Playback to the keep

danpri · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Sep 26, 2004, 06:16am

Early this season as an AR I saw a ball was played from a midfield player to his fullback. The pass was errant and the fullback missed the ball. The goalie gathered the ball. I did not 'wiggle" the flag as I felt that it had not been deliberately played back to the goalie, even through it was deliberately played back. After the game while reviewing the Center discussed with me that this aspect of play had been significantly tightened to the point that even miskicks/glances off the fullbacks foot that end up at the goalie has to be played by the goalies foot, otherwise it is to be treated as the "deliberate handling of the ball". We spoke for sometime about the current philosophical interpretation and game instances but I have not found anything in print or discussion and remain concerned about this application without for data.

Are there any reference material or direction for this?

[Edited by danpri on Sep 28th, 2004 at 06:59 PM]

Nevadaref · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 27, 2004, 01:28am

Yep. Sure is.
UNITED STATES SOCCER FEDERATION
ADVICE TO REFEREES ON THE LAWS OF THE GAME

12.20 BALL KICKED TO THE GOALKEEPER
A goalkeeper infringes Law 12 if he touches the ball with his hands directly after it has been deliberately kicked to him by a teammate. The requirement that the ball be kicked means only that it has been played with the foot. The requirement that the ball be "kicked to" the goalkeeper means only that the play is to or toward a place where the keeper can legally handle the ball. The requirement that the ball be "deliberately kicked" means that the play on the ball is deliberate and does not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or misdirected. The goalkeeper has infringed the Law if he handles the ball after initially playing the ball in some other way (e.g., with his feet).

CecilOne · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 27, 2004, 10:01am

Which says that the AR above was correct and the CR either over-officiates or just had to have something to say. The key is "deliberately kicked to him" and the intent of the rule is to maintain continuity of play and not take unfair advantage of the keeper's ability to either hold the ball or punt it.

danpri · #4 (**permalink**) Mon Sep 27, 2004, 10:15am

The Central Va. Director of Refs has more than me bring this up to him and has forworded the issue to the State Director of Instruction for clairication.

One example given in the debate:

A left full go to switch the field to the right side, but misjudges the kick and it goes slower than thought. The other teams ison a line for the ball and the goalie get to it first and picks it up. What is the call?

CecilOne · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 10:11am

Quote:

Originally posted by danpri
The Central Va. Director of Refs has more than me bring this up to him and has forworded the issue to the State Director of Instruction for clairication.

One example given in the debate:
A left full go to switch the field to the right side, but misjudges the kick and it goes slower than thought. The other teams ison a line for the ball and the goalie get to it first and picks it up. What is the call?

If I understand correctly that the left full or any other player attempted to kick the ball to another field player (non-keeper), no call. This sounds like what is meant by the quote above "the play on the ball is deliberate and does not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or misdirected"

danpri · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 10:59am

The focus has gone from "kicked to" to "delibveratly kicked". So in the above "cross" the goalie would not be allowed to handle the ball.

The focus is this: If the player deliberatly kicked the ball, and the goalie was able to play it then it is not allowed.

For instance: Offesnive player A strikes ball and fullback B goes to kick the ball. They hit at the same time. Can the goalie handle the ball.

The local ruling is "No."

lawfiveguy · #7 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 12:02pm

We have had the playback to the GK situation discussed alot in SW Mich also. The way we judge whether a playback has occurred places emphasis on the kick by a defender. We are to judge whether the play looks like a deliberate attempt to kick the ball back to the GK.

If there is an attempt to play the ball to another player and the GK intervenes- this is a gray area where those years of experience and careful application of Law 18 are needed.

CecilOne · #8 (**permalink**) Wed Oct 06, 2004, 01:01pm

Quote:

Originally posted by danpri
The focus has gone from "kicked to" to "delibveratly kicked". So in the above "cross" the goalie would not be allowed to handle the ball.

The focus is this: If the player deliberatly kicked the ball, and the goalie was able to play it then it is not allowed.

For instance: Offesnive player A strikes ball and fullback B goes to kick the ball. They hit at the same time. Can the goalie handle the ball.

The local ruling is "No."

Sounds like totally ignoring the intent of the rule.

danpri · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 06:13am

The intent of the rule was to speed of the offensive end of the game. As long as the rule is followed in the spirit it was meant, the interpretation is something that we do continually.

So if the ball is played by the head, chest or knee then the players are safe. But a back pass that was errant puts the burden on the ref, while the error is on the team. A defensive error should not create an advantage for the defense, which the abilty to play the balls with the hands certionaly is...

As for my looking for a reference, I was intending a postion paper etc as clarification, not a quote of the law. It is frustrating as the rules flow from the top on down, while we have parents/coaches/players still thinking in terms of what they learned years ago, usually falsly.

lawfiveguy · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 09:03am

Danpri,

The USSF Advice to the Referees quoted above is the position paper you seek. THe Advice is the "fleshing out" of the rules with practical applications that is the official word on interpretations in the US.

Also Jim Allen (National Instructor and Assessor) from the USSF has a web site that gives opinions on issues posted. These are also considered official interpretations from the USSF.

The link for his site is:

http://www.drix.net/jim

you can look at the archives of previous questions as I am sure Mr. Allen has touched this topic.

CecilOne · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 07, 2004, 10:23am

The NFHS rule clearly says "deliberately kicks the ball to his/her own goalkeeper".

Again, as 12.20 cited above says "The requirement that the ball be "deliberately kicked" means that the play on the ball is deliberate and does not include situations in which the ball has been, in the opinion of the referee, accidentally deflected or misdirected".

That's conclusive wording. Why would anyone want to invent additional situations to penalize a team or extend the non-referee participants misunderstanding of the rules?