Question Number: 16922

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/26/2007

RE: High School and Travel High School

Franco of Bloomington, USA asks...

Another part of the game and the laws I sometime struggle with (there are a couple) are fouls concerning the keeper and attacker in the penalty area. I struggle with a hard charging keeper and a hard charging attacker colliding, two runaway freight trains. Regardless if its a collision in the air or on the ground, I feel like most times it happens so fast you could make a case for either side and both of them look a little careless or wreckless, especially boys.

I see keepers trying to control it and get kicked and ran into, knocked down and stepped on, bullied and charged. I see attackers take elbows, arms, sliding keepers taking legs of an attacker or attackers kneed from keepers trying to get or clear the ball out of the air. I see keepers recklessly trying to punch the ball away. I know what the laws say but do you have any tips for these situations?

I want to also ask for any tips on what or how you define impeding the keeper that I know many teams plan during corner kicks. Watch how many teams place a player right on the keeper to basically try to slow him down or block part of his vision, but work on trying to hide what they are doing. Most of the times it not that obvious since the attacker plays the ball

Franco

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

With regard to the coming together of a keeper and an outfielder, the referee must judge if the outfield player has a reasonable chance of making a play for the ball or is he just out to bust a few chops. When the referee realizes that is all he need judge life gets real easy fast. And it is that simple... The same goes for the keeper when he is challenging like an outfield player, reasonable chance is fine.

In goalkeeper clinics they are taught to "raise a knee" to protect themselves. Referees know kicking or attempting to kick is a direct free kick offence. Referees also know an act designed to intimidate is unsporting behaviour and act accordingly when the keeper clobbers his opponent with a knee. 'Nuff said there.

Punching the ball away is done ABOVE the level anyone but the keeper can reach so no outfield player, save a few seven footers, have a reasonable chance of playing that ball, it is the keepers and if they get in the way of his closed fist on the way up look to where the keeper's eyes are. They are either on the ball or on the opponent, act accordingly.

Corner kicks are not prom night. All the rubbing up against each other isn't Hoyle. Deal with it before it becomes a problem! Does the word proactive strike a familiar ring? If done after the ball is in play then deal with what you see as per Law 12. Simple.

Never walk out onto the park with the idea you're going to let them play. It is permissible to think "I'll let them play fairly"!! Early on see the foul play give the free kick is how to establish yourself. As time progresses AND they have responded to what you want you assume the "trust them to do the proper thing" mode and see what happens. If the foul play restarts deal with it. If they keep their heads and generally stay within the limits imposed then enjoy the match, deal with the tick-tack stuff and praise their efforts at fair play. Works wonders...

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Collisions are tough because often both parties will be feeling the effect and both will likely fault the other as responsible for something unfair. If you see it as a true 50 /50 and you see no obvious unfair act then yell it,? Nothing there, Play!" It solves the concept of either party awaiting a call in their favor because you have said in effect "Get over it!? If the collision was fair but a hard contact where the safety of either might be in question if you stop play then a drop ball is the correct restart. Do not be afraid to rip a strip from both if they are both some what at fault. You could caution both and drop ball as well!

If you see unfair then what is the culprit guilty of?
Did you watch the eyes? Where were they looking, at the ball or at the opponent?
What body language was transmitted in the set up prior to the contact?
Where were the free arms?
Running backwards without looking behind or jumping up and over top coming forward?

The keeper has the special use of his hands inside his own penalty area and that privilege has him with an extended reach to get to air balls. No one is likely to out jump him and to that we lean the keeper?s way when he grasps or punches a ball up in the air as he is being jostled with contact by jumping strikers. A keeper has a slight advantage in that ANY contact of the arm/hand on the ball they have ball possession and the opponent CAN NOT challenge. In fact they must try to avoid contact. There will be times when a striker going for a ball will get there at the same time as the keeper gets a hand to the ball. In such cases the collision might be seen as unavoidable and equal opportunity. Still we consider the force, speed and how or if the body is used as a weapon to barge a through over or into the opponent!

In any free kick situation where opponents try to play the ?Follow the keeper game!? prior to a restart. I occasionally move in tight and ask can I play too? Pick a spot and make like tree! We could caution the USB if it is a non stop dense moving tree but they generally wise up quickly! An impeding call as soon as the ball is in play often sends a message as well!

For sure do not put up with I was going for the ball ref as the shoulder rams the chest on a ball the opponent has no realistic opportunity to get to fairly!
Cheers