Offside if he's off the pitch?

[Reffariiii]

Can someone please clarify this for me? Maybe its because I'm Welsh, but I'm having difficulty getting it absoloutley clear in my mind, from only what the good book say's...

If a defender has gone down injured, close to his own goal line, and the attacker if just passed the half way line when he gets the ball, the defender is still keeping him on-side, despite the fact that he is down injured, and not interfeering with play? Right?

Secondly, the same situation, but the defender has gone OFF the field of play by the touchline / goal line, he is still keeping him onside as he has not had permission to leave, and therefore, must be cautioned? Riiight?

Basically, if a player is off without permission, he counts as the second last defender?

MAy sound like silly questions, but putting them down makes it clearer in my head!

 

[Tealeaf]

1: Right. The defender does not have to interfere. His "line of effectiveness"**, "tackle zone"** or whatever you want to call it applies whatever condition he is in - unless he is being treated by the Physio or doctor.
**(I didn't make those up, they have been used in training exercises!)

2: Caution not necessarily warranted. A player can leave the FOP as part of a natural motion and is not cautioned. This happened at the last World Cup where the defenders momentum carried him over the goal-line and all the commentators thought the attacker was now offside. I forget the game but it is around.

The law was changed to prevent the deliberate stepping off the field to catch an attacker offside.

 

[The Percolator]

This is still the same rule I presume?

 

[MattyontheWhistle]

As I understand it, the defender who is off the pitch is deemed to be standing on the goal line for the purpose of an off side decision.

UNLESS: the defender had left the pitch at the referee's request to be treated for an injury, in which case he is off the field of play and not involved in the game at all until the referee allows him back.

Crystal must seem positively opaque in comparison!

 

[The Percolator]

I bet that has caused a lot of hassle over the years....

 

[Ryan Owens]

What the others have said is true.