Today a, player got inured during a tackle and a minute later he decided to sub himself off. No problem with that, he called it first and left the pitch at the nearest point (opposite the bench) and the sub came on. I then noticed that the player hadn't completely left the pitch, his boot was still on it and he was sat on the side line. Now here is where I add that he wasn't happy at all, he claimed that the tackle was deliberately malicious (not in my opinion), that he was going to 'smash' the defender who fouled him, you know, the usual stuff that we ignore as it's usually heat of the moment. He was very angry and when I asked him to leave the pitch he wanted to argue. I warned him that if he didn't get completely clear that I would send him off so, reluctantly, he moved an inch off the white line.
So, technically, the substitution isn't complete. If I had red carded him at that point does that mean I have to make the sub leave the pitch? The players, all 22 of them would have expected that the substitution was over as they wouldn't have seen the player literally sitting on the touchline. What would you have done bearing in mind that this is Sunday league and the player aren't always aware of the laws of the game. Oh, and I was reffing my sons team who were not the team the injured player was on.
So, technically, the substitution isn't complete. If I had red carded him at that point does that mean I have to make the sub leave the pitch? The players, all 22 of them would have expected that the substitution was over as they wouldn't have seen the player literally sitting on the touchline. What would you have done bearing in mind that this is Sunday league and the player aren't always aware of the laws of the game. Oh, and I was reffing my sons team who were not the team the injured player was on.
