Rugby with its television coverage of the World
Cup in Australia, is gathering new fans. What fascinates me when I watch rugby on the television, is that the
referees are wired for sound. And what's more, you as the viewer can hear what
they have to say. I find it intriguing that sometimes the referee gives advice to
the players. For instance, they warn them to keep back otherwise they will
become offside.
There are occasions when soccer referees are faced with the
dilemma of whether or not they should give advice. I remember refereeing Wokingham Town at their old Finchamstead Road
ground, when one centre half marshalled his defenders at every opponent's goal
kick, to come up and stand on the half way line. The attackers knowing that their
goalkeeper could kick over the half way line, stayed in their opponents' half and
as a result got a number of clear runs at goal.
My problem was, should I tell the
centre half that you can't be offside from a goalkick which obviously was what
he thought. Apart from anything else, I would be taking away the advantage that
his ignorance was giving to the opposing side. My real worry was that as he got
ever more frustrated waiving at my linesman to put his flag up, he might go too
far with his language and I would finish by sending him off.
Eventually his own bench put him right and saved him from what could have been the ultimate
embarrassment.
One of our local referees had an entirely different situation at a game last
season but he still had to ask himself the question 'should I tell?' There was a bit
of a skirmish on the edge of the penalty area and a defender, in trying to kick the
ball clear, only succeeded in kicking it along the ground back in the direction of
his goalkeeper. With an attacker rushing in, the goalkeeper
looked up at the referee who was close at hand and asked 'Can I pick it up?' The reason for the
question was either that he wasn't entirely clear of the law or he wanted to have
the referee's interpretation of the situation.
There are two important words in the
law about a pass back to a goalkeeper by a member of his own side. It is an
offence, the law says, "if a goalkeeper touches the ball with his hands after it has
been 'deliberately kicked' back to him by a team mate". A kick is considered to
be a blow with the foot. This means that he can handle the ball after it is headed
back to him, or chested or even kneed.
It is the first of those two words,
'deliberately', which I think concerned the goalkeeper. If it is not a player's
intention to pass the ball direct to his goalkeeper, perhaps an attempt to clear
which he miskicks, then the goalkeeper may use his hands.
In the incident the referee was faced with, that was his opinion of the situation. In answer to the
goalkeeper's question he shouted 'yes' letting him know he could pick the ball
up.
Fair enough you might think but the other team
complained about the referee's action. They alleged that by letting the goalkeeper know he could pick up the
ball, he had helped the defending side. If the goalkeeper had not picked up the
ball, their forward would have had a chance of getting to it.
I'd be interested to hear what players think but personally I thought the referee was quite correct. I
don't think we will ever be asked to give advice like rugby referees, but we are
not there to catch players out and there is nothing in the law to say that a referee
may not respond to questions.
Dick Sawdon Smith