A&H

Positioning

WilliamD

Well-Known Member
Level 4 Referee
I suspect this is the single biggest development point for all referees once we get the training wheels off, grasp the laws, and get a bit of experience under our belt. I have had two of my three promotion observations (6-5) and I was above standard in a number of categories except only "at standard" for postioning. Over the two promotion seasons so far I have been a bit frustrated by conflicting advice on positioning from observation reports and/or development events.

I know the diagonal / s shape type advice but one thing I have been feeling recently is that I tend to end up ahead of play a bit but when I try to force myself hang back it feels wrong or too far from play.

Does anyone know where we can find some useful training/education material on this? FIFA slides? videos? etc.
 
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The very best of luck with consistently pleasing Observers when it comes to Positioning! From my experience it is the biggest area where personal preference from Observers continues to persist, especially at levels 5-7. One person's 'get deep and wide' is another's 'let play develop in front of you'. With CARs at corners, one person's 'you need to be at or near the goal line' is another's 'stay on the edge of the area to be ready for a breakaway'!

So my recommendation would be to simply accept that it is far from an exact science and just concentrate on being wherever you need to be to consistently make great decisions, especially on KMIs. Two thoughts that have worked well for me are 'Think Left, Get Left, Stay Left' and 'Angle is more important than proximity if you need to choose'.

Good luck :)
 
The very best of luck with consistently pleasing Observers when it comes to Positioning! From my experience it is the biggest area where personal preference from Observers continues to persist, especially at levels 5-7. One person's 'get deep and wide' is another's 'let play develop in front of you'. With CARs at corners, one person's 'you need to be at or near the goal line' is another's 'stay on the edge of the area to be ready for a breakaway'!

So my recommendation would be to simply accept that it is far from an exact science and just concentrate on being wherever you need to be to consistently make great decisions, especially on KMIs. Two thoughts that have worked well for me are 'Think Left, Get Left, Stay Left' and 'Angle is more important than proximity if you need to choose'.

Good luck :)

I know exactly what you mean Tottingham. Observers like that make me sick. It's not about you or what you used to do or still do as a referee - you're there to observe objectively and assess the ref's performance based on the competencies and guidelines given. Just cos the ref doesn't move about like you do/did doesn't mean it's a Development point.

Whenever I observe, unless the ref's doing it wrong then he's doing it right.

Too many old farts with ego's to match out there sometimes if you ask me. (Not that you did :oops: :D ).
 
The very best of luck with consistently pleasing Observers when it comes to Positioning! From my experience it is the biggest area where personal preference from Observers continues to persist, especially at levels 5-7. One person's 'get deep and wide' is another's 'let play develop in front of you'. With CARs at corners, one person's 'you need to be at or near the goal line' is another's 'stay on the edge of the area to be ready for a breakaway'!

So my recommendation would be to simply accept that it is far from an exact science and just concentrate on being wherever you need to be to consistently make great decisions, especially on KMIs. Two thoughts that have worked well for me are 'Think Left, Get Left, Stay Left' and 'Angle is more important than proximity if you need to choose'.

Good luck :)
Positioning is unique to each referee. Yes observers have their fancy but in 4 years I never once got pulled on positioning at corners (always on the goal line, for me) as I was always able to demonstrate an ability to catch up with play on a break away. Therefore it never triggered in an observers mind to question why I went there.
Keep left, stay left only really works with NARs or with CARs that do more than ball in and put of play. If they dont the advice would be to adopt an oval patrol path and go where the play dictates, trying to keep out of high traffic areas and get a good wide angled view for offside calls.
Along with positioning being unique to the ref it also has to be dynamic between games, or even during games. You need to, as the referee, second guess what teams are going to do with it. E.g. do they always play out from the back from a GK. If yes, you wouldn't go and position yourself at the halfway line, you'd stay close to play. Keeping with GKs, if they are lumping it up field, how far can the keeper kick it. Again this should start to dictate your starting position based on the info you're collecting about the teams play.
Basically, there is no one size fits all method/approach to positioning. You need to be ready to change it up and adapt to changes in styles of play etc.
 
I wouldn't criticise a 7-6 for positioning at corners if their position caused a problem, but I know that some observers do. The best approach is to vary the position and then they will find it hard to pick you up on it.
 
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