The Official Forum - Interesting comment from an official

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Here's how you can tell.

If, right as you're blowing the whistle, one of the players gains control of the ball, you've called it to quickly. This is a general "rule of thumb," not a hard-and-fast concept. However, it'll give you a guideline to judge your calls by, and will help you avoid calling this too quickly in the future.

Personally, I think that's a poor way to analyze it. I can hold my whistle for 3-4 seconds and one of th eplayers may still pull the ball away after I blow it.

I handle these situations a different way. If the players are standing, I'll give them additional time before I whistle it. I could care less whether someone pulls it away after I whistle. If they're on the ground, I get it very quickly, as there's a greater chance for injury, with someone diving in.