From watching North West Counties games

Im a regular at my local team who play in North West Counties league, since ive been refereeing myself (only 3 months) i dont just watch the game but also the referee.

Have to stay the standard is very very good but one thing that quite often gets ignored is the delaying of restart of play after a free kick, it seems like almost every time a team wants to take a quick free an opponent stands over the ball and delays the restart and goes unpunished.

Generally you'll find referees won't punish this unless a player either ignores repeated warnings to move back or actually gets in the way of a taken kick. It really surprises me that more teams don't use the option more frequently to take the kick straight at the player standing a yard away .... those instances really leave referees nowhere to go except a caution for the player in the way.

Certainly a pet hate of mine. You'll often hear a shout of 'Stand on It' from a player or coach very swiftly followed by a shout from me of 'No, DON*T stand on it' in my games

Russell Jones said:

It really surprises me that more teams don't use the option more frequently to take the kick straight at the player standing a yard away .... those instances really leave referees nowhere to go except a caution for the player in the way.

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If a kick is taken with a player close to the ball deliberately, then in law that is a team choice and play continues. Only if they try taking it quickly and the player not respecting the distance deliberately moves to block the ball is it then a caution. Teams would have to be very careful here.

Although tbh I agree with your view and tell players to move away. Slowing down play like that is annoying but have to be careful why your cautioning the player.

Ref Luke 2203 said:

If a kick is taken with a player close to the ball deliberately, then in law that is a team choice and play continues. Only if they try taking it quickly and the player not respecting the distance deliberately moves to block the ball is it then a caution. Teams would have to be very careful here.

Although tbh I agree with your view and tell players to move away. Slowing down play like that is annoying but have to be careful why your cautioning the player.

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If the player near the ball hasn't had a chance to retreat then of course you are right. But nine times out of ten those players have either a) chosen not to begin retreating at all or worse b) deliberately chosen to move and stand in front of the ball for no reason other than to try to delay the kick. And in these cases the fault (and the ensuing caution) lies with the offending player

Russell Jones said:

If the player near the ball hasn't had a chance to retreat then of course you are right. But nine times out of ten those players have either a) chosen not to begin retreating at all or worse b) deliberately chosen to move and stand in front of the ball for no reason other than to try to delay the kick. And in these cases the fault (and the ensuing caution) lies with the offending player

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I agree completely. My point was more players wont take the risk of taking a freekick quickly as the blame is then upto referees opinion. And its another reason why turning your back on the ball.to get into position is a bad thing, although I have seen quite a few lower level refs do this.

And if course this becomes a risk

Ha ha haaa that’s absolute madness.