The Ref Stop

Passback restart

Degnann

Degnann

As incompetent as the last ref
Level 4 Referee
Been trying to avoid making this but can’t seem to find an answer.

player deliberately plays the ball to the keeper who proceeds to pick it up.IDFK. Nice and easy.

now what if the now attacking team want to take the free kick quickly? Is this allowed?

cant see anything in the laws about it not being allowed. I am aware it may come down to match control but can’t see a definite answer.
 
The Ref Stop
I don't see an issue with it in terms of the LOTG. The Goalkeeper would in theory be in position and ready for play anyway, since he must have picked the ball up inside his area for an IDFK to be given, so there shouldn't be any problem there either.
 
Need to think about game management. Something like this could definitely lead to an ‘easy’ game becoming a really tough one. Delaying the FK could cause one or two players to slightly moan (“come on ref”), but allowing a quick one where the keeper isn’t ready could lead to the entire team turning against you
EDIT - Didn’t seen the last sentence until now🙄
 
If the keeper is stupid enough to drop the ball, then I don't think you'd have too much of an issue. The GK's day is ruined (giving away a "passback and then compounding that by giving the ball away immediately!), but that's not your problem. As long as the passback is obvious (and it sounds like it is), I don't even think this would damage your match control that much to be honest.

On the other hand, if he keeps hold of it, I think you're better off stopping any attempts at a quick FK as soon as possible. If you don't interfere, you're going to have a scuffle on your hands, wheras if you do interfere and then allow a quick FK, you're then going to have to be very careful not to have created the opportunity for a sneaky goal with your intervention. Neither of those is great, so if he keeps the ball in his hands, go over, get him to give it to you (or given COVID, at least drop it to you) and then position it appropriately and go through the whole ceremony.
 
I had this situation in a league game last season. Not a heated match. Midway through second half keeper just had a complete mare and picked it up.

Two attackers that had been pressing high grab the ball, put it down, played the pass and put it in the net. I stopped the game and we had a retake. I explained that yes you can take a free kick quickly, at my discretion, however if I had let them take a quick free kick from 8 yards out against you, you would not be too pleased with it. A couple of moans but the general consensus was that it's a fair outcome.
 
Dan1882 said:
I had this situation in a league game last season. Not a heated match. Midway through second half keeper just had a complete mare and picked it up.

Two attackers that had been pressing high grab the ball, put it down, played the pass and put it in the net. I stopped the game and we had a retake. I explained that yes you can take a free kick quickly, at my discretion, however if I had let them take a quick free kick from 8 yards out against you, you would not be too pleased with it. A couple of moans but the general consensus was that it's a fair outcome.
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Had there been an observer at the match, the post-match discussion would have been interesting! Once the attacking team are ready to take the free kick, there is no reason to delay it while the defence get organised . . . and if it was 8 yards from goal that process would be a long one, with defenders on the goal line, others hovering to attack the ball when it's passed, etc. In my opinion, the goal should have stood.
 
I'm with @ChasTutorObserver on this one (and not just because he could be observing me this season :p) - why should the attacking team be punished for being quick-witted enough to take the quick free kick? If there was an offence committed which would require a caution or dismissal (like the example @GraemeS gave with the GK holding onto the ball to delay the restart) then you can begin the carding procedure and there's a legitimate reason why you can't allow the quick free kick, but if the only offence is the GK handling the pass to him then I don't think you have any reason to prevent them doing so.
 
You won't get consensus here, I fear. The answer to your question though does lie in law in the glossary. What is the definition of a quick free kick:

Screenshot_20200810_140839.jpg

The important part for me is, "with the referees permission."
So the question you have is, do I allow it?
There are pros and cons to both and I accept all sides of the argument...
It's a match control issue, and you could as others have said win or lose the whole game on a decision like this..
So, I would ask yourself what does football expect?
I think (and only my opinion) football expects a ceremonial restart here.
It's rare that a ceremonial restart is not the case for a so called pass back and the one example (I can think of) of it not being the case went viral - because it was so unusual.
Again, I don't Have any massive argument against the for camp, but in my games I like a no surprises approach, so if you want to allow in your games, go for it.
Remember also, the referee should signal an indirect free kick, so from an observer stand point, if you have truly allowed it, I would expect to see the arm raised to indicate it.
 
If it's from the right place, the ball is not moving, everyone knows what is going on - and perhaps most importantly, I, referee, am in no way interfering or standing over the ball making anyone think it's ceremonial, then play on.

I give you Trent Alexander Arnold. If it's smart and fair. Then play on.
 
Yes they can can take it quick but only if you have not asked for it to be on the whistle (implied given permission). It's important to know that while in most cases you'd want this to be on the whistle, one size does not fit all.

The biggest mistake you can make is giving the defenders the impression you want it on the whistle (without actually saying it) but then allowing it without the whistle. For example run to the location and get in the middle. Another big mistake is you facilitating a QFK. For example taking the ball from the keeper and handing it to the attackers.

My rule of thumb, if they take it very quick from the right spot (say less than 3 seconds after whistle blow) AND I have not got close to the spot then I allow it to proceed. Othewise the very first thing is a loud "it's on the whistle."
 
Control the ball. Control the players. Control the restart. Control the game.

If you're acting consistently, you can explain that every attacking restart from which there has been a goal scoring opportunity has taken place on your signal and you're not giving that signal until you are ready. This is a technical restart, not a free shot on goal.

I allowed a QFK once from just such a situation. It was in 2008. I still regret it now such was the post-incident fall-out.
 
Big Cat said:
If the observers don't agree, the observee is rolling dice either way
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Not necessarily. Observers look. At the impact a decision had on the game. Allow it and it all goes pear shaped the observer is rightly going to say, so you think you could have handled it better? Or you could manage the fallout really well and he will score you well for it.
It's as much about how you arrive at a decision, and how you manage it, and how you explain what you did in law. If it is correct in law, then you can't get hammered for it. But if its detrimental to match Control expect some. Advice under that competency.
Get it right in AOL and match control well then you are winning at life my friend
 
Many on here will advocate a managed restart for their match management. I prefer to allow the quick free kick in any position but they need to do it without asking to take it quickly or mention anything about ten yards.....so if the keeper's stupid enough to let them have the ball.................
 
I think this is one of those (many) issues on which there is not going to be a consensus. On one hand we have the concept that a team that commits an offense has no rights (other than the right not to have the referee confuse them); on the other hand we have the concern of match management and a sense of confusion on these types of plays.

As others have noted, a smart GK is either holding the ball while complaining to the R about the call, or throwing/kicking the ball away, either craftily or just accepting he will get cautioned.

For me, on these plays, if the attacking team is going to take a quick FK, they need to be awfully darn close to the exact blade of grass. They have the right to take it quickly, but they don't have the right to get a further advantage from taking it from the wrong spot in the PA. And, again for me, the lower the level of play, the more likely I am to intervene and make sure everyone understands what the call is--and once that happens, the FK is ceremonial.

I dislike these events--I'd like to see IFKs (at least for the GK offenses) either be moved to the edge of the PA or become corner kicks.
 
Mintyref said:
Many on here will advocate a managed restart for their match management. I prefer to allow the quick free kick in any position but they need to do it without asking to take it quickly or mention anything about ten yards.....so if the keeper's stupid enough to let them have the ball.................
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Unlike the normal situation where a player ambles up, places the ball, has a look round at what’s going on and then says “Ref, can I take a quick one?”
 
Justylove said:
Unlike the normal situation where a player ambles up, places the ball, has a look round at what’s going on and then says “Ref, can I take a quick one?”
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Indeed..........to which the answer is always, once I've got the wall set, you certainly can.......
 
I wouldn't criticise a referee for allowing it to be taken quickly if it didn't give them any problems. On the other hand if it led to their match control falling apart then of course I would be highlighting it and perhaps suggested they could have managed it much better.

Generally speaking I think the game expects free kicks in goal scoring positions to be ceremonial and "on the whistle". If you don't allow it to be taken quickly it would have been forgotten about by the end of the game, I very much doubt the same could be said if you allowed it and a goal was scored.
 
RustyRef said:
Generally speaking I think the game expects free kicks in goal scoring positions to be ceremonial and "on the whistle". If you don't allow it to be taken quickly it would have been forgotten about by the end of the game, I very much doubt the same could be said if you allowed it and a goal was scored.
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I really struggle with this concept. I think there is truth in it--but nothing in the Laws remotely sets that expectation.

I also think there are geographic expectations--my sense from reading various ref fora is that the UK has more of an expectation of all FKs being managed in the attacking third than some other places (including the US). And at some point I could see that becoming an issue in an international competition between countries with different expectations--but the incidents are so rare.
 
My thinking would be, if the keeper has left the ball and attackers are smart enough to take it quick, I’m allowing it. Nothing to state I need to wait. Simply tell the team its not my fault your keeper picked the ball up :p
 
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