Question Number: 17340

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 10/16/2007

RE: Competitive Under 14

Tom Drapeau of Southwick, Ma USA asks...

Corner kick - verbally deceiving player.
Player #1 gets in position to take a corner kick, moves the ball forward, approximately one ball rotation, then tells player #2, "Hey Joe, you take it". Player #2 dribbles the ball to cross it. Player #1's comments were loud enough to be heard by players in front of the goal area and me. I was approximately 20 yards from the goal line on the side of the corner kick, midway between the touch line and the goal.

Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

This is allowed. Deception is allowed between players on the field (so long as you're not trying to pose as another player's teammate). There is no problem here. Deception is not allowed when directed at the referee though (diving, feigning an injury aka "simulation").

Also, you do want to remember that a coach is not permitted to yell out to a player and say "you take it." Coaches are not players and they are not permitted to take an active part in deception.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The only qualifier is HOW the ball was moved a full rotation (which, incidently, is not a requirement). The requirement that the ball be kicked and moved before it is in play would not be met if Player #1 simply puts his foot on top of the ball and rolls it. It has to be "kicked". If it was kicked then this is perfectly legal.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Hey, I actually presided over one of these last week. Coach comes to me before the game and tells me they have a trick corner play. I don't even listen to what he's saying, I just tell him, "OK, it has to be obvious that the first touch is a kick and the ball moves, not just a tap and wiggle." Finally they get a corner, the first girl kicks it about a foot and calls her teammate over. She dribbles it forward, and the surprise factor allows her to get close enough to put in a good cross which was converted for a goal. My AR is wiggling his flag madly, so I go to talk to him. He missed seeing the first kick.

There was only about 10 minutes left in the game, and the team didn't get another opportunity to try to fool the opponents twice. Neither did they have a free kick where they repositioned the ball by kicking it slightly. That's the problem with this tactic. Though it's legal, it demonstrates to the opponents that what looks like moving the ball is actually the restart. If something similar happens any time later in the game, how does the ref or the opponents know that this time the little kick wasn't meant to be the restart?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If a coach comes to me with this trick play I usually ask if he wants me to compromise my impartiality in any other way and remind him that telling me how to referee is not why he is at the match. If he pushes the issue he is reminded to conduct himself responsibly. Players trying this on the field is fine provided they actually kick the ball into play. After that, who knows.

The learned referee will listen to a coach and be able to tell if his team rolls the ball for this perceived trick play that they consider it a restart. Also when they position the ball that way then touch it with their hands that is a restart of play too AND deliberately handling the ball. There are always ways to handle coaches and their "trick" plays.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Tom,
in my opinion as a coach it is idiotic to use this as a tactical ploy. In my opinion as a referee at what point do we recogonize the ball is in play? How did that ball come to rest inside the arc? Was it placed by the hand? Dribbled in and repositioned with the foot? If the team comes to me BEFORE and tells me of this it is a violation of my neutrality as an official. This then is a form of USB. On any further restart at the meerest hint a ball moved will I be seeing the defending team tear in like vultures on prey? Do I play gotcha if the ball is kicked a bit then the hands used to reposition? As referee I must see the ball as kicked and moved if I choose not see it as so then it will likely be an indfk out. The deciet could fool me if I was also under the impression Joe was to take it!
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 17393