender knows that once the wall is set, the kick can occur at any moment.

This goal is simply the keeper's fault for being unprepared. No keeper should be taking that much time organising the wall and remaining out of position after the wall has been set.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Mark ,
good goal
defenders need to be ready.
The referee did exactly as he stated
I see nothing to be outraged about?
A keeper does not wait, they set about planning the moment the foul occurs and they know a free kick is coming. There is no set time to organize given a free kick DOES NOT require a whistle it is a bonus for the defense to have one! .
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
The ceremonial free kick as it is referred to is to ensure that the 10 yards is put in place by the defending team. It is not there as a mechanics to assist the goalkeeper in organising a defensive wall. Goalkeepers should know that once the referee starts to move away from the wall into his viewing position that the whistle is imminent. To assume that the GK can stand organising defenders and not expecting the whistle is a coaching error
In this situation the goal was good.