Question Number: 35307

Mechanics 12/31/2023

RE: Rec Adult

Skipper Limpert of Alton, Il. USA asks...

In employee games, once a winning team gets close to time, each time the goalie gets the ball, he falls and lies there for an extended period, But on the field, if a set piece takes too long, the ref will card the offender, Why are there different rules for these infractions? Dosen,t seem fair, both infractions are taking extra time trying to win, Thank you for your time,

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
They are different infractions.
In one the ball might get turned over as it is in play while in the other the restart stays the same. To my way of thinking I would love if soccer introduced a use it or lose it policy. If a team is tardy at a restart the ball gets turned over. Unlikely to happen yet plainly the caution is not working as intended.

The goalkeeper laying on the ball or holding it for an extended period can only be punished by an IDFK as the ball is in play. It is a rare offence and my experience is that the opponent generally put pressure on the goalkeeper by shouting about the time taken. That usually results in the ball being put into play. If I believed a goalkeeper was gaming the holding of the ball excessively the IDFK would be awarded. Taking a few more seconds is here nor there in 90 minutes.

In the case of delaying the restart a player is typically taking much longer than necessary to restart play. Again my experience is that players respond to pressure from opponents about getting on with play. When they do not respond a referee will intervene to warn the player. If that warning is not heeded then a caution is issued.

An experienced match official can manage these situations effectively or at least try to ensure the game is played without tardy restarts. The referee can and should convey instructions to the players to get on with play. The use of the whistle at restarts can be effective as it is a signal that the ball should be put into play within a few seconds of it sounding.
In the case of goalkeepers a referee can easily speak to goalkeepers at a stoppage to express concern about tardy restarts and that action will be taken. The same can be done with outfield free kicks.
As to goalkeepers not putting the ball back into open play from their hands again referees can and should impose themselves in such situations.
I watched a recent EPL game and the goalkeeper was somewhat taking his time on distributing the ball. In the scheme of things it probably was not a lot of time just more annoying for the team that is behind.
Teams know this very well and it will be used against them in other games. It has become common place in the modern game for tardy restarts, players walking to restarts, slow substitutions not to mention bringing the ball into corners to hold up play and perhaps win a series of corner kicks. So what goes around comes as all teams use these tactics.

IFAB has tried with law changes to deal with the most insidious of them such as the backpass rule and more recently requesting players to leave the field of play close to where they are located on substitutions. The EPL has clamped down on delaying the restart with more frequent cautions. I saw a couple at the weekend where a player went to take a free kick and then decided to call the goalkeeper forward to take the kick. A caution was duly issued to the player much to his chagrin. The other one was a player taking a shot after being whistled for offside with opponents stopped playing. Another caution for delaying the restart.
Law 12 spells out typical situations where a player must be cautioned
# appearing to take a throw-in but suddenly leaving it to a team-mate to take # delaying leaving the field of play when being substituted
# excessively delaying a restart
# kicking or carrying the ball away, or provoking a confrontation by deliberately touching the ball after the referee has stopped play
# taking a free kick from the wrong position to force a retake

Ultimately a referee can add on the lost time through added time.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Skipper,
unfortunately time delaying or time wasting actions are indeed part of the game.
Usually designed to give time for defenders to recover positionally or perhaps on restarts for either team to run the clock & use up time because, like you indicated, they are ahead.

My colleague Ref McHugh noted that there is a significant difference in the application of regulation on field delays before restarts commence after an actual stoppage (play is dead only misconduct can occur) versus covering a ball in open ongoing play (a foul could still be called).

First off keep in mind a referee has the discretionary power to add for wasted time. In all cases a referee could verbally warn the player or keeper while indicating with the hands to get up & get on with it. This is done when we are aware of no injurious circumstances that might effect their actions.

A red player as well as the red keeper who say falls on top of the ball during open play are NOT permitted to remain in such a state without making some attempt to get back up and continue. Now there is no reason they can not shield the ball as they try to regain their feet, nor are prevented from playing that ball on the ground.

However, a referee can hold a red player or red keeper outside their PA , accountable for PIADM (playing in a dangerous manner) if there are nearby white opponents, unable to play the ball safely and said white opponents refrain from trying to kick the crap out of him whilst on the ground! Such an infraction is an INDFK against the red player on the ground but likely no caution. This is more of a safety concern. If the white opposition were to immediately kick at the red player on the ground it could be a DFK in favour of red .

Whereas if the red player laid on top of the ball making no effort to get up, were not injured and no white opponent was hovering over top, this leans more in the realm of unsporting conduct and as such a yellow card could be shown resulting in a caution for essentially wasting valuable playing time and were in no way safety compromised. As such the white team receives an INDFK in their favour.

Given red Keeper inside the PA can use their hands on the ball and are blessed with 6 seconds of uninterrupted possession before being forced to release the ball back into open play. We all realize keepers are often sprawling and diving about into the feet of attackers so we cut SOME slack to recover after such saves before we are thinking about starting the 6 seconds of possession. Yet recovery time is a few seconds not a prolonged nap even if 6 seconds tends to translate into 8 to 10 fairly often, a referee can hold the red keeper who continually stretches that comfort zone accountable by imposing an INDFK in favour of the white opposition for failure to release that ball back into play as required! Always a controversial call but still one that crops up!

Generally a caution is NOT mandated as the red keeper foolishly just turned the ball over to the white opposition granting them a scoring opportunity by trying to waste a few seconds .
Now the principle difference in circumstances is USB actions taken AFTER a stoppage either involve delaying the restart or failing to give 10 yards is generally it is the defending opposition delaying so the attack can NOT continue, versus the other way I just discussed, where the red team with the ball does something foolish to give it away to white !

That is not to say the attacking team, once given the signal to restart, decides not too and figures on running out the clock so to speak, can certainly be cautioned for delaying the restart because the game has no other option but for that attacking team to restart.

A referee can caution a keeper for delaying a goal kick just as easily as cautioning a player refusing to take a free kick or corner or even a throw in. The key thing here is the restart DOES not change ! Goal kick remain a goal kick, should the keeper be cautioned for screwing about, if it was a 2nd yellow, then a red card now he is off and the team down to ten. Stupid actions result in harsh consquences ! But we are still going to get a goal kick.

Defenders trying to hinder an attack AFTER a stoppage are generally trying to give their teammates an opportunity to recover and the reason cautions are more prevalent is the USB act of delaying or failing to give the required distance, after just committing a foul, they are STILL actively seeking to play unfairly!

Referees do try to be proactive and warn players verbally to get on with it, not to play sillies! I love the fact we can add time if we feel one team is dragging their heels. I often point to the watch with a wry expression or a verbal comment indicating time is is limbo until you get going so little value other than getting carded. I find eye contact reaching into the top shirt pocket often inspires an immediate response. It is where the yellow card is kept! lol
It is the referee tolerance to what is acceptable in a match as players playing the game or trying to play the referee . lol