The Ref Stop

Open Age High foot or short person

R

Robin

New Member
Level 7 Referee
I just wanted to find out if anyone has ever had this issue...

I had an incident tonight in a mens game whereby a short player went for a header low down but not that low and the opposing player came in foot up and caught him in the face and obviously the player got injured, I awarded a penalty and the opposing team were fuming saying he is a short player he cant head the ball that low and its not a high foot.

What is the ruling with this cos surely it is still a foul for high foot whether or not the player has lowered his head to head the ball into the players high foot?

It has happened to me a few times when a short player heads it and gets caught by a high foot, please could someone clarify this issue please.
 
The Ref Stop
Robin said:
I just wanted to find out if anyone has ever had this issue...

I had an incident tonight in a mens game whereby a short player went for a header low down but not that low and the opposing player came in foot up and caught him in the face and obviously the player got injured, I awarded a penalty and the opposing team were fuming saying he is a short player he cant head the ball that low and its not a high foot.

What is the ruling with this cos surely it is still a foul for high foot whether or not the player has lowered his head to head the ball into the players high foot?

It has happened to me a few times when a short player heads it and gets caught by a high foot, please could someone clarify this issue please.
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Firstly, 'high foot' isn't a foul itself. If no contact is made and you deem it to be 'high foot', then you award an indirect free kick for Dangerous Play. If contact is made, then you award a direct free kick (or penalty if in the box) for Kicking.

It is irrelevant of the size of the player(s), if you think that it is dangerous play, then you give the IDFK. And certainly if he has been kicked in the head, then I am giving the free kick/penalty.

Hope this helps :)
 
Have this quite often from bigger lads complaining but size is no excuse, just because an opponent is shorter than you doesn't mean you can take his head off with your foot.

Sounds like you got if right as like jojo says if he makes contact it's a direct free kick or penalty as in your case.
 
while i agree with what matty says, if a player is lowering his head to the ball then he is running the risk of being caught with a boot. it depends on the situation.
 
Agree with the above. There are occasions where you really shouldn't be putting your head in, especially if it is obvious the opponent is going to use a foot. Which of course in theory is playing in a dangerous manner and an idfk against the guy who almost gets kicked.

Had one Saturday. Ball is bouncing toward the touchline, attacker has to use foot (above waist level but below nipple level!) to try and stop the ball. The defender charges through with his head and catches a soft kick in the face - the attacker had the decency to try And pull out. Goes out for attacking throw.

Cries of high foot. No says I, you could see what he was doing and chose to put your head in there. Its brave play they say. It's at best dumb play but could be considered dangerous play, it's a throw in, let's get on with the game.
 
assuming there is no contact, I won't penalise when a player brings his head down, if anything he's the one playing in a dangerous manner by doing that
 
Definitely had cases where it was more "low head" than "high foot" and not given fouls that were wanted because of that, but not because someone was short. Difficult one - but then I guess players have to be aware of what's around them, including people's heights. One way I rationalise this is, say an average-sized guys was on his knees, or lying on the ground, it wouldn't necessarily make him fair game for being kicked in the head.

Really, I suppose, you have to be there and judge each one on its merit. And like someone said already, it's not really about whether it's "high foot" or not, but whether it's careless, reckless or excessive, or dangerous in some other way that doesn't result in contact. Going in with a low head could also be "dangerous play" - dangerous to themselves.
 
I got abuse from a manager last week for giving one against his side where the player's foot was very high and opposition player went in with head (no contact), and then 5 minutes later one of his players stooped low to head a ball and opposition player went in with feet at a normal persons waist height..I played on.
 
jertzee said:
I got abuse from a manager last week for giving one against his side where the player's foot was very high and opposition player went in with head (no contact), and then 5 minutes later one of his players stooped low to head a ball and opposition player went in with feet at a normal persons waist height..I played on.
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Just remember that if there is contact it would be wise to stop straight away for a head injury.

Had one yesterday at a game I lined on, player about 5 foot 5 was practically on his knees trying to head the ball, defender swung his foot (backwards, didn't see the guy coming in from behind him) and caught the poor lad full on in the game. Looked like a broken nose to me and lots of claret. No one complained though and the guy sat there laughing about how stupid he was to put his head there. :P
 
i gave a free kick against a player for a 'high foot'

he said that it was hard to avoid it sometimes when you're tall (he was about 6'3")

i said, 'try being tall and being a referee as well, that's even more difficult' (i'm 6'5")
 
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As super monkey said it is just as dangerous to put your head in a low position, however I would like to see a referee give a foul against a player you gets a big blow to the face because he put his head low. It would severely damage your match control. I have given a low head a few times but before the players make contact.
 
If a player makes contact then it would be a direct free kick for careless, reckless or excessive force challenge; if there is no contact then it is an IDFK for playing in a dangerous manner. You're talking about two different things.
 
Ryan Owens said:
If a player makes contact then it would be a direct free kick for careless, reckless or excessive force challenge; if there is no contact then it is an IDFK for playing in a dangerous manner. You're talking about two different things.
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This, for me, is the issue. If the player goes in low,causing a danger to themselves and others, they get penalised for dangerous play. If they get kicked, the other player gets penalised. That doesn't seem fair.
 
We're not talking about if the player brings his head way down low -- then he's the one playing dangerously. We're talking about a player just happening to be short. In the case your describing though, the player is guilty of playing in a dangerous manner before the other player is guilty of kicking him in the face so it is still an IDFK for the "other player".
 
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