A&H

Ball went flat - correct restart?

CallumS

Mr Referee
Level 7 Referee
This happened a couple weeks ago in my first game.

Ball was kicked up into the air, as it went up player shouted it was flat. It came down and clearly was flat so i blew the whistle to stop play.

Home team manager instantly says we'll pass it back to them (the away team were on the ball) so i restarted with the home team passing it back.

I thought the restart was a drop ball but since the manager said to pass it back i continued. Did I do the right or wrong thing? (It was U13)

Also, similar question because its a similar situation (however unlikely it may be). The striker is one on one with the keeper, he strikes it in the penalty area and as he does so the ball bursts - what is the correct restart?
 
The Referee Store
Monkey's right, if the ball bursts always drop ball from the point it burst.If they decide to pass back that's up to them.

Anything like this I tend to work on a few simple rules which don't cover everything, but most: -
Direct Offence (anything involving contact, foul, handball etc) = Direct FK
Technical Offence (offside, obstruction, vocal offences etc) = Indirect FK
Stop the game for any reason not the fault of one team or the other = Drop Ball

Like I say that doesn't cover everything and there are a few contradictions but works 95% of the time if you need to think how to restart play.

Don't forget though - FK's are from the point of the offence, drop balls are always where the ball was at the point of the stoppage, unless inside the 6 yard box, at which point it goes on the 6 yard line nearest the point the ball was at the time you stopped play.
 
SLightly off topic, but drop ball in the penalty area can the keeper pick it up?
 
SLightly off topic, but drop ball in the penalty area can the keeper pick it up?

Good question.

The quick answer is yes. There's nothing in the LOTG that prevents it, and think of the phrase 'the ball is in play from the moment the ball touches the ground'.

I'd have to consider dangerous play in the event a keeper tried to pick a ball up from a contested drop ball though. Obviously he'd be the one penalised....
 
At the weekend had a lad down injured, but a good attack on. Keeper made a save so blew up so the player could get treatment. The drop ball in the area the attacking team offered to just knock the ball to the keeper, although, as this was u13 and on the edge of the 6 yard box I was concerned doing the sporting thing could have ended up with an accidental goal. So found myself blurting out that the keeper could pick it up from the drop ball. And it was only once I'd said it I wondered if I was actually right or not! It sounded reasonable!
 
That's correct.

Remember 'Ball is in play the moment it touches the ground'.

Bit more difficult when you're put on the spot like that though.
 
At the weekend had a lad down injured, but a good attack on. Keeper made a save so blew up so the player could get treatment. The drop ball in the area the attacking team offered to just knock the ball to the keeper, although, as this was u13 and on the edge of the 6 yard box I was concerned doing the sporting thing could have ended up with an accidental goal. So found myself blurting out that the keeper could pick it up from the drop ball. And it was only once I'd said it I wondered if I was actually right or not! It sounded reasonable!
You made problems for yourself here. Either blow to stop the game quickly because you feel it to be an injury that needs attention or let play go on. Major potential for problems to stop the game while the keeper has the ball in his hands after an attack which you allowed breaks down which then results in a drop ball - what if the attackers want to contest it? If you still want to stop the game at this point, wait for the keeper to kick it, then blow.

That said, if it wasn't that serious that either you or his own team mates wanted to stop the game fairly quickly, I would be considering just playing on anyway.
 
Monkey's right, if the ball bursts always drop ball from the point it burst.If they decide to pass back that's up to them.

Retake for penalty kicks / kicks from the penalty mark if ball moving forward but hasn't touched keeper or goalposts
 
You made problems for yourself here. Either blow to stop the game quickly because you feel it to be an injury that needs attention or let play go on. Major potential for problems to stop the game while the keeper has the ball in his hands after an attack which you allowed breaks down which then results in a drop ball - what if the attackers want to contest it? If you still want to stop the game at this point, wait for the keeper to kick it, then blow.

That said, if it wasn't that serious that either you or his own team mates wanted to stop the game fairly quickly, I would be considering just playing on anyway.

The injured player was on the attacking team and went down just outside the penalty area, so wasnt playing on for too long. It would have been pretty poor form had the attacking team contested it as they had gained the advantage in the first instance. However I see you point. Normally being u13 I'd stop the game almost immediately for injuries, however the attack just had too much promise in order to stop in my opinion.
 
I'd have to consider dangerous play in the event a keeper tried to pick a ball up from a contested drop ball though. Obviously he'd be the one penalised....
How is the GK playing dangerously in that situation?

A GK is, within his/her own penalty area, legally allowed to play the ball with the hands, and as such can put him/herself into a situation that would be "dangerous" (within the Laws) to a "field player" without being fearful of being penalized for dangerous play.
 
Goal keepers are nuts. Being willing to play in a dangerous manner is part of the reason they get the job!!

Dive on that ball there while that big lump tries to kick you in the head while he tries to kick the ball. Wow you did. The jobs yours!

Never met a keeper who wasn't a loon.
 
I agree Monkey, but for me the difference between nessecary risk and dangerous play is being brave or stupid.

Bravery is being in a situation you may get crocked while winning the ball, stupidity is knowing you will.
 
A GK has every right to do something that he/she considers brave that you, as a referee, consider stupid.

To most people, diving at someone's feet as they race towards you at full speed to try to block a ball (or grab it) seems insane. To me? Makes perfect sense.

Same goes here. The GK may make a determination that he/she is able to collect that ball _after_ it has hit the ground and thus attempts to make a play to which he/she is entitled to do so by the Laws.

Don't try to find reasons to penalize someone for doing "their job".
 
A GK has every right to do something that he/she considers brave that you, as a referee, consider stupid.

To most people, diving at someone's feet as they race towards you at full speed to try to block a ball (or grab it) seems insane. To me? Makes perfect sense.

Same goes here. The GK may make a determination that he/she is able to collect that ball _after_ it has hit the ground and thus attempts to make a play to which he/she is entitled to do so by the Laws.

Don't try to find reasons to penalize someone for doing "their job".

There is a huge difference though isn't there.

A striker running through on goal and a keeper diving at his feet to attempt to collect the ball is brave - a motion of play where a keeper makes a split second decision to attempt to collect the ball taking into account the possible risks.

A goalkeeper diving at a foot swung from a drop all is stupid - he knows it's about to happen, it's premeditated and he knows there's an almost certainty he will get kicked, possibly in the face - he's knowingly putting himself in danger.

Is penalising a high foot from a striker who attempts a shot at the same time a defender tries to head the ball 'penalising him for doing his job'? His job is to score goals? Load of rubbish.

I'm not looking to 'penalise someone for doing their job', but as a referee I have a duty of care to the safety of all the players, and that includes any player who endangers his own safety as well as anybody else's.
 
I suppose what would you do if there was a drop ball and the big centre half who can nut the ball half the length of the pitch lays on the floor and plans to head the drop ball rather than kick it. Just because a player is good at it, in this case the defender can head, or the keeper can use his hands, but it doesnt mean its the safest thing to do, thus is playing in a dangerous manner.

Also as much as we like to discuss the LOTG, but I dont think ANYONE would ever see a contested drop ball involve a goalie!
 
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