Question Number: 21183

Law 7 - Match Duration 4/24/2009

RE: Select Under 17

David Stanley of Palo Alto, CA USA asks...

Has anyone got the answer to handling over zealous coaches using the 'open' substitution found in many soccer leagues in the USA, from turning into a 'special teams' behavior found more commonly in 'Grid Iron'...
I would be very interested in any suggestions that have been effective in stopping this continued interruption in play. The game becomes a farce... Understandably with large squads (15+ players) and the requirements set by the leagues that each child should get an appropriate amount of game time it is hard on the coaches to abide by all these rules... However in my personal experience is counter to a good game of football (the real kind).

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

This happened to me last weekend. There is nothing you can do aside from adding time on to the half. Which is what I did. 4 and 5 minutes respectively. The coach knew it, but he didn't care. At some point you just have to hope that the coach has a thread of decency and cares about the game, but all some coaches care about is winning. Sadly, a few coaches believe that subbing at every stoppage is a way to win.

It makes for an awful game for the players, the refs, the fans... but hey, the coach has every right to do this. Perhaps this is an argument for adopting no reentry like the rest of the world's youth, or at the least, no reentry in a half as a first step...

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Remember the requirements for a substitution. The sub must be ready for play before the stoppage, in order for the substitution to take place in a timely manner. The coach can't get a call, see it is beneficial to put in his star free kick taker, and then decide to call up the sub. The player would have to have been ready sooner. Just say, 'Next time, coach.' Of course we have some leeway on this, for example a stoppage for an injury where the team wishes to sub or some extended-length stoppage.

But if the team continually has subs ready to go, you must allow it and add time to compensate. If the rules of the competition restrict or prohibit adding on time, well that's the way those in charge want the game played that day. (This happens in tournaments, where the almighty schedule is more important than fairness to the teams.) Not much the ref can do about it. It could be reported to the competition authority, but they've already demonstrated in their rules that they don't care if teams take advantage of this to waste time.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If the teams are complying to the substitution procedure outlined in Law 3, you have to allow the substitutions. You also add time to the half. If it is obvious that a coach is subbing mainly for the purpose of running off time, I have found it very effective to remind the coach you are adding time for the substitutions. One time I added 8 minutes to the second half when a coach was trying to protect a 1 goal lead by subbing 5 or 6 players at every opportunity. He was not happy when the opponents scored in stoppage time to tie the game but he was clearly wasting lots of time, I was obligated to add for time lost, and he was warned.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

While it is true that if the youth leagues allows substitutions to be unlimited the players STILL must follow any procedure or guidelines as to when they can.

If a coach is smart enough to understand this and chooses this as a method to use up time, referees still have the option to add time if we believe it is being wasted unfairly. IF this corrective time addition application is NOT permitted and no time could be added due to schedules or tournament special edicts. It is within the discretion of the referee to ensure ALL subs are timely in that it is hustle off and hustle on as a caution for USB show a yellow card is still a possible tool IF the players are slow to react.
Cheers