Junior/Youth Offside or not?

[mushroomcounter]

I'm a dad running the line for a youth team (without training) and am wanting to do things right, hence this enquiry.

In a match at the end of last season, the attacking side had two players close to each other and about a yard offside when the ball was played forward in their direction. The ball went to a player who was about a yard onside and at that point the two offside players ran back towards the ball. A couple of defenders then had the attacker with the ball and two other attackers to deal with, all in close proximity. Having to make an instant decision, I put my flag up because the players returning from offside were distracting the defenders due to their proximity to active play, and thus gaining an advantage.

The referee blew up but in retrospect I suspect that because the attackers returning from offside did not directly interfere with the ball, offside should not have been given, even if they were distracting the defenders.

What would have been the correct decision? If they were not offside, would it have been any different if they had run back between a defender and the ball and (without causing an obstruction offence) made it harder for the defender to get to the onside attacker?

Many thanks for any feedback.

 

[TopCat]

I'm a dad running the line for a youth team (without training) and am wanting to do things right, hence this enquiry.

In a match at the end of last season, the attacking side had two players close to each other and about a yard offside when the ball was played forward in their direction. The ball went to a player who was about a yard onside and at that point the two offside players ran back towards the ball. A couple of defenders then had the attacker with the ball and two other attackers to deal with, all in close proximity. Having to make an instant decision, I put my flag up because the players returning from offside were distracting the defenders due to their proximity to active play, and thus gaining an advantage.

The referee blew up but in retrospect I suspect that because the attackers returning from offside did not directly interfere with the ball, offside should not have been given, even if they were distracting the defenders.

What would have been the correct decision? If they were not offside, would it have been any different if they had run back between a defender and the ball and (without causing an obstruction offence) made it harder for the defender to get to the onside attacker?

Many thanks for any feedback.

If they are close together and the ball is fed through but it only goes to the onside player then play continues. If however a defender is impeded by the offside player in challenging for the ball or getting to the offside player then that becomes an offside offence. Key is to wait extra few seconds to check who receives ball and any impact offside players may or may not have

 

[alexgr]

I would echo the advice above - don't be afraid to wait and take a few seconds to think.

What do you mean by distracting the defenders?

 

[Ciley Myrus]

This is one reason why am againgst club ARs.
That kind of call is difficult enough for a trained experienced AR so its bizare and unrealistic to expect a random parent with a flag to get involved

 

[ASM]

@mushroomcounter welcome and thanks for posing the question.

The scenario you describe doesn't sound like an offside offence as the attackers returning would realistically had to have directly challenged the defender for the ball to be penalised here.

It is a common misconception that gaining an advantage has a wider remit than it actually does in relation to the laws of the game. In fact, by the definition in the LOTG, a player must play the ball in order to be penalised under this criteria.

 

[ref craig]

It great that a club lino has asked the right procedure and think we need more communication with teams club linos I do form of both referee club Lino I always do the wait and see then I iver keep running or flag go up I got tonnes of abuse as the club lino but make sure I'm fair to both clubs

 

[Peter Grove]

In the situation as you describe it I would say there was no offside offence. However if, as you allude to, an offside-positioned player had got between the ball and the defender and done something that clearly affected the defender's ability to play the ball, that would be an offside offence.

This was perhaps not so clearly defined as an offside offence in previous editions of the Laws but this year a clause was added which states as follows:

[If] a player moving from, or standing in, an offside position is in the way of an opponent and interferes with the movement of the opponent towards the ball this is an offside offence if it impacts on the ability of the opponent to play or challenge for the ball

 

[Peter Grove]

In fact, by the definition in the LOTG, a player must play the ball in order to be penalised under this criteria.

Not any more. Unfortunately perhaps (for those who like things to be more clear-cut) gaining an advantage now also includes situations where the player interferes with an opponent after a deflection or rebound.