How many are allowed to stand in the technical area?

[Murri O]

I may have missed it or misinterpreted in the past but how many people are allowed to stand in the technical area at any given time?

I see this extract from Law 1. It says 'only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions' but does that mean more than one person can be standing if they're not giving instructions?

On the TV you only ever see one but I'm interested in whether that's written down somewhere.

Thanks

 

[OnlyUseMeWhistle]

I may have missed it or misinterpreted in the past but how many people are allowed to stand in the technical area at any given time?

I see this extract from Law 1. It says 'only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions' but does that mean more than one person can be standing if they're not giving instructions?

On the TV you only ever see one but I'm interested in whether that's written down somewhere.

Thanks

View attachment 7262

Most refs I have run the line for will ask for one standing, it looks neater and is easier to enforce than trying to decide when it becomes two people "conveying tactical instructions".

But they will also give me some discretion, sometimes a bench lacks enough seats for everyone!

 

[RefereeX]

Mostly league rules allow 2 standing, then law suggests only one of these may convey tactical instructions at a time. Very difficult to police that when 2 are standing, but that's what we're up against.

 

[Murri O]

Mostly league rules allow 2 standing, then law suggests only one of these may convey tactical instructions at a time. Very difficult to police that when 2 are standing, but that's what we're up against.

Thanks but I'm wondering what the actual law is. What's IFAB say?

 

[RefereeX]

Thanks but I'm wondering what the actual law is. What's IFAB say?

They don't - it's entirely down to competition rules.

 

[Kes]

as @RefereeX has already stated, the league rules general stipulate what they want to happen (normally a maximum of 2 standing) with the LOTG allowing only one of them to be barking instructions.

The reality however is that generally, both of them are shouting in tandem (normally at the referee ) and so it's often allowed to carry on by referees/ARs since they don't want to look "anal" by rigidly enforcing that piece (unless being observed).

The only time it's normally nipped in the bud or dealt with by match officials is when it gradually evolves into 3/4/5 people all standing up gobbing off which can often happen.