Question Number: 15350

Law 11 - Offside 5/1/2007

RE: Competitive Under 17

Jim Grossman of Rocklin, CA USA asks...

I was the AR for a game the other day and ran into this situation: The player for Team A was offside and the ball was played to him. He made an attempt to play the ball and I raised my flag to signal offside.

Oops...Before the offside player could play the ball another player who I did not think had a shot at getting to the ball, came from an onside position and played the ball. By this time the goalie had seen my signal but not the Center Ref and once the onside player got to the ball I dropped my flag and continued with play. No goal was scored but the goalie was not happy!

Even though it would have turned out to be an incorrect call should I have held my flag because the play was moving forward and I had signalled offside? Or was I correct to drop the flag and continue when I realised I was in error?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Jim, I'll bet you already know what my answer is going to be don't you. You've heard it in training and in a pregame meeting. The assistant is to flag for offside in this manner: one guy going for the ball - if he drags a defender with him or there is going to be a collision between him and the keeper, let me know; More than one guy going for the ball he'd better touch it OR a collision with the keeper is VERY probable. The other part, pumping the flag up and down, doesn't that show everyone present how indecisive you are?

Don't be so quick to signal your opinion regarding offside, there's always time to get it right, even if you get right after the fact!! The other side of that is too fast too early too wrong and even I'll see the flag and blow the whistle. Then we're all suspect.

Regards, C.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

OK, the keeper wasn't happy. By U17, how many times has he heard, "Play to the whistle"? Until the referee stops play, he's got to keep playing. The AR could be waving semaphore signals on his flag, and it doesn't matter.

When to signal for offside tends to be a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" proposition. If you wait and the onside player gets there, you look golden. But if you wait and the offside-positioned player gets involved, you look indecisive. If you don't wait and the onside player gets there, you look even worse!

Saturday I was the center ref in a game, and a ball went through to an offside-positioned player who promptly ran it down. My AR delayed his flag, but then popped it so I whistled. At halftime I asked why he had delayed. From his position he couldn't tell the angle of the ball's trajectory. Sunday I was an AR, and delayed an offside call. Sure, the offside-positioned player took off chasing the long-ball, but there was also a winger coming around on the left who might have gotten to the ball depending on where it bounced. Once it was certain the offside player was the only one to be involved, I snapped up my flag - and the center in that game questioned my delay. Both delays were correct, both calls were made correctly. Sometimes the correct thing just doesn't look like the right thing.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Quick flags are simply the curse of inexperianced. Pretend the flag is velcroed to your leg and you must first tear it free before you raise it. Players must not play the flag they MUST play the whistle! You will get a dirty look or a what the hey comment from time to time if you raise and drop or fail to raise at all. Be as focused as you can and limit the flutters. Good position is essential to see possibilities!
cheers