A&H

A few Questions

A

Andy A

Active Member
Hi guys, as you can see from my sig I'm a newly qualified ref this season and have quite a few games under my belt already.

I've noticed various situations that seem to pop up quite frequently so thought I would ask some advice from more seasoned refs. If you don't feel like answering them all, just answer a few of them if you don't mind.

1) Any part of the foot (no matter how little) over the line on a throw in is a foul throw, yes?

2) 50/50 throw in decisions (aka I haven't got a clue), always give defending side, yes?

3) In my game this morning, attacker shoots, keeper parries, 50/50 ball the keeper smothers but attacker can't stop himself (Keeper accepts this) & catches keeper on the head. I'm not whistling for a foul, but because keeper has head injury I blow and call on the trainer. I restart with a drop ball, correct yes?

4) Dissent - Now I know we all have different levels of tolerance, but how far should I be going. This morning yellow 8 went through a phase of questioning a few decisions. He did so quietly and not aggressively, I explained to him what I saw each time, on the third occasion when I had explained he said (as I turned my back) "You are not even watching the game ref" I turned round and shouted at him, anymore dissent and you are in the book followed with a stern look. He looked a bit shocked by this. Is that the right way to handle it? He did shut up after so I think it worked, but should I have been sterner earlier?

5) CAR's, long ball keeper looks to be out of area and handles, I can't be sure and 'his' CAR is not going to give it, but keeper spills it anyway and then I see him definitely handle outside the area as he rectifies his initial mishandling, so I award the free kick. I chose NOT to produce a card as by this time there was no attacking player near him. Correct?

I'm sure there is probably a few more, but this is all I can remember for now. So if you wouldn't mind answering what you would do I would appreciate it, I do understand that some of the situations are 'you have to be there to decide' but if you could just give me a pointer on those please.
Thank you.
 
The Referee Store
1. no, any part of the foot on the line is fine

2. If you like! No law about this, just common sense, a defensive throw won't lead to a goal but an attacking one might.

3. drop ball is fine since you've not awarded the foul. hopefully it wasnt a fully contested drop ball though?! Just drop it to the keeper or the opposition to give it back to the keeper

4. seems like you handled it well, perhaps could have stepped on it sooner thoygh to prevent you shouting at a player though!

5. happy with no card if there's no attackers around. laws now state yellow cards for handball only if it prevents a promising attack.
 
Thanks for taking the time out @es1

1) That has took me by surprise, thanks for that.

3) It wasn't a contested drop ball thankfully, I didn't need to manufacture it either (because it's not allowed now obviously) attacker just walked away as I dropped it to the keeper.. thankfully common sense prevailed there.

Thanks again.

If anybody else wants to offer advice I would still be happy to read how you deal with all those situations.
 
In number 3, I would go to real trouble to try and avoid anything that might risk being a contested drop ball in the PA - those can go horribly wrong and do terrible things to your match control. Given the attacker has caught the goalkeeper in your scenario (even if accidentally), I think you would have been perfectly justified calling that as a foul and letting the keeper kick it out once he'd been treated.

Number 4 is very much down to each individual referee - my personal approach is that I've got no problem with players asking what a foul was for and wouldn't even consider it 1% of a dissent caution if they did so politely and in a way that suggests they're asking rather than disputing, however many times they do so. Of course, if the tone is aggressive or they don't accept my answer, you do sometimes need to be firm with them.

It's pretty unusual for a referee to shout at a player, which might explain his surprised reaction. If the ball isn't yet in play, you can use your whistle, call him over, slow things down and make it very clear that he's pushing his luck and your decision's been made. If he's chirping on once the ball has re-entered play, your options are more limited: I'm still not sure my approach would be to spin and shout at a distance, but that's partly because I know my voice doesn't always carry well. A firm "stop" hand gesture is my normal approach if a player is out of conversational voice range - obviously if it continues and you feel the need to stop play with your whistle because of a player arguing, you've then go no choice but to show a card.
 
GraemeS said:
In number 3, I would go to real trouble to try and avoid anything that might risk being a contested drop ball in the PA - those can go horribly wrong and do terrible things to your match control. Given the attacker has caught the goalkeeper in your scenario (even if accidentally), I think you would have been perfectly justified calling that as a foul and letting the keeper kick it out once he'd been treated.

Number 4 is very much down to each individual referee - my personal approach is that I've got no problem with players asking what a foul was for and wouldn't even consider it 1% of a dissent caution if they did so politely and in a way that suggests they're asking rather than disputing, however many times they do so. Of course, if the tone is aggressive or they don't accept my answer, you do sometimes need to be firm with them.

It's pretty unusual for a referee to shout at a player, which might explain his surprised reaction. If the ball isn't yet in play, you can use your whistle, call him over, slow things down and make it very clear that he's pushing his luck and your decision's been made. If he's chirping on once the ball has re-entered play, your options are more limited: I'm still not sure my approach would be to spin and shout at a distance, but that's partly because I know my voice doesn't always carry well. A firm "stop" hand gesture is my normal approach if a player is out of conversational voice range - obviously if it continues and you feel the need to stop play with your whistle because of a player arguing, you've then go no choice but to show a card.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your detailed thoughts Graeme, much appreciated.

Going back to the drop ball situation, I could easily have sold a foul, but I knew this keeper was struggling to kick off the deck. Why should he punished by having to kick the ball off the deck when he has made a good save and gets accidentally kicked. That was why I wanted to resume with the ball in his hands because he shouldn't be disadvantaged in this situation.

However of course, I am aware that it could have bit me on the bum, so will take that on board for the future.

Regarding my shouting at a player, my voice isn't very deep even at full level, so it probably just sounded like a squeak to him, I think his shocked reaction was caused more by the fact that he didn't think he could get booked for going on like an old washer woman :D
 
2) That's exactly what I do. If the attacking side complain, assuming I have players generally on-side I will quite often explain that since I had absolutely no idea the defending team gets the decision (I would not use that explanation if I feel I'm already losing players confidence). Another line to use with dissent over throw-in decisions is "If that's the worst decision I get wrong today you're doing very well".

3) Yes, but as GS points out if the Keeper already has the ball the attacking side are never going to complain about you giving the Keeper a free kick. Another option is to do a drop ball right in front of the keeper - tell him you're about to do it and that he can pick it up - then bounce it so he can catch it before anyone else knows what's going on.

4) While the ball is in play I would ignore almost anything a player says, unless he's drawing my attention to a head injury. Once the ball is dead I would deal with him, but don't shout. "You can either keep your opinions to yourself OR find yourself in the book. Those are your only options" [Pause 2 seconds while player continues arguing.] "This is your final warning." [Pause 1 second then reach for card]. If he still won't shut up it's a card and he can't complain he wasn't warned.

5) I definitely wouldn't card for that.
 
Another one if you don't mind.

"Are you blind ref"

I couldn't be sure who shouted it as when I turned round there was a group of players together, but it got me thinking.

Standard yellow?
 
This one depends. Firstly, if I'm not sure who said it I'd be inclined to leave it rather than instigate a sort of inquiry to find the culprit. Even if I did know, if this is the first sign of dissent I'd have a quiet word rather than rush to a card. Second time I might call the skipper over. If this is the latest in a series of similar comments, especially if I'd already warned people to cut it out, then I'd issue a yellow.
 
50/50 throw ins are a referees chance for a bit of payback (on the sly)...
Team being a pain, give it against them, spice things up..
Team been claiming throw ins all match that clearly aren't theres...give it against them, spice things up..

Some refs use the 5-2 rule, five defenders give more grief than two attackers.. thats fine but do it at both ends...
 
Apart from 1) the whole foot has to be over the line to be a foul throw. I think you have dealt with things correctly and especially the stern face.

One thing I would say with the 50/50 throws is make a quick decision and sell it. If it is 50/50 it's most likely that they don't know either, so if you 'look' like you know and are assertive then you will get respect for being positive.
 
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