A&H

Attacking Free Kicks

Referee1998

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A Question Regarding Attacking Free Kicks

When you give a team an Attacking Free kick out side the penalty box.

How would you communicate with the players standing in the wall and what would you say to the players?
 
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A Question Regarding Attacking Free Kicks

When you give a team an Attacking Free kick out side the penalty box.

How would you communicate with the players standing in the wall and what would you say to the players?
When I've set up the wall I usually walk in front of the players, point with my hands towards them and say something along the lines of: "Guys, we're in the box, so keep your hands down". Accompanied with moving my hands down.

And as a good tip: never set the wall up on the lines of the pa. If there happens a handling offence in the wall and you've set up the wall inside the pa, you know it's a pen, if you've set it up outside the pa you know it's a dfk. But if it's in the line you have hard time seeing/guessing which one it is.
 
Yes, what he said,

Show the players: arm acrosd chest or family jewels is OK, arm across face is not OK. Always position the wall either inside or outside the box. If there is an attacker in the wall tell them no pushing.

On this last point, had it today. Attacker joined the wall. I went closer, reminded them all no pushing. Step back, blow the whistle, kicker takes first step, big two handed shove from a defender. I quickly double blew, gave the def a yellow. Very easy to do after the warning. ;)
 
Not had to say anything really.

Just 'back here please' and 'thank you' when they do it. I find being polite, most teams are quite happy to listen and behave. Of course, it all changes if players start a bit of gamesmanship...
 
Not had to say anything really.

Just 'back here please' and 'thank you' when they do it. I find being polite, most teams are quite happy to listen and behave. Of course, it all changes if players start a bit of gamesmanship...
I'm sure an observer would pick you up on this 'economical' methodology. Players don't listen so it's ceremonial, but you ought to be warning them about the perils of HB and you should be mindful of the PA
The thing i won't stand for, is attackers attempting to occupy the exact same space at which i've aligned the wall. Standing on toes and such nonsense gives me the hump
 
I'm sure an observer would pick you up on this 'economical' methodology.

Not yet. The only comment about it thus far this season came in my second observation and noted that players were receptive to my commands for setting up the wall. Will see as we go along. :)
 
I'm sure an observer would pick you up on this 'economical' methodology. Players don't listen so it's ceremonial, but you ought to be warning them about the perils of HB and you should be mindful of the PA
The thing i won't stand for, is attackers attempting to occupy the exact same space at which i've aligned the wall. Standing on toes and such nonsense gives me the hump
This observer wouldn't :)
I've only ever told them where the 10 yard line is, that's it. More of a word if there's argy-bargy with attackers trying to get into the wall.
 
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I tell the wall where 10yds is, I will always make sure the wall is either inside or outside of the penalty area (as mentioned above).

If the wall is just inside the penalty area I might mention hands, but its only a quick "Youre in the area guys so keep your hands down"
 
I tell the wall where 10yds is, I will always make sure the wall is either inside or outside of the penalty area (as mentioned above).

If the wall is just inside the penalty area I might mention hands, but its only a quick "Youre in the area guys so keep your hands down"
Ah, but is that a 'natural position' for those hands?..............
 
If the player is not intended to deliberately handle the ball why should you have to tell him where he should put his hands? 👀 the law clearly says that the position of the hands doesn’t necessarily dictate a handball! Do you tell them not to trip or kick anyone, you’ll get a lot more of them! 😂
 
Ah, but is that a 'natural position' for those hands?..............

That is neither here nor there. I am simply making them aware of the fact that they are inside the area (I only do this when they are very close to the edge of the penalty area) and that if they do anything silly with their hands then it might result in a penalty. I don't make a big song and dance about it, just mention it once the wall is placed.

Incidentally, I've never had a player complain, or been picked up for it on any observations, and when I've worked with higher level refs they have all done something similar.

I have however, had a player who caught a cross in her own penalty area (she wasn't the goal keeper), and a captain who at a corner jumped up and blatantly punched the ball away. Both were momentary lapses in judgement by the players, who both instantly had the look of "Why did I just do that?" on their faces.

If players can do something like that simply because they aren't thinking during open play, or a set piece where they are obviously in the area I don't think it hurts to give a gentle reminder when they are only a foot inside the penalty area.
 
Not yet. The only comment about it thus far this season came in my second observation and noted that players were receptive to my commands for setting up the wall. Will see as we go along. :)
Might as well get with the programme now as later :) . As @Big Cat says, management of FK situations is a specific thing that Observers will look out for and the 'keep your hands down' is a part of the routine that is generally expected. It's viewed in the same way as you 'setting up' players for Dissent or PI cautions by giving them a clear warning. They can then have no complaints if they end up being penalised for the thing you've warned them about.

There's even (at least) one Observer on my Supply League who has a very specific method that he 'advises' you follow to do this so it's a reasonably big deal ... I guess because these situations happen in every game and at potential KMI moments
 
Any observer that tried to "pick me up" on something they reckon I should've said but didn't ..... would be told "Yes, I did, you obviously just didn't hear it". :cool:
 
I've heard noises about Observers even insisting that the referee paces back and stands, specifically to one side of the wall
Trouble is, I can't remember which side :confused: , but I would guess this to be 'nearest the touchline'
Or maybe there's some minimal benefit to be had from facing the majority of the FOP, whichever side of the wall that is
 
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Match out your 10, wait for the keeper to get them lined up so the last thing they hear is you - not you then forget it whilst moving about.

Gents / Ladies, keep your arms down please, we're inside the box so a handball will be a penalty, OK? Thanks.

I've heard noises about Observers even insisting that the referee paces back and stands, specifically to one side of the wall
Trouble is, I can't remember which side :confused: , but I would guess this to be 'nearest the touchline'
Or maybe there's some minimal benefit to be had from facing the majority of the FOP, whichever side of the wall that is

Usually you're pacing from the FK to the nearst post as that bottom corner is the shortest distance from the FK to the goal line, thus you stand to the outside of the wall, ie toward the touchline side not the penalty spot side of the wall. Some say (lol) that if you havce club or no AR, you should consider pacing you 10 yds backwards such that you can keep the point of the FK, and where you've placed the ball in your vision, so they don't grab the extra yard when you're pacing forwards and out of sight. If you have AR, make it clear in asking them " Tim - can you watch here for me please, thanks" so the kicker kows he's being watched (or thinks it)
 
And I would counter that by advising you make it more obvious … :)

One of the performance competencies in "Management of stoppages and Technical Offences" at L4 and above is ...

Effective management of the attacking free kick and players at the required distance e.g. free kicks near the penalty area.

Very difficult for the observer to give credit for this if he can't see evidence of "effective management", so best to exaggerate it to gain credit.
 
And I would counter that by advising you make it more obvious … :)

One of the performance competencies in "Management of stoppages and Technical Offences" at L4 and above is ...

Effective management of the attacking free kick and players at the required distance e.g. free kicks near the penalty area.

Very difficult for the observer to give credit for this if he can't see evidence of "effective management", so best to exaggerate it to gain credit.

However don't forget the competency before that 'Allowing play to restart quickly'.

Referees faffing about and taking 20 seconds,after the wall has been paced out, to give instructions is often where the seeds of 'it's not all about you ref' start.
If you can't make your warning clear in a few seconds then you need to work on your communication.
 
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Are Observers the same as assessors?? Is that the same as a match delegate?? Jobs for the old boys by the sound of it!!

Mr Halsey wasn't too impressed today on Talks****e with the state of this especially at the top level... Like the Murphys, he's not bitter!!!
 
However don't forget the competency before that 'Allowing play to restart quickly'.

Referees faffing about and taking 20 seconds after the wall has been paced out to give instructions is often where the seeds of 'it's not all about you ref' start.
If you can't make your warning clear in a few seconds then you need to work on your communication.
To justify the higher echelons of refereeing, I can't help think that many of these 'competencies' don't really matter too much. To some degree, decent sportsmen rely on talent whilst their less able counterparts flounder in the detail of technique. I'd wager a bet there's some capable refs out there being distracted by competencies, devised by those with inferior ability. In my experience of watching the game at all levels, the frequency of mistakes doesn't seem to diminish at the same rate that attendance increases. So the competencies only seem to tick boxes without shaping quality match officials. I'm not referring to professional refs as they're just following orders to keep their jobs
 
And I would counter that by advising you make it more obvious … :)

One of the performance competencies in "Management of stoppages and Technical Offences" at L4 and above is ...

Effective management of the attacking free kick and players at the required distance e.g. free kicks near the penalty area.

Very difficult for the observer to give credit for this if he can't see evidence of "effective management", so best to exaggerate it to gain credit.
I can't say i agree there. Keeping the wall at the right distance is sufficient here, along with dealing with encroachment or argy bargy
 
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