A&H

Ball close to touchline and maintaining offside line

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The avuncular one
Imagine the scene. You are AR and the ball is very close to your touchline but 30 yards from your position. You have a very active forward line to watch also. The ball is right ON or starting to creep over the line (but still in) as it is kicked forward. Your trying to watch both the offside line and the ball being in or out if play at the same time.

Twice in my last few games I have had this where you are trying to watch both at the same time. Offside line is priority I would think. Any suggestions on this?
 
The Referee Store
If the ball is 30 away from your offside line you surely have to prioritise the touch line first .......? unless of course the players body language indicates to you hes gonna be swinging one over first time ? Unless im misinterpreting the situation your describing ?.
 
Offside is always the first priority (as we are instructed), but as Beezer suggests, the touch line here is very important, especially based on the distance from the second last defender's line. So start doing a lot more head turning on a play like this one, and if there's a quick in/out, stop and hold that flag up so that it's seen before indicating direction for the throw.
 
The only place the ball is going from that position is down the line and on both occasions there is a forward making a run down the line.

Both occasions the defender went also, so it is trying to watch both at the same time.
 
If thats the situation you obviously cannot physically do both so it just a glance , glance and glance again situation at the same time as running and trying not to pass out lol
 
Hang on, why would offside be the 'first' priority? Missing the ball going out of play can have just as big an impact as missing an offside.
You need to glance between the two, that's all you can do. Try to make use of your peripheral vision for the offside player. If you keep sidestepping this should help.
 
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