Question Number: 16529

Law 11 - Offside 9/2/2007

RE: competitive Other

Mark Younker of NY, NY USA asks...

I was always under the impression that a player could only be considered offside if the ball was played forward. I recently took an entry level referee course where I was instructed that a player can be given offside with the ball being played back in some situations. would anyone like to comment on that.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Yeah I'd like to make a comment; when you are in an offside position and the ball is touched or played or kicked by your team mate you may not participate until one of three things happen no matter in which direction it is kicked. First is you have attained a position that is no longer offside and then the ball is again touched by your side, second -- the opponents gain control of the ball, not just touch or deflect it, third -- the ball is no longer in play.

Funny thing, the instructor teaching your course was right. AND he probably used the offside presentation that I helped make. Listen and learn. If you enter the offside presentation with your mind empty of preconceived notions, myths and I heard some places the chances of learning something are greatly improved.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mark,
we can only hope you are now under the correct impression, the direction of the ball plays zero part in the 1st key part of positional offside determination!

The ball can travel forward, back, sideways or straight up the only pertinent item is where the player WAS! WHEN! the ball was last touched by the team mate!

The 2nd key component once offside position is established does that player INVOLVE himself in active play? IF the player can not play the ball and is restricted from doing so by virtue of his positional determination then by running back after a ball played away from the opponent's goal or running after a ball played forward towards that goal, an offside infringement INDFK out is certainly possible in either case.

Players are called for offside when they received the ball inside their own half because offside position was determined earlier when the team mate played the ball and offside involvement occurs WHEN it occurs. Remember the ball and players will exchange positions relative to the field during the time the ball is played into motion and the time when the ball is next played.

As a coach I teach to the goal line and hit it back across goal as the trailing players will get a good line of sight and defenders will be back pedaling or stationary. As long as the team mates are trailing the ball no offside is possible as the ball is last touched closer to the opposing goal line then they are!

If a player was to be offside positioned say at 1 yard from the goal line and the team mate cuts the ball back across goal on a diagonal towards the penalty spot from say 3 yards away from the goal line

If that player 1 yard away from goal thought to chase the ball and in doing so blocked the keeper from being able to go out and say cover an oncoming non offside trailing shooter even without touching the ball never mind the fact the ball was played away from goal an offside infringement has already been created!
He has interfered with an opponent.

Now if by some reason our player 1 yard away from goal managed to get to the ball first by running back to retrieve it he has again created an offside infringement as he interfered with play.

If a defender tried to intercept that backwards pass and managed to partially deflect the ball and our player 1 yard away from goal receives that ball he has again created an offside infringement by gaining an advantage!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

An easy example to show how this might happen. Player A is in the center circle with the ball, but encounters two opponents. So he kicks the ball backwards into his own half hoping a teammate will have a better chance of attack. Player B was standing in an offside position beyond the center circle. He sees A's kick, and runs back onto his own side to get the ball. As soon as he plays the ball, he should be flagged/whistled for offside. The ball went backward, but the offside player went even farther backward.

This is but one example of how the direction of the kick doesn't matter in determining the offense. Rather it is as my colleagues have stated - the position of the player when his teammate last touches the ball.