Question Number: 22929

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/11/2010

RE: competative Under 14

Chris of London, England asks...

Whilst watching a local league game recently I noticed that the goal keeper was struggling to take goal kicks, barely getting them out of his own penalty box. Eventually a defender took over by taking the goal kick as a throw in as would be if the ball went out of play over the side line. Is this allowed within the laws of the game or should the referee have made them take the goal kick again using his feet rather trhan his hands?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It is a goal KICK. Since we can't kick with our hands, the restart would have to be retaken until the team finds a kicker who can get it out of the penalty area.

Taking it with the hands is not permitted.

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Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

No. A throw- in is proper only if the ball leaves the field past a touchline.

With very young players (with no one who can kick the ball far enough for the ball to leave the penalty area) adjustments are sometimes made so that the kids can play the game. They may move the restart closer to the edge of the penalty area or shorten the size of the penalty area - - things that also are not proper under the laws of the game, but common sense solutions.

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Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Chris
On a goal kick the ball must be kicked from a point within the goal area and there is no provision for the ball to be thrown or kicked out of the hands??
Why a defender would replace the GK with a TI does not make any sense as the defender would be allowed to kick the ball on a GK if it where a distance issue.
However with very young player in small sided games it could be a local modification to encourage play rather than kicking the ball the distance of the playing area. This however could be achieved on a restricted goal kick without this particular modification of using a TI. In some U10 games that I do the ball cannot be kicked beyond the half way line on a GK and the same goes for the goalkeeper punts in open play. On larger pitches I have seen a local rule at underage to allow the goalkeeper to put all GKs back into play out of the hands. These modifications are allowed for underage in particular competitions same as rolling subs, small goals, restricted penalty areas, kick ins instead of TIs etc.

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Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

It is definitely not allowed for a player to throw the ball at a goal kick. I fail to see how this is a better option - after all, every player I know can kick it further than he can throw it.

The distance between the edge of the goal area and the edge of the penalty area is only 12 yards. If the goalkeeper can't make the distance, then it's the team's responsibility to find a player who can. If nobody can make the distance, then perhaps the referee could consider allowing the goal kick to be taken a little closer to the edge of the penalty area - but as long as the ball is getting out of the penalty area and to the players then that's often sufficient.

In my old local association, at U/10 and U/11 level we permitted goal kicks to be taken from about level with the penalty mark.

I recently refereed a school match, girls of around 11-13 years old (not sure exactly, but it was one of the younger years in high school). Often in these games we get players who haven't played before, and this particular match was extremely one sided (play rarely left one team's penalty area). Unfortunately this team had not learnt to kick the ball and it often trickled out of the penalty area, if it made it that far. Basically, it made a farce of the concept of the goal kick, so I permitted them to take it in line with the penalty mark just so we could have some sort of competition at the goal kicks.

The kicks still usually rolled along the ground straight to the opposition, but at least it was doing more than trickling out of the box with players standing on the edge waiting for the ball.

Whilst strictly not within the laws of the game, it's a lot closer to the laws than some sort of throw in.

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