Question Number: 17333

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/15/2007

RE: Rec Adult

Michael Lee of Albuquerque, NM USA asks...

In a U 11 boys game:

Blue team goal keeper has possession in his penalty area and is bouncing the ball in preparation for his punt. All other players have dropped back towards midfield awaiting the punt. The goal keeper then accidentally bounces the ball off his foot causing it to roll forward. Keeper chases after the ball and dives forward to grab it in his arms. He gets hold of the ball inside his penalty area, but his momentum takes him about a yard outside the area at the arc.

I whistle the keeper for handling and point my arm towards his goal for the DFK just outside the penalty area. The keeper leaves the ball where it is and walks back to his line clearly disgusted with himself. As the other players jog back towards the Blue team penalty area, an attacker on the White team quickly sprints up and shoots, scoring past a very surprised Blue keeper, who hasn't yet reached his line.

I signal a goal. Blue team's coach starts screaming at me. After the game, he calms down a bit and tells me that I should have either:

a)Called his keeper for picking the ball up again in the box after losing control of it, hence an IDFK in the box for White, since this infraction preceded the keeper sliding out of his box,

OR

b)At least given the Blue keeper time to set up on his line before allowing White to take the DFK for handling.

I completely disagree with (b), but I'm not sure about (a). Should play have "officially" halted at the keeper's first IDFK infraction (grabbing the ball again), thus nullifying his subsequent more serious DFK infraction (handling outside the box)? Less than one second elapsed between the keeper regaining the ball in his box and the time his body slid out of the box, so it wasn't as if I had time to react in between these events.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

As a COACH I scream bloody murder if my keeper tries to bounce the ball. He has 6 seconds to carry that ball anywhere in side his penalty area what purpose is to bounce it?
Here the keeper lost possession for no reason and gave a up a goal because he fiddle faddled with the ball. Coach was upset great, coach the kid not to bounce the ball! Coach needs to be reminded that screaming at referees sets a poor example!

That said I will lean with the A proposal. In my opinion at this level and considering the context of the act, awarding an INDFK is JUSTICE as we can be fairly certain that the deliberate handling was in fact fairly accidental on the part of the keeper. Plus there were NO opponents nearby who could truthfuly be deprived of a scoring opportunity. I would be more inclined to not apply advantage on a two touch violation if there was no opponent disadvantaged.

Still as a coach it is our responsibility to teach the kids the game is on even when the ball is not. The team with the free kick is UNDER NO obligation to wait or let the opponents dicatate when the restart occurs.
Good lessons for all concerned! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Perhaps while everyone is learning lessons, the coach should also learn that screaming is not behaving in a responsible manner.

I tend to prefer option (a). You most probably viewed the bounce off the toe as a minor mistake, and the fact that the keeper picked up the ball a second time would be a trifling foul if there are no opponents nearby. But by sliding outside the penalty area, the goalkeeper has made it non-trifling. Fine, call the original offense and place the ball for an indirect free kick.

I'm not sure the keeper would be any more prepared for the IFK than he was for the DFK. Although it would take 2 alert White players rather than one to make it work. While the coach is expressing his disgust with the keeper for messing up the bounce, he should also stress that no matter what, the keeper should always be alert and ready. But that's just a suggestion from a ref to a coach.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I'll disagree with my cohorts on this. ABsolutely no opponents are nearby. This, to me, is such a trifling offense I doubt I'd call anything. But to what you DID do. You called a DFK which is ok within Law. At that instance, the opponents were allowed to take the kick. You absolutely should NOT have given the keeper time to get to his line. You have decided that the opponents were disadvantaged and you should not further disadvantage them. WHen are players going to learn that at ANY free kick, the kick may be taken immediately? The coach should have kept quiet. He should have had the sense to teach his players to react quickly to the giving of a free kick to the opponents. His lack of teaching the rules has caused this goal not anything you did incorrectly. I remind youg players that quick free kicks are ok but you shouldn't have to be telling older players this basic fact.