Question Number: 15956

Law 11 - Offside 7/6/2007

RE: Under 15

Kyle Kenney of Ontario , Canada asks...

You guys are no help..
All you do is flame me just for asking a question. And Chuck, I do know what an offside is. You misread my question.

I shall repeat it in a way where you guys can understand...

Player A beats the second last defender, then a teammate who was in an onside position (Player B) when
the player beat the second last defender runs ahead of Player A and receives a pass. This is not an offside, correct?

Since you guys didn't help me out. I had to e-mail some of the veteran referees in my city. I got mixed answers. Some say yes, some say no. What're your views?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Well Kyle I repeat, you do not understand offside. Did you read the little paper about offside? It answers your question, and does so in every case.

Note, you say a player ran past the second last defender. Fine. Where were all the other opponents? That's what offside is judged by, opponents and by the way the position of the ball.

The reason the other referees in your city gave conflicting answers is because you write in a manner not easily understood.

All you need know is where the ball is when a team mate passes it, because anyone nearer the goal line than the ball and the last but one opponent is in an offside position, hey that's what I said in the little paper.

Read, then ask yourself after you read.

When judgment of offside position is necessary, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his OWN team ask these questions:

1. Is the player in the attacking half of the field?
2. Is the player nearer the goal line than the ball?
3. Is the player nearer the goal line than the last but one opponent or the last two opponents?

If all are answered yes GOTO next paragraph ELSE IF any question is answered no, the player is not in an offside position and can participate in play until the next touch by a member of his team. At that point GOTO question 1.

The player is in an offside position, ask two more questions:

a. Is the player interfering with play or an opponent?
b. Is the player gaining an advantage?

If either of these is true or becomes true before the next touch by one of his OWN side then the assistant flags for offside and the referee blows for the infraction and awards an indirect free kick, to be taken from where the attacker was at the moment the ball was touched or played by a member of his own team.

Remember that it is not contrary to the Law to be in an offside position. After the ball is played a footballer may run into an offside position and play it without penalty. When a player is in an offside position and the ball is touched or played by a colleague that player may not get involved, without penalty, even if the ball bounces off an opponent or an opponent misplays it.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Kyle, this question doesn't have enough information to answer. You said Player A beat the 2nd to last defender - good for him! But where was he when a teammate last touched/played the ball? Then you talk about Player B who was in an onside position when Player A made his run - but where was B when the ball was last touched/played by a teammate?

The reason we called you to task was that you introduced yourself as a referee, and then asked several questions which should be known by all referees, even those who might just be starting out. We referred you resources to check. Beside that, you have the text of the Laws of the Game available to you, which also answers your questions.

Answer provided by Referee Jon Sommer

I think we are helping you in the best way possible, by strongly advising that you retake your qualifications. I'm not going to beat around the bush, you do not have a good enough grasp of the laws of the game to be stepping out onto a field alone with a whistle.

Regards

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Kyle,
not sure what question you are referencing? But you are not correct!

If you are officiating as a referee at the u-15 level you really need to grasp some basic stuff to effectively do a match! As to being flamed or targeted in harsh words as a referee with any backbone such salvos should not affect what needs to be done. While we can agree to disagree with how information is to be displayed or interpreted dissent is a common problem. I commend you for responding to make your point even if we see it as pointless.

You describe a situation in words and words do not always effectively prortray the minds eye view of a situation.
Once a ball is dribbled past the second last defender by an opponent the opponent's team mates are no longer restricted by a second last opponent! The location of the ball at the moment it is last touched by the ball carrier determines whether or not they can participate in play.

When you see those imaginary lines drawn across the field to show if a player is on side or offside you need to be aware that if the second last opponent is not present we also must factor in the ball's location along that imaginary line with respect to being onside or off side.

Player A carries the ball into the opposition area and evades the 2nd last opponent. His team mates follow along and run onto the ball that Player A pushes out ahead of him? As long as the team mates are behind the ball when it is last touched (pushed ahead) they can chase it down !

They must be BEHIND or even with the ball (NOT the TEAM MATE) when it is last played forward by their team mate. Remember ANY playable body part that is the opposing goal line side of the outer curve of the ball renders the player offside positioned at that final last touch of the ball.

I state this because a n extended foot or leg that pushes the ball ahead is the stride length of that player so a teammate could be slightly ahead of the stride but STILL behind the ball when it is played forward!
I hope this explains what you seek!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

We need to know if player A was in an offside position when his teammate last touched the ball. If player B touched the ball before player A, then it is most likely NOT offside as player B was not in an offside position. If another player on his team (perhaps player A) was in an offside position and interfered with play some how (impeding opponent, verbally distracting opponent) then player A could be penalized for being in an offside position. Again, you give us no info as to whether or not player A was in an offside position - so it is hard to address your question.