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Danswillis

New Member
Level 7 Referee
Hi all. I need some help clarifying a rule. I watched my son play a school game in the week and the gk shouted "leave it" when a ball was played through. The attacking team complained to the ref saying you can't say that (which I also believed to be the case). The ref said that the rule had changed and he can. I can't find clarification in the rule book either way. Thoughts people?
 
The Ref Stop
If the goalkeeper is shouting "leave it" or "mine" etc to his team mates, then there's nothing wrong with it.

However, if the goalkeeper/outfield players is shouting mine/leave it etc as a deliberate attempt to distract an opponent, then it's an indirect free kick to the opposition and yellow card for the offending player as it's unsporting behaviour.

p.s. Football has laws, not rules (& welcome to the forum)! ;):cool:
 
@Danswillis There is nothing wrong, in principle, with shouting "leave it". The offence is "verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart", and it would be in the opinion of the referee whether something a player shouts (or how they shout it, or when they shout it) makes them guilty of this offence. If the referee judges them to be guilty, then unless playing an advantage, an IDFK should be given with a mandatory caution for USB - if you played advantage you would come back at a break in play and caution the player, although I would suggest that if you can play an advantage, has the player really distracted an opponent sufficiently to be guilty of the offence...
 
As others have said, it's about whether the call distracts an opponent or not. Simply shouting leave it, isn't an offence in itself.

(Btw, I'm moving this thread to the appropriate forum rather than this one)
 
"He can't shout leave it ref!" :rolleyes:

Another one of those player-evolved myths.

It's right up there with "But he was the last man ref!" and "high foot ref!". :D
 
I find this tidbit of law is more applicable to when players shout things at players such as "Bang" as they're about to shoot which I've come across a fair bit recently in OA Sunday League. Last season I actually dismissed a player for a second caution for shouting bang at a GK whilst chasing him down as he was about to clear the ball. The GK sliced the ball out of play, 93rd minute of the game, second caution and gone.

How often do you really get somebody claim a ball with "leave it" and such and we can confidently say that he was intending to distract the opponent?
 
I was on the line on Saturday and the referee I was with gave a indirect free kick for leave it
 
I was on the line on Saturday and the referee I was with gave a indirect free kick for leave it
Your description seems to imply that it was just an IFK with no caution first? If so, then as has been pointed out in other recent discussions that's wrong in law.
 
I find this tidbit of law is more applicable to when players shout things at players such as "Bang" as they're about to shoot which I've come across a fair bit recently in OA Sunday League. Last season I actually dismissed a player for a second caution for shouting bang at a GK whilst chasing him down as he was about to clear the ball. The GK sliced the ball out of play, 93rd minute of the game, second caution and gone.

How often do you really get somebody claim a ball with "leave it" and such and we can confidently say that he was intending to distract the opponent?

Far more often than they shout "bang" in my experience.
 
To shout 'leave it' if it is to your own player is completely fine becuase it is just communication within the team. However, saying it to a player from another team to put them off is yellow for USB (although I would probably warn first and then second time give a YC or RC depending on what is said).
 
To shout 'leave it' if it is to your own player is completely fine becuase it is just communication within the team. However, saying it to a player from another team to put them off is yellow for USB (although I would probably warn first and then second time give a YC or RC depending on what is said).

Been here with this one before Will.
The LOTG are quite specific in as much as it says that the offence occurs if the opponent is verbally distracted.
In other words, it doesn't matter what the player's "intention" is/was by shouting. If, in your opinion the opponent was distracted by it, then it's an IDFK and a caution for the player. By the same token, the player can shout whatever he likes (unless OFFINABUS) and if he hasn't actually, visibly distracted anybody - then it's no offence and play on. :)
 
I've given more yellows for the dissent that arises from a "leave it!" than I have yellows for the actual offense. Something about it really seems to wind players up.
 
Sheesh - how may YC have you given?
For dissent, sparked by an unpenalised shout of "Leave it!" or "Mine!"? At least two incidents come to mind without any strain at all. And that's against a single caution for a "Bang!" type shout, never given yellow for mine/leave it.
 
For dissent, sparked by an unpenalised shout of "Leave it!" or "Mine!"? At least two incidents come to mind without any strain at all. And that's against a single caution for a "Bang!" type shout, never given yellow for mine/leave it.

I never mentioned dissent that has arisen from whatever decision you have made. I'm on about for a sole call of mine/leave it. How often do you award an IDFK and caution for USB due to a player intending to deceive using the words mine/leave it? And if you have often, how are you 100% confident that he intended to deceive?
 
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