santa sangria
RefChat Addict
It was this: "When the ball is out of play you can ask the players if they'll hold up a few seconds to allow someone time to do it - but neither they nor you are under any obligation to do so."Not really sure what you're disagreeing with here to be honest?
I often do as you allude to above but the OP was asking the question in relation to the LOTG and in particular what an Observer might think.
Irrespective of whatever we do or don't do, there is no provision in the LOTG for a referee to "stop play" (ie using the whistle or otherwise) in order that somebody can do up their laces. If you were being observed and were seen to do it, you could have no qualms about being marked down for AOL because of it.
When the ball is out of play, if the ref tells a player to wait, then they have to wait. They are absolutely under obligation to do so. If I am a ref and I want a player to take a free kick on the whistle while I get into position, if I am AR and I see that my ref is talking/warning someone... these kinds of situations happen... if someone is tying up their shoelaces in front of a throw in, I'll manage that, no matter how insignificant it might seem, and there is only a one in a million chance that someone slides in on a player tying their laces... but still... no surprises.
Minimal interference is the overriding idea - but there are little moments when we should guide the game to make sure there is not a sh*t storm seconds later from something technical/daft/officialdom. IMHO