Question Number: 14835

Law 11 - Offside 2/12/2007

RE: Select Under 14

Paul Petersen of Victoria, BC Canada asks...

Hello,

We had an interesting offside call on the weekend. Our player shot from just outside the 18-yard-box. The ball struck the right hand post and rebounded to our own player in front of the goal. At this point, the linesman raised his flag and the ref blew for offside.

Presumably, the player called offside was in an offside position but not involved in the play when the shot was taken. However, they became involved when the ball rebounded off the post. This may be the correct call, but it is a little confusing since the ball came to the player from in front of them.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Paul,
I followed the logic, things were looking good and gaining an advantage was inferred so it appears offside was the correct call but right at the end you lost me?

quote "but it is a little confusing since the ball came to the player from in front of them?" end quote .

The fact that once a player is deemed unavailable by reason of offside position at the teammates last touch of the ball (here the shot from just outside the penalty area)many positional changes to both players and the ball will occur so that things look different when the second part of offside (involvement) kicks in, here it was a rebound of the ball off a post that bounces the ball towards them you forget that the ball must of passed them first when the offside position was established!

The definitions of Gaining an advantage in active play by being in that position means playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or the crossbar having been in an offside position or playing a ball that rebounds to him off an opponent having been in an offside position.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Good call. If the player was in an offside position at time of kick and ball rebounds from the post back to this player, then it was a good call on the asst. referees part.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The deal with offside is this: those player[s] in offside positions when the ball last touches a colleague can't involve themselves until they are not in offside positions and their guy touches the ball again, the defence gains control or the ball is no longer in play. That's the only way to keep the assistant's flag at his side [assuming a competent assistant anyway].

Yes, when looking at things as a player it does tend to get confusing, so remember it's not an offence in itself to be in an offside position but if you are and the ball comes from your guys you can't get involved. All one needs to do is pay attention to where the opponents are and adjust...

Regards,