A&H

Kick off Grumble

B

brothercrow

New Member
Level 7 Referee
Ok, so in my local RA briefing on the new laws we had the new kick off law explained. No great issues with how it's changed but we were also advised, make sure the player is still in his own half. Diligently I've made this point in all my games so far, repetitive after goals scored and not wavered from the sound advice given.

Lo and behold, Swansea kick off against Chelsea and the player is stood over the line in Chelsea's half and it's not picked up! Not the first time I've seen this on TV either. I'm getting a little peed off now with the inconsistencies, I'm no little Hitler on a Saturday or Sunday, but I do apply the LOTG correctly.

Anyone else spotted this happening on TV and did anyone else receive the same advice on this kick off change?

Rant over
 
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It's a very badly written law, as how are you supposed to kick a ball backwards that is actually in front of you? I would defy anyone to stand entirely in your own half and kick the ball backwards, you won't be able to do it unless at least your foot transgresses into the opponent's half.

Common sense needed here me thinks ..
 
I'd argue that it's actually pretty common for this to be done properly. "Best" kicking position usually involves the standing foot being next to the ball - if the ball is properly positioned on the half way line and you're not allowing players to take a run up, I'd expect kicks to be taken correctly more often than not.

On a slight tangent, how many referees ever ordered a retake under the old laws because either the second taker was in the wrong half, or because the ball didn't go forward? I ordered a retake for the latter reason once and only then because I'd noticed they weren't doing it properly and warned them. I suspect one of those two scenarios was true for most kicks taken under the old laws, but I can't remember the last time a kick off was retaken in English professional football under the old laws?
 
I had a kick off retaken once because the ball clearly didn't travel forwards - but only because I was being assessed and could be sure my assessor hadn't seen it.
 
A few years back at a training session, we were informed that, on kickoffs, as long as one foot is on the line, we should consider it "good enough".
 
Using the same definition of in/out of an area for the ball, a player needs only a part of his body to be in his own half to be considered in his own half.

The law requires players to be in their own half which is NOT the same as not being in the opponent's half. A player can be in both haves at the same time.
 
one said:
Using the same definition of in/out of an area for the ball, a player needs only a part of his body to be in his own half to be considered in his own half.

The law requires players to be in their own half which is NOT the same as not being in the opponent's half. A player can be in both haves at the same time.
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Would you let the left winger keeper one toe on the halfway line with the rest of his body in the opposition half?
 
RustyRef said:
It's a very badly written law, as how are you supposed to kick a ball backwards that is actually in front of you? I would defy anyone to stand entirely in your own half and kick the ball backwards, you won't be able to do it unless at least your foot transgresses into the opponent's half.

Common sense needed here me thinks ..
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But you don't have to kick the ball backwards that is the players choice. In the law it says you must be in your own half !
 
The laws not really their to stop people taking the kick that way though its so you can't run halfway into the half and receive the ball from kick off. I rarely pull it up.
 
If they are going backwards then I accept a leg swing to get the game going. But being stood in the other half, as the above Swansea kick off is a no in my interpretation of LOTG.
 
Speaking to a few coaches and players during pre-season and there where a few who thought the change in the laws meant the ball could no longer go forward at kick off :eek:

Certainly at youth level the law change is great, no more having to explain countless times to young players that they must be stood in their own half, but the ball must travel forward into the opposition half first! :)
 
SM said:
The nub of the matter, what difference does it really make? It's not exactly an advantage.

Just get the game going.
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I agree SM as long as the player has got one foot in his own half im not that bothered... a matter of inches is not going to make any difference because so far for me 99.9% of the time the ball is kicked backwards anyway... i think players are more concerned of having one man at k.o. which gives them an extra player
 
mikedn said:
I agree SM as long as the player has got one foot in his own half im not that bothered... a matter of inches is not going to make any difference because so far for me 99.9% of the time the ball is kicked backwards anyway... i think players are more concerned of having one man at k.o. which gives them an extra player
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agreed, the player has to be close enough to the ball to kick it so he wouldn't be that far into the oppo half in any case. if he's kicking it backwards he will have his back pretty much toward the opposition team's half and would have to turn to sprint towards their goal. That would negate any advantage gained by standing half a yard into their half.
falls under trifling matters i believe.
non kickers in the oppo half is a different kettle of fish
 
Surely if you're kicking the ball backwards, you're inherently in your own half - or rather on the line - when it's kicked. One foot will be next the ball and one foot will be kicking it. In theory, you could take a 15 yard run-up from within the opponent's half and still be on the half-way line at the moment the ball is kicked. I'm obviously not suggesting anyone would allow that, but it's how the wording could be read at its logical extreme...
 
Wholly in your own half is the logical interpretation. The FAQs even say there is now no reason for the receiving player to be given the latitude to stand in the opposition half.
We should Just accept we are ignoring the letter of the law by allowing it rather than trying to fudge the wording.
 
bester said:
Wholly in your own half is the logical interpretation. The FAQs even say there is now no reason for the receiving player to be given the latitude to stand in the opposition half.
We should Just accept we are ignoring the letter of the law by allowing it rather than trying to fudge the wording.
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Oh yeah. I was talking about the case where a player kicks it backwards. If it's a tap forwards between two players then it's clear.
 
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