The Ref Stop

Offside - interfering - with a player's mind

Alex71

Alex71

RefChat Addict
Level 5 Referee
Ball over the top into space
Yellow 9 - who is in an off-side position - starts to run towards it - he is still 15 yards from the ball when CAR flag goes up
Yellow 9 sees the flag - stops - hasn't physically stopped a Blue player from getting to the ball ... Yellow 8 (on-side) runs on to the ball ... (scuffs shot wide)
Cue usual debate about being active / interference

Blue captain says to me that Yellow 9 DID interfere with his colleagues as they saw Yellow 9 run towards the ball and IN THEIR MINDS they stopped knowing he was in an off-side position ... Yellow 9 therefore HAD interfered with play !!

I know what The LOTG say (incl. the pictures in the 2nd half of the book) ... for a second or two I could see his point though ...

Please someone tell me I am over-thinking this and the Blue captain is wrong / trying it on ..!
 
The Ref Stop
Interesting situation - If the attacker has responded to the flag and stopped running as a result its less clear cut than perhaps this should be. The CAR flag has influenced the game.

At the end of the day though, the problem is still that the defenders have switched of and failed to obey footballs rule 1 - play to the whistle. DO NOT stop running until the whistle goes.
 
SM said:
rule 1 - play to the whistle. DO NOT stop running until the whistle goes.
Click to expand...

Spot on, regardless of what a NAR or CAR does with his flag, you do not stop running until that whistle goes.

I've learned my lesson a few times being too quick to blow my whistle: e.g. Player in offside position is running for the ball, I've blown my whistle and it turns out another player (onside) would have got there first. So now I wait until the last possible second before I blow.
 
I wouldn't expect a NAR to flag too quickly in this situation. As the player hasn't yet interfered.

However, was he offside? Yes. If my CAR of NAR puts their flag up I'm blowing my whistle and giving an IDFK no issues, nothing to debate or potential game changing goal that ruins my match control for the rest of the game.
 
A tip I like to use with CARs... When talking about offsides: 'please wait until the attacker has actually touched the ball until you flag, unless he's running through and your keeper is coming out and they're coming to collide, then give it early and we'll avoid the collision'

Works well for me
 
True... But if an offside player is stood in front of the keeper then they're shoving it up anyway...

Can't think of any 'interfering with an opponent' examples off my head...
 
Player coming from offside position to challenge defender for the ball....it's in the book ;)
 
I'd expect them to flag that anyway... Asking them To wait until the ball is touched simply stops early flags like the one in the OP
 
A few weeks back, acting as a car, ref asked me for early flags instead of waiting for touch, (in situations where another player from the same team could easily have played the ball)...because the spectators didn't understand

I was not impressed :)
 
Really?! That's shocking!! It's pretty easy to explain to people 'he's gotta play the ball' if they complain about a late flag
 
Jacko said:
I wouldn't expect a NAR to flag too quickly in this situation. As the player hasn't yet interfered.

However, was he offside? Yes. If my CAR of NAR puts their flag up I'm blowing my whistle and giving an IDFK no issues, nothing to debate or potential game changing goal that ruins my match control for the rest of the game.
Click to expand...
To clarify; you are disallowing a perfectly valid goal based on a CAR giving a poor flag that you know is not correct in law?
 
SM said:
To clarify; you are disallowing a perfectly valid goal based on a CAR giving a poor flag that you know is not correct in law?
Click to expand...

Hand on heart was he offside? Yes.

Was he about to challenge his opponent? Yes

To save a dodgy goal and a lot of hassle just go with the flag.
 
Wow a little bit shocked that any ref would happily disregard the LOTG in favour of "match control" and give offside when no offence occurred. Each to their own though.
 
CallumRushton13 said:
A tip I like to use with CARs... When talking about offsides: 'please wait until the attacker has actually touched the ball until you flag, unless he's running through and your keeper is coming out and they're coming to collide, then give it early and we'll avoid the collision'

Works well for me
Click to expand...

Yes I say that "I'm only interested in players who play the ball or are about to" I know that doesn't cover ALL eventualities in law but no point over complicating offsides for CARs.
 
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