The Ref Stop

Playing advantage

Q

QuaverRef

I used to be indecisive but now i'm not so sure
Level 4 Referee
A couple of scenarios I’m slightly unsure about, in each situation would you pull it back for the free kick, or say that advantage is played? I’ve always been inclined to say advantage played on both as it’s an individual error rather than opposition interference

1) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and you play advantage, he plays a ball out wide but it goes behind his team mate and it goes out for a throw

2) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and younplay advantage, he immediately plays a through ball to a team mate who is offside
 
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Imo I would simply ask, what advantage was actually gained? If none, then, again, to me, there was no advantage....
 
As referee though, you are not the judge on someones ability, or lack of
The mere fact you are calling it "a chance" , for me, is more than enough to determine that its not actually an advantage.
 
Doesn't matter. As per the LOTG if the ref feels there is an advantage to be had at that particular moment - he plays it. Once he's called "play on advantage" it's pretty much too late. That's why I always wait two to four seconds before yelling it. That way you can be sure that it truly is advantage.
A lot of (grass roots) refs I know tend to play advantage at times just to keep the game flowing but I'll rarely play it unless it's in the attacking third of the field.

I cautioned a GK this season for gobbing off at me after he'd caught the ball on his own penalty spot (from a cross) where an opponent barged him in the air and sent him flying. Quick as a flash, he jumped to his feet and punted the ball downfield just as I blew for the DFK for him. Screaming at me for not playing advantage (Though Christ knows what advantage he thought a clearance to the half way line would bring his team?) I took pleasure in giving him his dissent yellow and asking him how many referees he knew had previously played "advantage" from a team's own penalty area.

True story. :wtf:
 
QuaverRef said:
A couple of scenarios I’m slightly unsure about, in each situation would you pull it back for the free kick, or say that advantage is played? I’ve always been inclined to say advantage played on both as it’s an individual error rather than opposition interference

1) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and you play advantage, he plays a ball out wide but it goes behind his team mate and it goes out for a throw

2) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and younplay advantage, he immediately plays a through ball to a team mate who is offside
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I think in both those situations the advantage is there but squandered, so I'd be of mind to carry on. But as always, context matters, how bad was the foul? How badly tempered is the game? Is it better for you to pull it back and deal with it as part of game management etc.
 
Kes said:
Doesn't matter. As per the LOTG if the ref feels there is an advantage to be had at that particular moment - he plays it. Once he's called "play on advantage" it's pretty much too late. That's why I always wait two to four seconds before yelling it. That way you can be sure that it truly is advantage.
A lot of (grass roots) refs I know tend to play advantage at times just to keep the game flowing but I'll rarely play it unless it's in the attacking third of the field.

I cautioned a GK this season for gobbing off at me after he'd caught the ball on his own penalty spot (from a cross) where an opponent barged him in the air and sent him flying. Quick as a flash, he jumped to his feet and punted the ball downfield just as I blew for the DFK for him. Screaming at me for not playing advantage (Though Christ knows what advantage he thought a clearance to the half way line would bring his team?) I took pleasure in giving him his dissent yellow and asking him how many referees he knew had previously played "advantage" from a team's own penalty area.

True story. :wtf:
Click to expand...
How and where did you restart after the caution?
 
QuaverRef said:
A couple of scenarios I’m slightly unsure about, in each situation would you pull it back for the free kick, or say that advantage is played? I’ve always been inclined to say advantage played on both as it’s an individual error rather than opposition interference

1) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and you play advantage, he plays a ball out wide but it goes behind his team mate and it goes out for a throw

2) Foul occurs, attacker picks up ball and younplay advantage, he immediately plays a through ball to a team mate who is offside
Click to expand...
Once you have signalled advantage, you don't bring it back (that is our instructions in Aus). However, you need to think, particularly in 1) if you played advantage correctly, did the attacker have full balance and full control of the ball, did you wait long enough to make sure the team 'benefits' from playing advantage?
 
I had a couple of issues with this type of scenario this weekend. I was refereeing a division 1 under 13 match, and the home team in particular had obviously been practising quick free kicks so as to keep the ball moving. On a few occasions this was a very risky choice (e.g. going back to the keeper with an attacker not given time to retreat). I did call back some because of a moving ball.
I never actually had reason to deal with any controversy arising from this, but it made me wonder whether it is sensible to ask the teams whether they want the whistle; especially since the players are still learning at this age.

To the OP, it is my understanding that these examples would constitute a willing concession of possession/wasted advantage. Quick free kicks are the exception to the rule that, if the ball has struck an opponent player closer than 10 yards, the referee should order a retake:
"If, when a free kick is taken, an opponent is closer to the ball than the required distance, the kick is retaken unless the advantage can be applied; but if a player takes a free kick quickly and an opponent who is less than 9.15 m (10 yds) from the ball intercepts it, the referee allows play to continue. However, an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play."

But I think the distinction between normal and quick free kicks is finer than the laws indicate. Once you are 'on the scene', talking to players and/or administering cards, it is accepted that a 'ceremonial' free kick will follow. But sometimes no whistle is used because you think a quick one will ensue, and it ends up taking a while.

N.B. I now realise the OP was concerned with advantage, not quick free kicks. Sorry for any confusion caused by my going off on a tangent.
 
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For me also, advantage is a match control tool. If you feel penalising an offside pass at an advantage is good match control, then crack on
 
I'd look at it like this - if you've decided on and clearly signalled the advantage and those two scenarios occur, I'd tend to agree that they've squandered it but going back a step I think you also need be considering if you're using the advantage clause wisely.

When you say, "I've always been inclined ... ," it sounds as if this is a situation you've found yourself in on more than one occasion. If so, maybe you're trying to play the advantage too often.

The whole idea behind the advantage clause is that the team should end up better off than if you gave them the free kick. Unless the players are highly skilled, just having possession of the ball in a position where the player is probably going to have to pass the ball to a team mate fairly quickly, may not really be that much of an advantage.

I'm not saying a player has to be virtually clean through before you allow the advantage but I think a lot of referees (and this may not be you, as I don't know you and haven't seen you referee) have a habit of playing advantage too much when it isn't truly an advantage.
 
Totally agree with PG here. It is quite common for referees to mistake allowing play to flow for playing advantage. There are many cases where after simple small foul, the offended team retains possession and neither team benefit or is punished by a free kick or playing advantage. That is when you simply allow the game to flow. Signalling advantage is a misapplication of the clause. Mys usual communication is "keep going". You leave the advantage signal for when it is a true advantage.
 
I'd go back to the original foul in both those situations, as long as it was within a few seconds of signalling advantage.

Kes said:
Doesn't matter. As per the LOTG if the ref feels there is an advantage to be had at that particular moment - he plays it. Once he's called "play on advantage" it's pretty much too late. That's why I always wait two to four seconds before yelling it. That way you can be sure that it truly is advantage.
Click to expand...
No it's not. You still have a few seconds after signalling the advantage to bring it back if none ensues.
 
Alex Rush-Fear said:
I'd go back to the original foul in both those situations, as long as it was within a few seconds of signalling advantage.


No it's not. You still have a few seconds after signalling the advantage to bring it back if none ensues.
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Pretty much this. When a player is obviously fouled then players tend to stop anyway expecting a whistle so theres a good chance the player was caught offside by the foul (if that makes sense) and not through his own poor play. I'd be happy to bring both back again providing as alex says a short amount of time i.e. a few seconds has passed, as per law
 
Alex Rush-Fear said:
I'd go back to the original foul in both those situations, as long as it was within a few seconds of signalling advantage.


No it's not. You still have a few seconds after signalling the advantage to bring it back if none ensues.
Click to expand...

Yeah I know. I didn't quite word that as I meant.

I suppose what I was trying to say is that using the method which I do (ie wait a few seconds before blowing for the FK anyway - unless it's cardable) then to bring it back after shouting "adavntage" is very often too late to avoid vociferous protests from the other team.
 
Alex Rush-Fear said:
I'd go back to the original foul in both those situations, as long as it was within a few seconds of signalling advantage.


No it's not. You still have a few seconds after signalling the advantage to bring it back if none ensues.
Click to expand...
The law says (implies) you can award the free kick if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a few second of the foul which is not the same as what you are saying. What you say can only be done if you signal advantage immediately after the foul which is often not the case.

If you wait a few second before signalling advantage, then wait a few more seconds and blow for a free kick, that would bee too long between the foul and the whistle for what the law intended so far as I understand it.
 
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