This is a very tricky question. In order for an indirect free kick to be given, the referee must be of the opinion that the player "deliberately" or "intentionally" played the ball to the goalkeeper. In a mêlée in the box, it can be sometime difficult for the referee to judge what is intent and what is not.
Unfortunately referees cannot read players minds (if we could life would be so much easier) therefore you have to judge each case on its merits, and in these instances referees will always get something’s wrong.
In direct answer to your question - no the rule hasen't changed.
Its funny you mention this, because this happened to a colleague of mne this weekend - where was the match?
Smile........ it confuses people
in a match in croom limerick
i have to apologise to the ref next time i see him i did a bit of a steve staunton after that, i know they can make mistakes, i just need to learn to control my mouth some times
These things happen, appologise if you wish, if he has any grace he will accept it in the way it is meant. I know, I appriciate it when players and managers shake my hand at the end of the game - at that stage its all over and theres nothing more that can be done. I have never fallen out with anyone over a football match and hopefully never will.
Smile........ it confuses people
i know just found out he is ref for our next match. so hopefully he will accept olive branch .
talk later ref
If your father and/or brother can bring it at branch level that would be great, I was talking to one of my leagues assessors today and he agreed with my interpretation (he doesn’t know I do this as a as a bit of fun), but would look for further clarification. He also agreed to discuss it again at branch level, I think this question may have raised a hornets nest (on this forum anyway) and it would be nice to put it to bed. All I hope is that whatever comes out of it is that there is consistency right across the board.
Smile........ it confuses people
One more for The Ref, if you don't mind! A strange one... playing in Leinster League a couple of years ago, somebody played a backpass to our keeper, who bent down to pick it up. The ref promptly whistled for a free, but did it marginally before the ball reached the keeper, so the keeper stopped playing, stood up and didnt actually handle the ball. A forward ran in and played the ball into the empty net, and the ref let the goal stand (though the defence and keeper had stopped playing at the whistle.) What's the rule for a refree 'accidentally' whistling?!! I'd have thought this was a drop-ball, surely we shouldnt have played on?
When you say it is strange, you certainly meant it. The laws of the game only cover what should happen during a game, I have racked my brains and can't think where it could be covered by the laws except for,
Law 8 the start/restart of play "A dropped ball is a way of restarting the match after a temporary stoppage that becomes necessary, while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game."
By whistling too soon, in my opinion, the referee has in effect stopped play. As there has been no offence committed, and no free kick to either team, it becomes a temporary stoppage, thus a drop ball.
From the facts as you told me, a bit of common sense was needed here and a drop ball would have been the fairest solution. I do believe (again from the facts above) a goal should not have been awarded.
This is just my opinion, as the rules don't specifically cover this situation, others may want to put their ideas forward.
The Ref
Smile........ it confuses people
Thanks The Ref. It's a beauty alright! I'd be of the same opinion, it was "a temporary stoppage ... while the ball is in play, for any reason not mentioned elsewhere in the Laws of the Game." Also there's golden rule of not playing after the whistle. As a ref cannot play advantage after whistling for a foul, surely he can't play advantage after accidentally whistling for a foul!
I suppose an alternative opinion might be that it would be an indirect free to the attacking team for the keeper "attempting" to handle a back-pass?? After all you don't have to make contact to commit a foul, so perhaps the keeper committed a foul in attempting to pick up the back-pass.
Very illuminating thread, you're now my favourite ref by default.
How about this one. It's been a long time (ten years or more) since I scrutinized the laws of the game, so this may have been amended in the meantime. However, I distinctly (okay, hazily) remember reading something to the effect that the game could be truncated to fewer than 45 minutes each way with the consent of both captains.
If this remains operative, the potential for abuse is obvious. Teams could shorten the duration of a game to produce a mutually beneficial result, or alleviate unwanted fixture congestion.
Am I totally off the wall here?
A leading authority on League of Ireland football since 2003. You're probably wrong.
Your right, but you forgot one vital piece of information, it must be agreed between the two teams (I'm not going to split hairs with the captains - same difference) and the referee and it must be done prior to the game starting.
Also the competition rules must not have a proviso in them that the game cannot be shortened
If two teams want to play out a mutually agreeable result, this can be done (without the referees knowledge) over any period a half, be it 45mis 40 mins etc.
I personally don't know any referee who would allow a game to be shortened for a reason that wasn't bona fide e.g. light not to hold. IMO If a referee did shorten a game, to aliviate fixture congestion, fix a result or any other reason that is not genuine then he is only cheating and has no place in the game. Thankfully, I don't know of any such referees.
Smile........ it confuses people
Ref during our match yesterday with hill celtic, frank o,neill disallowed a goal cause he said u need more than 2 on the line. A hill celtic player and goalkeeper were on the line when our forward tapped in a perfectly good goal, what was that clown on about when he didnt award it
I was at a game yesterday. One team scored and as the players were heading back towards there half of the field, the other team centered off and had a shot at goal. The ref said that if it had gone in he would have allowed it, even though there were 3 or 4 players from the team who scored still in the wrong half of the pitch as the ball was centered off. Was the ref correct?? or should everyone be in the right side of the pitch when the ball is centered off.
hey ref what about this one,
a defender plays the ball back to the keeper ( a true backpass 100%). the keeper goes to kick the ball but it bounces over his leg (does not touch it). The ball is definately going into the goal and the keeper dives and catches it. what is the decision?
and another,
a player takes a throw to a team mate. He heads this directly backwards (on purpose) for the keeper to pick up. The keeper comes and picks the ball up (inside the box)
what is the decision?
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