A&H

Playing advantage from offside

@Brian Hamilton why don't they issue these instructions to referees? I mean, some of the thing she you go out and look for, referees may never have heard of, but you're "marking" to this criteria. Are referees expected to read and learn from the observers handbook?

It's kind of me being an Avionics Supervisor at work, learning about Avionics... only to sit an exam on mechanical systems?

Obviously I understand that observers have set things that they want to see from the different levels of referee; but referees aren't really taught most of these things (except for the academy (dislike that concept) referees). Instead they get a day here and there for development days where lessons are orientated around one or two specific factors. Maybe lessons which are designed to actually teach referees what an observer is looking for would be more beneficial?
 
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Law 11 is fairly clear that it is not an offence to be in an offside position. Letting play continue is different to playing advantage. Play to the whistle chaps.
 
DB said:
@Brian Hamilton why don't they issue these instructions to referees? I mean, some of the thing she you go out and look for, referees may never have heard of, but you're "marking" to this criteria. Are referees expected to read and learn from the observers handbook?

It's kind of me being an Avionics Supervisor at work, learning about Avionics... only to sit an exam on mechanical systems?

Obviously I understand that observers have set things that they want to see from the different levels of referee; but referees aren't really taught most of these things (except for the academy (dislike that concept) referees). Instead they get a day here and there for development days where lessons are orientated around one or two specific factors. Maybe lessons which are designed to actually teach referees what an observer is looking for would be more beneficial?
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That's a very good question. I'm sure the most resourceful of referees will come by a copy of the handbook, through a forum like this one ;)

As for the rest, they might get one through an academy or a development group or a Referees Association or a friendly neighbourhood observer.

Observers shouldn't have set things, but they do. For example, I don't like advantage being played unless it's a proper advantage, not one of these "I'll keep the game going so I don't have to give a free kick and deal with the hassle" advantages. The majority stick to the script and mark against the criteria. The problem ones are those who have a set expectation of what a referee should do, no matter how far the game progresses over a period of 25 years or so, as you said.

Also, the key areas are usually those that earn or cost the most marks, for example applying law, decision making and match control.
 
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Would anyone turn up to an exam not knowing what sort of questions are going to be asked? Would anyone turn up to their driving test not knowing what the examiner is likely to be looking for?

The answer to both of these questions should be no, yet referees routinely turn up to games not knowing what any assigned observer might be looking for. That is madness and any referee doing this only has themselves to blame.
 
Paul March said:
Law 11 is fairly clear that it is not an offence to be in an offside position. Letting play continue is different to playing advantage.
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Actually, Law 5 says advantage is when the referee "allows play to continue when an infringement or offence occurs and the non-offending team will benefit from the advantage" so in a way, it kind of is the same thing but I think what we're discussing here (and people have given examples of it) is the situation where a player actually commits an offside offence and then a referee plays the advantage/allows play to continue so the non-offending team can benefit.
 
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