Restart Question

[ShreveDad]

I have a question on a restart.

Girls JV

Shot taken, goalie gets possession on the ground and opposing forward kicks at the ball. Foul called in the 6 yard box. Ball put down for a direct kick in the 6 yard box. Goalies coach asks why the keeper cannot be given the ball for a punt. (She is a keeper for Centenary College and says that is what they do in college ball). We say ball stays on the ground.

Keeper kicks it barely out of the 18, attacker gets it, 2 touches later, kicks and scores. Goalies coach gets very upset with us.

What is the proper restart in that situation. Can we put the ball back into the keepers hands?

Thanks.

[coachray40]

First, its important ot understand that American College Soccer, much like American HS soccer, has its own rules and is not a part of FIFA or USSF. Its unfortunate that so many players and coaches DONT know the rules of the game.

As far as the restart goes, the keeper was fouled inside the goal area, so the ball will be moved to the goal area box line closest to the foul and the free kick will be taken from there. While it might not seem "fair", that is the law of the game. As far as the goal being scored, thats just the way it goes.

I wouldnt be surprised to see a referee either allow the GK to restart with a ball in thier hands, or play a drop ball (due to play being stopped to check about a potential injury) with only the keeper on the ball to pick it up.

As a referee, I would whistle the play stopped at the point of the foul, but I would then indicate to each coach that I had stopped play on my time to check for potential injury to the keeper, NOT due to a foul. The referee has right (and a responsibility) to maintain for the safety of the players, so this would be a proper application of the rules. At that point, I would have the right to award a drop ball (proper restart for an injury stoppage of play) and only allow the GK to play the drop (the laws of game do NOT require two players to be on the ball for a drop). This would be the effective way to not penalize the goalkeepers team for getting fouled. If the fouling player was due to be issued a warning or ejection, it could be done so for unsporting behavior, rather than a direct foul, and this would countermand the argument that if a card was issued there had to be a foul. All that being said, proper application of the laws of the game requires that if you whistle the play as a foul, the ball goes to the goal area box and is restarted with a direct or indirect kick (as per the infraction) on the ground.

[ShreveDad]

Thanks coach. We did it correctly but it seems we gave an advantage to the team that committed the foul. It wouldn't be a big deal in a boys match but in jv girls some of the keepers barely get the ball out of the 18 on goal kicks.

I like the idea of checking for injury and restarting with a drop ball.

Thanks again.

[im4christ]

This is likely too long of an answer but here goes:

From what you stated a foul was called. Thus the restart is either a direct or indirect kick. I would have handled it the same way, at any level.

I have seen it done, when a keeper is injured (and no foul is called) and if the restart calls for a drop ball, which would not be the case if a foul was whistled, that a referee drops the ball in front of the keeper in an uncontested fashion and that keeper picks it up and puts it into play. Sort of like when Team A plays the ball out of touch because Team B has an injured player and then Team B throws it into Team A to restart. Sporting Gesture.

Again, if a foul is called - then the restart is either by direct or indirect kick.

[dulac]

For High School, the ball shall be dropped between two players. In neither USSF nor Collegiate does this apply. "It will be dropped" only applies.

[time2retire]

Jan 12, 2010 12:43:50 GMT -6 coachray40 said:

As far as the restart goes, the keeper was fouled inside the goal area, so the ball will be moved to the goal area box line closest to the foul and the free kick will be taken from there.

You're confused with your placement of the ball.

If the team is fouled and the ball is coming out of the goal area, the ball may be placed anywhere in the goal area (including the goal area lines).

If the ball is going in (IFK) or will be dropped, then it must be on the goal area line parallel with the goal line if the infraction occurred in the goal area.

[cajunsoccerguy]

Jan 12, 2010 12:43:50 GMT -6 coachray40 said:

As a referee, I would whistle the play stopped at the point of the foul, but I would then indicate to each coach that I had stopped play on my time to check for potential injury to the keeper, NOT due to a foul. The referee has right (and a responsibility) to maintain for the safety of the players, so this would be a proper application of the rules. At that point, I would have the right to award a drop ball (proper restart for an injury stoppage of play) and only allow the GK to play the drop (the laws of game do NOT require two players to be on the ball for a drop). This would be the effective way to not penalize the goalkeepers team for getting fouled. If the fouling player was due to be issued a warning or ejection, it could be done so for unsporting behavior, rather than a direct foul, and this would countermand the argument that if a card was issued there had to be a foul. All that being said, proper application of the laws of the game requires that if you whistle the play as a foul, the ball goes to the goal area box and is restarted with a direct or indirect kick (as per the infraction) on the ground.

In high school, if you stop for any reason other than a foul or misconduct (free kick) the restart is NOT a dropped ball, unless no one had possession. If you team had possession, the restart is an indirect free kick to the team with possession at the spot the ball was when the stoppage took place.

[futbolislife]

As many have stated, whistle blows for the foul, MUST be a kick coming out from the ground. I am not sure I agree with the dropped ball scenario. There is a much better way to handle this. Experienced referees should have a pretty good grasp on the concept that the ball is better off in the keepers hands, not on the ground. IN the original description by Shrevedad, the opposing player "kicked at" the ball. Nothing here makes me think the player was injured or in distress. Maybe very upset. It would be perfectly acceptable for the referee to tell the keeper "hold on a moment" and quickly and publicly chastise the opposing player. Not a speech. It can be as quickly as "I don't want to see that again". It can be done and managed in such a way to let every player on the pitch as well as coaches, etc that it was seen and recognized. And now the ball is in the GKs hands where it should be. The only time I would potentially change my mind here is it was serious enough to warrant a caution. But why take an advantage from an offended player. That is not within the spirit of the game.

[Steven Gerrard]

This is all well and good. Some good suggestions on how to handle it. But, for the ref that made the original call (foul, restart from inside the goal area), don't feel guilty about calling the foul just because the other team was able to score off the restart. You saw a foul and called it. Just because the defending team does not have someone that can clear the ball out of the defending 1/3 is not your fault. They should clear it to the side if they can't clear it past the first line of attackers.

[lather]

Well stated, Mr. Gerrard.

The OP, as presented was correct.

Our concern as officials is to adjudicate the Game as it occurs.

That the restart resulted in a goal was because of the skills of the players, not the the Referee's proper call and restart.

[dulac]

Refs, if you make a mistake and point the wrong direction for a restart, please wait for the teams to set up before allowing the kick. Stand on top of the ball until both teams are set, then take up your position and blow the whistle for a restart. Mistakes do happen.