GAME DELAY

[Jim.Mantle]

Soccer has a lot of culture to it - and in some cultures it is an accepted part of the sport to employ these tactics.

However, delaying the restart is one of the 7 listed Yellow Card offenses. The Laws are there, it just takes someone to enforce them.

In my games when somebody pulls a dead obvious delay, they get a whistle and a loud "I will not see any further delaying tactics in this game." I don't even wait for an acknowledgement from the perp, I whistle again and get the restart underway.

Sometimes I have to growl "Get outta there - NOW". And glare.

Smart players get the message. Dumb ones get a YC when they try it 2 minutes later. Apparently, everyone then knows I am serious.

I feel it would be a mistake to anil them with a YC first offense - there are too many games where it is part of the sport.

And there are games where it is totally inappropriate, because BOTH teams want to employ the delaying tactic. Got to be sensitive to *their* game.

Interestingly, FIFA has instructed the referees for the upcoming World Cup that they are to clamp down on delaying tactics. It will be interesting.

Jim