The Ref Stop

SkySports reporting of the proposed new IFAB laws

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The Ref Stop
I'm probably gonna be shot down as I haven't read the article, but 5 seconds for me seems way too short. Also is that 5 seconds from retrieving the ball, ball going out, placing it down or whenever the ref feels like starting?
 
I'm probably gonna be shot down as I haven't read the article, but 5 seconds for me seems way too short. Also is that 5 seconds from retrieving the ball, ball going out, placing it down or whenever the ref feels like starting?
So like the ball in keepers hands then.
 
I'm probably gonna be shot down as I haven't read the article, but 5 seconds for me seems way too short. Also is that 5 seconds from retrieving the ball, ball going out, placing it down or whenever the ref feels like starting?
Agree. Terrible idea. Because if its 5 seconds from the ball going out its way way too short. If it's 5 seconds from the players retrieving the ball it's pointless because they'll just take a long time to retrieve it.
 
Glad IFAB have taken some of my suggestions on board, just need to sort out the goalkeeper going down issue.

Admittedly 5 seconds does seem short at grassroots, presumably brought in with only multi ball in mind.

Let's see how it goes; there was a lot of moaning about the goalkeeper 8 second law and it's been hugely beneficial.
 
Glad IFAB have taken some of my suggestions on board, just need to sort out the goalkeeper going down issue.

Admittedly 5 seconds does seem short at grassroots, presumably brought in with only multi ball in mind.

Let's see how it goes; there was a lot of moaning about the goalkeeper 8 second law and it's been hugely beneficial.
Doesn’t look like they are looking at the goalkeeper issue and yet it’s important to get dealt with. Also, I think they need to bring back goal kicks taken from the side of the fop where the ball went out - just like corner kicks. The idea that current law speeds things up didn’t work.
 
Agree. Terrible idea. Because if its 5 seconds from the ball going out its way way too short. If it's 5 seconds from the players retrieving the ball it's pointless because they'll just take a long time to retrieve it.
I was against the 8s keeper rule and clearly got that wrong, so I'm keeping my powder dry this time.
We need to do something about Goal Kicks and Subs dawdling off is intolerable
5s for TI's seems aggressive, but like I say, I'm gonna remain remarkably unopinionated this time around. Except for anything related to VAR, that can all ^hc%.*& off, corners and all that
 
How is the average ref supposed to be able to complete all these tasks while reffing alone?

What's being asked of us is now becoming a list as long as your arm.

Ridiculous.
 
How is the average ref supposed to be able to complete all these tasks while reffing alone?

What's being asked of us is now becoming a list as long as your arm.

Ridiculous.
I can’t see why they can’t. I would say the most challenging thing for a Referee on their own is being able to remember all the idiosyncrasies of the Laws of the Game which are rarely used eg the incorrect outcome of the penalty kick involving Rochdale & Scunthorpe with 4 officials (not that I would have immediately known).
 
Only thing I'm not keen on is "non dangerous jewellery" about as vague as the shin pad being made of suitable materials - who are we to judge

And downgrading a Dogso to no card if it results in a goal, think we are just going to see more awful tackles go unpunished because players know if a advantage leads to a goal then there's no sanction. Just my two cents anyway
 
Only thing I'm not keen on is "non dangerous jewellery" about as vague as the shin pad being made of suitable materials - who are we to judge

And downgrading a Dogso to no card if it results in a goal, think we are just going to see more awful tackles go unpunished because players know if a advantage leads to a goal then there's no sanction. Just my two cents anyway
You would still be able to punish for reckless challenges, it just means that careless challenges don't receive a yellow card.

Holding the opponent, etc would still be a mandatory yellow,, so if the goal had seen scored in the Liverpool v City match recently, the offending Liverpool player would still have been cautioned.
 
Not sure if holding opponents is a mandatory caution now, so perhaps elaborating what you mean by "still" mandatory would help.
Presume he means that dogso that isnt a challenge for the ball would still be a caution
 
I'm probably gonna be shot down as I haven't read the article, but 5 seconds for me seems way too short. Also is that 5 seconds from retrieving the ball, ball going out, placing it down or whenever the ref feels like starting?
Based on what's on the IFAB website, it sounds like it's whenever the referee comes to the conclusion that the player is taking too long. Unlike with the goalkeeper 8 second count down, there is apparently no defined start point other than when the referee decides to initiate the count
 
Based on what's on the IFAB website, it sounds like it's whenever the referee comes to the conclusion that the player is taking too long. Unlike with the goalkeeper 8 second count down, there is apparently no defined start point other than when the referee decides to initiate the count
I wondered if this would be the case, and I don't hate it given this is the condition. It does worry me that when it's 1-0 late on the chasing team will be demanding the count start the second the throw is awarded.. but it could be a useful tool to have in our bag. But equally, will the overturn of the restart replace a caution? If they're failing on a 5 second timer that starts when the referee decides they're taking too long, that sounds like very clearly delaying the restart.
 
Also this option opens up a world of referee bias complaints if one team thinks he/she is starting the count too quickly or too slowly. Lets let the guys at IFAB (who have never made a bad law change in their lives) do their thing and I'm sure everything is going to be fine...
 
I think they should have also looked at "head" injuries.
I put it in quotes as plenty of players across all levels go down in the area, defensively, claiming head injury when they've not even been touched near the head (just look at Maguire, although not in the area).
Personally, any player going down holding their head (they know its the only injury that forces the refs hands to stop immediately) must leave the pitch for 30 seconds minimum with or without trainer coming on. We can't go back to the days of guessing whether a head injury is serious or not, but we need to stop this faking to force stop the game.
It happens 99% of the time in the penalty area, knowing that also the dropped ball will be to their keeper too as per laws.
Win win.
Stop the game AND gain possession of the ball.
 
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Based on what's on the IFAB website, it sounds like it's whenever the referee comes to the conclusion that the player is taking too long. Unlike with the goalkeeper 8 second count down, there is apparently no defined start point other than when the referee decides to initiate the count
In principle, I think the GK / TI countdown has the potential to be just as effective as the GK 8 second one. However, as with that change, the devil will be in the detail as we aim for consistency regarding if / when to start the count. I really hope that this detail is spelled out for clubs and referees alike.

If it was down to me, then I'd set the expectation as 1) if a nearby player is jogging to get the ball and get to the point of the restart, all good. If not, start the count. 2) assuming count has not already started, once the player is in position, ready to restart, start an 8 second count in your head and start a visual count at 5 if required. Overall, this would keep things relatively consistent with the current 8 second count and take into account that the time to retrieve the ball and get to the point of restart will inevitably vary from situation to situation.
 
I think they should have also looked at "head" injuries.
I put it in quotes as plenty of players across all levels go down in the area, defensively, claiming head injury when they've not even been touched near the head (just look at Maguire, although not in the area).
Personally, any player going down holding their head (they know its the only injury that forces the refs hands to stop immediately) must leave the pitch for 30 seconds minimum with or without trainer coming on. We can't go back to the days of guessing whether a head injury is serious or not, but we need to stop this faking to force stop the game.
It happens 99% of the time in the penalty area, knowing that also the dropped ball will be to their keeper too as per laws.
Win win.
Stop the game AND gain possession of the ball.
I'd like to see a law clarification to state that while a referee should stop play at the earliest opportunity if a player is down possibly seriously injured, including a head injury, a team have no right to argue that the referee's failure to stop play if he doesn't see the injury as serious enough is the cause of them going on to concede a goal or similar, and that stopping play in that situation is for the players safety and not to prevent a team defending with a man down.
 
In principle, I think the GK / TI countdown has the potential to be just as effective as the GK 8 second one. However, as with that change, the devil will be in the detail as we aim for consistency regarding if / when to start the count. I really hope that this detail is spelled out for clubs and referees alike.

If it was down to me, then I'd set the expectation as 1) if a nearby player is jogging to get the ball and get to the point of the restart, all good. If not, start the count. 2) assuming count has not already started, once the player is in position, ready to restart, start an 8 second count in your head and start a visual count at 5 if required. Overall, this would keep things relatively consistent with the current 8 second count and take into account that the time to retrieve the ball and get to the point of restart will inevitably vary from situation to situation.
I think the key component is "ready to start play" for the team or a player from the team. This puts sufficient obligations on the referee not to ignore the count but give him/her enough flexibility for when required, e.g., when there are unavoidable delays of no fault to the team or start when he thinks appropriate if a team is taking the piss.
 
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