Question Number: 15038

Law 7 - Match Duration 3/24/2007

RE: select Other

i.w of ontario, canada asks...

Fifa law provides max 15 minutes for half time. What happens if a team takes longer than 15 min? What can the ref do?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

There are times when a team takes their sweet time to return to the field as a deliberate ploy and times when the ooops factor is present. One requires a harsher reaction than the other. A coach who defies your instructions is setting himself for trouble as opposed to one who is still looking for the keeper jersey to switch and the gloves are missing is irritating but not as vital a challenge to your authority.

I always tell the teams when time is NEAR , two minutes coach so they can get there cheer in or last second tactical info. I blow my whistle to signal take the field with about 1 minute before the kick off and I start on time when all are on the field and accounted for. If a coach or the team likes to dog it I will warn them to hurry! I could caution those who do not for delaying the restart of play and if the doggers are not the ones taking the kick off I will consider starting the monument the doggers step on to the field regardless of the position they occupy, includes the keeper.
I have heard of referees starting matches with only one team on the field at the agreed time. Technically not allowed as
Law 8 Procedure
all players are in their own half of the field.
Better to wait till the required number are at least present on the field even if not in position to make the point
The fact that one team can play with a minimum of 7 players might have the remaining 4 scrambling back onto the field of play if play was to restart but these actions will foster hostile reactions and possibly if a goal was scored a protest could be upheld. Better to say get out here now please this is a warning. All late players could be cautioned for delaying the restart and coach you might find a seat in the parking lot for the remainder of the match.

Schedules and start times in highly contested venues make for little patience when matches run on beyond normal times. All matches in our old youth league had a fifteen minute forfeit as soon as 7 players were present we start no matter what!

The matches ended exactly 15 minutes from when the next match was to begin there were no exceptions! Every 90- minute match had a two hour window to be completed add on time if required could not go beyond that 2 hour time. A horn sounded ending any match currently being played.

If a coach or players were so obstinate aside from expelling the coach for acting in an unreasonable manner or cautioning players or abandoning the match record the actions in the match report so the league can decide if further action is required Mind you the above is an extreme action and in over 40 years I have never abandoned a match for failure to take the field if there were sufficient players to begin.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Well as stated earlier, the match cannot start until both teams are on their respective halves. The referee could caution any later arriving players for delaying the restart of play. I have only had to do this twice in my career. If it is a youth game, I blow my whistle and let them know its time a little before time is up.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

The side remaining off the park has placed the referee in a very bad position because no matter what he does there will be ramifications for the match. If he does nothing the other side will think less of him, he looses their respect. If he does nothing the side delaying the restart will think he is spineless, he looses respect. If the match is televised the commentators will have a go at him for inaction. If he disciplines some one or more than one he'll be overly officious. If he starts as soon as 7 players are on the park, he does not comply with Law 8.

Commentators will mention the gamesmanship exhibited though, usually, not in a manner derogatory to them. It will be more of a joke.

What can the referee do? Threats of sanction is always a possibility, of course. But when is the threat carried out? And against whom? The manager, the captain, who?

What's best is his match report, there he can write of the number of times he asked the side to return, to no avail, in hopes the league will deal with it in the strongest possible fashion, a loss of points!! Fines will have no effect on the behaviour because it is no longer a factor, the match is over and perhaps the side will not engage in the behaviour again that season. The damage has been done! Why repeat it -- unless it's found necessary to put off another opponent?

Therein lies the rub -- it will happen again should whoever thought it necessary in the first place think it will work again. Imagine a club loosing a Champions League berth because of a loss of points, a playoff berth, being forced into the relegation zone. At the professional level millions are involved, millions. In junior leagues championships are lost by one point. Egos suffer!!

Those that cause it will suffer a, sort of, natural selection by those who loose the money or prestige.

What can the referee do, make it hurt by his report of the incident...

Regards,