A&H

Offside from your own goal kick.

matty639

Well-Known Member
Level 5 Referee
Right now before I start the story, I know Law 11 states you can't be offside from a goal kick but:

Assistant referee today on a game, blue number nine on every goal kick from his team is stood miles offside. None have been going to him until one in the second half where again he's stood at least 3 metres offside at the point the keeper kicks it. It hangs in the air and then he comes running in and heads the ball off to his buddy running through who messes it up and goes for a throw.

So when he heads the ball I've raised my flag and immediately though oh hang on law 11 etc, as I said the ball went out for a throw anyway and the ref played on as nothing came of it. Now I know what the law states and I can totally understand if it's an opponents goal kick but I can't seem to shift it out my head that he was off as its his side that have kicked it through. Its exactly the same as the keeper passing to a defender off the goal kick and him lumping it up to him. It's gonna bug me and I know that by the laws I'm wrong but seems mental to me.
 
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You can't be offside from your own goalkick, and this player received the ball from his goal kick, so he can't be offside!

You've realised your mistake, so onwards and upwards!
 
Does it no way seem an odd rule to anyone? Yesterday was the first time I've ever encountered an incident involving it which is probably why it threw me off a bit but I certainly won't make the same mistake again.
 
I find it a bit odd as well, but yup, if he was the first player to touch it after the GK was taken, he wasn't off side. If another player touched it, and he was in an offside position at THAT point, then yes, he was offside.
 
I think of it as a player can't be offside if the ball is being returned into play from outside the pitch - so a corner, throw or goal kick. I agree that the goal kick sounds and seems anomalous, but I guess no more than from a throw, when you think about it.
 
It makes sense, Martiju, but there are some differences between the three restarts.

The quadrant marking for the corner, is an extension of the goal line for the purposes of the corner. Therefore, no player can be further forward than the ball when the kick is take as the ball is effectively on, or behind the goal line.

You can't score directly from a throw-in, it has to be touched by another player.

When a foul against the attacking team is given in the goal area, the kick can be taken from the edge of that area, yet you CAN be offside. Yet a GK, which is not a punishment for a foul gives you a bigger advantage than if it was.

So, here's a hypothetical scenario:

Attacker commits a foul while stretching for the ball within the goal area. In doing so, he gets a shot away which goes wide.

Do you:
A: Give the foul and award the FK within the goal area.
B: Play advantage and award a GK because there is a greater advantage in having no offside from a GK.
 
Yes it is weird but as drahc, we all make mistakes sometimes, you realised it, so don't dwell on it and keep going :)
 
I've only ever had that situation once myself and that was because of th eslope of the pitch. Not quite as bad as Underhill used to be (that makes me sound old!) but steep enough.
 
It's difficult but you always have to be aware of the restart. Especially on a throw-in or goal kick, personally I think this mistake is a lot easier to make on a throw-in on the other side of the FOP. The simple formula I use for this is being aware of the restart, if it is a goal kick or throw-in have your eyes on the ball until play is restarted. For any other restart make sure you're looking across the line.
 
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