Question Number: 14553

Law 7 - Match Duration 12/5/2006

RE: Select Under 15

Rick of Cincinnati, Ohio USA asks...

I had a recent situation in a higher level BU14 game in which blue fouled white just outside of blue's penalty area with perhaps fifteen seconds remaining in the match. While the foul was not a blatant DOGSO, there certainly was the possibility that a scoring opportunity could have materialized for white and that by fouling, blue negated that possibility. Based on that reasoning, I allowed the DFK to proceed even though time expired (some of the players heard my timer go off) before white was able to set up and take the ceremonial restart.

Is this sort if reasoning correct and if so, how long should play be allowed to continue after the kick is taken? In thinking about it after the fact, I thought that maybe I should have informed the players that I would allow the DFK and one additional touch before blowing for time. I realize that the LOTG gives me some latitude in making this judgment but I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on how to manage this situation.

The coaches and parents of both teams certainly had their own ideas on how they wanted to see things proceed.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Rick,

A suggestion LOSE the watch that beeps or turn the beep off !
Given your description of events tactical foul to stop attacking play sure sounds cautionable??.
Ceremonial free kick is preferred after any card shown
Ceremonial free kick stop time add time lost

YOU are the keeper of time!

Although in law it specifies ONLY in a PK can time be extended. With the DFK or INDFK outside the area a match can NOT be extended what you can do is add time lost during the match!

Allowance is made in either period for all time lost through:

substitution(s);

assessment of injury to players;

removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment;

wasting time;

any other cause.

The allowance for time lost is at the discretion of the referee.

There is a HUGE difference in extended time and time lost appreciate that an extended match is LONGER than the 1 and 1/2 hour where adding time lost is still only 1 and 1/2 hours .

As you thought the foul was not cautionable, (reckless or TACTICALLY done )or send off material, (excessive or DOGSO), you enforce the right of the fouled team for a quick restart by ensuring the defenders hightail it out of there. If not caution for the delay of restart or failure to respect the ten yards and stop time ensuring the kick will proceed as a ceremonial one and some additional seconds to see what if?

If the team awarded the free kick is in no hurry to set up or fools around then that is about as dumb a tactic unless they are goals ahead or unconcerned about the outcome and just want play to end. In such cases to allow the time to run although you make that choice you based it on their choice!

Remember teams likely know that time is near completion so one team might be doing everything it can to waste it the other desperate for all of it.

Be aware of the reasons why a team does what it does and ensure that safe and fair play wins out! Tense moments do not let the one team who cheated waste them away, afford the aggrieved team the right for a restart and to finish with live play.

Say nothing to players about the exact time only whistle, point direction of foul, bark out "Move away now! to defenders, move to the foul spot if needed to sort players out watch for flash points, ensure eye contact with AR , point or look to watch and say "Time is winding down lets go gentlemen!" Tolerate zero defender interference, do not be afraid especially if the attacking team wants to or requests a ceremonial free kick and then tack on the 10 to 15 seconds to allow play after the free kick is taken. If a goal is scored allow the kick off and end a few seconds later. Look for ways to end a match non controversially and STILL in keeping with the spirit of the laws and the game itself!
Lost time? Just be sure it isn't.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

Rick - Technically/LOTG, you cannot extend time for the taking of anything but a PK. So, when taking a DFK you aren't "extending time." Having said that there is, as my colleague has pointed out, a difference between allowing for stoppages versus extending time. When I teach my classes on this point, I use the illustration of baking chocolate chip cookies. If the recipe calls for 2 cups of flour and you only have 1 3/4 cups of flour at the ready, you put what you have into your mixing bowl, keeping track of the fact that you still owe your cookies another 1/4 cup of flour. So, off you go into the pantry, or worse, the store, and get more flour. Add your 1/4 cup and viola! you have your 2 cups. You haven't EXTENDED the amount (i.e. put in 2 1/2 cups) you have simply filled in what was missing from earlier to equal 2 cups. This in soccer is the "STOPPAGE" time "added." Extending time means you have gone beyond the time allowed. (i.e. put in more flour then called for in your recipe). You can only EXTEND time for the taking of a Penalty Kick. I guess I could use an oil-changing scenario too, but chocolate cookies are much more fun!

Also - I echo whole -heartedly my colleague's advice to you about the loud watch. Silence that puppy or get one that doesn't beep or make a sound....what they don't know won't hurt you! and the less they know the better off you are when it comes to how much time. When I am asked how much time when there's less than 1 minute or so, my answer will usually be "not much." That satisfies them. They really don't care if there's 1:00 or :45.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

My colleagues have given you much to think about so not a lot is left to say. What I want to open is a discussion regarding situational awareness [SA]. The referee must know where he is on the park, where ALL the players are; especially the go-to guys, where the passing lanes are going to be and especially where in the match he is.

Knowing where in the match you are is necessary because there are different mentalities in different parts of a match. In the first few minutes the players know most referees are reticent to use disciplinary measures. In the last few minutes the same is true! Players are going to work a referee in these phases of a match. So to will a side leading by a single goal late in the match, they are going to try to let time slide. Here the referee must know this is happening, SA right??

The other side of things is a side down a goal and close to their opponent's penalty area or in it. They are going to fall down at the slightest touch, Right? The referee has had 90 minutes to figure out which player usually crumbles at the slightest touch and, hopefully, has rewarded this behaviour well before the last minutes.

Another part of where you are in the match is how much time is left! The referee who relies on his watch to audibly announce the end of time is dead meat if what happens to you happens to them! Play ahead, turn that sucker off or use a normal watch. My point is if worse comes to worse and your watch is heard by the players things are going to happen, usually they will just start complaining, the leading side anyway. Or the losers will try to punish the guys beating them. An alert referee is going to anticipate this and deal with it.

So here we are with a free kick at the top of the penalty area with seconds left to full time. Why was the foul given? Exactly, time is short!! Now if time is short is the referee going to his pocket? Not usually [you didn't, correct?]. Time is short, will the match end before the free kick can be taken? Oh, YES -- at least in high school or NCAA, not so much in a USSF match BUT some referees will blow for time when it arrives [you thought about that, right?].

Given all these things, I'll be willing to bet the foul was tactical in nature, was designed to end things in an advantageous manner and was given knowing he would get away with no booking, let alone a sending off [late in the match, right?].

Time is yours, ad as necessary, tell them how much you intend to add and take care of the stuff that will happen if the match is close. The beeping watch, Ref's Dawson and Hoelscher mentioned that...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Seems like we all have something to say about this. Likewise, the first thing I'd do is lose the beeper on your watch. It only tends to confuse everyone that hears it as you can't set it knowing how much stoppage time will be allowed. Now to your logic. I disagree with you. If you thought DOGSO had occurred you shoud have called that and sent the player off. Whether or not you allow the taking of the DFK should have nothing to do with the fact you were considering DOGSO. You add stoppage time for whatever reasons you want that you observed throughout the course of the half. When your timer went off, that signified the end of regular time. Surely something occured during the half that warranted you adding some stoppage time. I can't remember a game where I added no stoppage time. If you did NOT intend to add stoppage time you should NOT have allowed the taking of the DFK. As my fellow referees have pointed out, you are only allowed to EXTEND time for the taking of a penalty kick. That said, if you had decided to allow stoppage time I would NEVER,EVER tell the players they had a shot and 1 touch. You allow the stoppage time in your head, allow the kick to be taken and stop play when you decide stoppage time has elapsed. You would be wise to end the game when there is no scoring opportunity for either team amd simply blow your whistle indicating the game is over.

Answer provided by Referee Nathan Lacy

Alright, my turn to weigh in - there are some great suggestions given above by the other refs. As my mentor used to say when players would appeal with "that's a foul" he would say "It ain't nothing until I call it!!" My point? Time hasn't expired until YOU say so and not your watch going "beep beep beep." I use a watch with a beeper for a couple of reasons not the least of which is to draw my attention to when the 45 has passed and I am now into "added or injury time." Usually I catch it before it sounds off but if I don't I simply make a statement along the lines of "we are now into added (or injury) time." If asked how much time is being added I usually respond with something very nebulous such as "not much" or "a little over a minute" - something that leaves me a great deal of latitude and encourages the players to stay focused on the game and not worry about my timekeeping. One of the worst things I have found that I can do TO myself as a ref is to make some grandiose announcement and lock myself into some specific course of action. Would I ever announce "you'll get the kick and one more touch?" Not on your life!! Would I, on the other hand, have a quiet chat and tell a player that if they do "that" again that I'll book their butt? You bet, because that is now between me and them and not twenty plus other helpful "referees" who just happen to be wearing player jerseys or coaching attire. More food for thought. Hope it helps. All the best,