INTERESTING POINT RAISED BY INDY REF

[Guest]

INTERESTING POINT RAISED BY INDY REF

There were two points I would like to raise about the referees article.

The first I agree with about players refusing to retreat the full 10 yards at a free kick. but there is a secoind point.

A free kick is given and a player can take that kick from anywhere in reasonable and many times not a reasonable ditcance away from the place where the referee has awarded the kick.

My question is. Why is it unfair for a player not to retreat but then take a free kick from wherever a player feels like it with the other point being it seems a referee does not have to signal to the offending side when the kick is to be taken. But he is allowed to say to the attacking player WHEN YOU ARE READY.

Who is seeking what advantage

[The Villains]

Answer to your 2nd question............The advantage SHOULD go to the team who have just been awarded the free kick, as the other side has committed a foul iot (in order to) stop them from gaining ground on them in the first place, therefore the ref will or should always allow the quick free kick to be taken so they can regain the upper hand, regardless of the player being 10 yards away or not. As you know, if the player stops the free kick being taken quickly, he is cautioned.

[B Manning]

ECPL, of course a referee has to signal for the game to be restarted ( not specifically to the offending side but to all players) note the word signal this means it can be done verbally so the words "when you are ready" are a signal for the game to restart. In the instance of a quick free kick I always shout the words " away you go" this is my signal for the game to restart. As for taking a free kick from where a player feels like it in any game of mine I do not insist that the free kick is taken from the exact spot but it must be somewhere near where the infringement took place. But we must remember that the idea of a free kick is to restore the advantage to the side offended against.

[The Villains]

I thought a free kick was to get the game started again after an infringment has taken place and not as you said "to restore the advantage to the side offended against".

How many times have we seen a free kick awarded, (which 9 times out of 10) allows the fouling team get 10 players behind the ball which takes away the advantage of the attacking team!

Unless it a quick free kick, which is not normally allowed any where near the 18 yard box as a player stands over the ball and the ref is saying wait for my whisltle, thus, allowing his team to sort out their defence.

Wheres the advantage in that? :thumbsup:

[B Manning]

Interesting points The Villains, but the point of a free kick is to restore the advantage to the side offended against, what happens is the team offended against get possession of the ball with the free kick this may be a quick free kick or the set piece now if the team want a quick free kick then I shout "away you go" but if the set piece is wanted I then allow the defending team to set a defensive wall and tell the other team to wait for the whistle. I can see your point that the defending side gain an advantage by forming their defensive wall but in fact for some teams who have practised free kicks and have a good dead ball kicker then that is to their advantage and it is what they want. As to a quick free kick is not allowed anywhere near the 18yd box, not true, I will allow a quick free kick there no problems and again as to a player coming to stand on the ball he is in fact delaying the restart of the game which is a cautionable offence.

[The Villains]

When I say not allowed, I mean the players dont allow it to be taken quickly. How many players have been cautioned for this offence? Not many, I would say.

The defensive wall stops more goals being scored than are scored from free kicks? So who gains the advantage? There is nothing in the laws of the game that state a free kick is iot restore an advantage (not that I can find), otherwise surely the ref would just signal and shout advantage, play on. :thumbsup:

[B Manning]

Sorry but that is the idea, to restore the advantage to the offended against team. Also I can assure you that lots of teams want the free kick thats just outside the penalty area because in training they practice for that situation. As to a caution for delaying the restart of the game by trying to stop the free kick being taken I have already this season cautioned a player for exactly that, so to say players do not get cautioned is incorrect.

[The Villains]

As I said, not many....... 1 player in nearly 5 months of football, cant have been the only one, who should have been cautioned.

Happy whistle blowing for the rest of the season............. keep up the good work. Without the men in black, theres no game. :thumbsup: