Question Number: 33855

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/28/2020

RE: Competive Under 16

YANG CAO of Plano, TX USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 33853

This is a follow up question to #33853.

I would like to make some clarifications for my second question in #33853 and hope to get some more answers.

I generally understand how to play advantage and issuing a yellow card during the next stoppage of play if need be.

But the game in my case is a little different. It was two U-16 high level competitive boys' teams. The two teams were number 1 and 2 in the state so the game was very competitive and intense.

The player from Team B who committed the tactical foul to try to stop the counter attack did not already have a yellow card before the foul.

I played advantage and then the goalkeeper for Team B got the ball (so the play was still active). I thought the advantage had been fully realized.

But, I did NOT want to wait for the next stoppage time (sometimes, during other games, I would have to wait a few minutes before there is a stoppage in play) since it might have escalated further, such as: pushing, shoving and even violent conduct.

I wanted to prevent any unnecessary escalation from happening.

So, I could think of two options for me in that case:

1. Even if the goalkeeper from Team B had the ball (so play is active), I still would blow the whistle, gave the yellow card to the player from Team B who committed the foul. In this case, by rule, I was required to give a free kick to Team A at the spot of the foul. But I did not think it was fair since advantage had been fully realized. Team A would have had two chances.

2. Waited for the next stoppage of play. But, something bad could happen (even violent conduct for revenge) during this time since they were U-16 boys. I did not want that to happen.

Are there any options besides the one I have listed?

Thanks again for answering my questions.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Yang,
you had two options and that was

(1)decide the advantage was clearly established allow play to continue and caution at the next stoppage .for the misconduct of the foul itself.

(2) decide the advantage was NOT clearly established, cautioned the defender & restart with a DFK or PK for the attacking team

You tried to find a 3rd to offset possible retaliation In either option that you did had you COULD interject a verbal component that SHOULD set that retaliatory issue aside IF the players were so informed of the consequences.

I often communicate to my ARS the # and color of the defender who committed the foul is in the books even as I signal 'Advantage!' and then later when I add the, 'Play on! '& drop the signal thus INFORMING all we are NOT going back to the foul My AR will remember that player is on a caution so I will not forgot. The players should be smart enough to grasp this as well.

IF the soon to be carded player was engaged in provoking an opponent hoping to draw a retaliation THEN that could be reason to stop play and restart with an indfk against him to show the card. In fact it might be suffice to award a double caution and send him off.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Cao,
After reading your new explanation, I must agree with the other referees that since you played the advantage and did not whistle for the tactical foul when it occurred, a caution should not have been given.

I think that with the intense nature of the game, a strong verbal warning for the tactical foul that was heard by the opponents would have worked for you, but again I was not in the game and it was your decision to make.

I am very impressed that you were working a game between the top two high school teams in Texas, and I hope that the remainder of your high school season is successful.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Yang,
You say you played advantage and felt that it was fully realized. I'm afraid that in that case, to use an old saying, ''you've made your bed so you'll have to lie in it.'' If you go back to the original foul, not only team A but also you, would be getting two bites at the cherry. You can't both allow the advantage to play out to completion and also go back to penalise the original offence.

I agree with ref McHugh that you really only have two options, stop play for the offence and caution straight away or, if you've allowed the advantage, wait for the next stoppage to issue the caution.

I can sympathise with your wish not to let things develop in an undesirable direction but unfortunately I don't see any way in Law to justify going back to the original foul.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Yang
As the foul was tactical and advantage had been played and fully realised then the option to stop the game has passed so the referee has to wait until the next stoppage.
Your comment that it would be unfair to grant Team A another opportunity says it all.
As to potential retaliation that is a matter for the referee to consider in playing advantage in the first place. If a referee believes that there is potential for *afters* then advantage should only be played in obvious situations where it would be unfair to stop. In games where I know the mood is getting charged then the last option for me is advantage and certainly not on a card unless it has the potential to *upset* the attacking team by doing so on a potential goal scoring situation.
In fact by allowing advantage, the team get an opportunity to create a better situation than a free kick and to then stop play to card will add ire to what may be an already charged situation.
Final thought is that sometimes we just have to *accept* the outcome of a situation and hindsight might have told us that dealing with a situation differently may have had a different outcome.
Players have to understand that they are governed by the Law and to take matters into their own hands has consequences. Yes a referee can and should do his upmost to deal with those consequences yet he has to use the Law to do so. In fact stopping the game can allow all sorts to kick off instead of playing on