Week-in-Review #3 needs another review

    Sometime early in 1970, I decided that I would try to become an official in the North American Soccer League.  Although very inexperienced, I enjoyed refereeing, I was approaching thirty-one years of age, and I knew my career as a player was not going to last for ever.  The thought of staying in the sport as an official was an exciting and challenging one.  So I went to a clinic in Dallas given by Eddie Pearson, Director of Officials for the NASL and the man responsible for the founding of the national referee program in the U.S.  I didn't get into the league in that first year, but in 1971, after twelve months of impatience and another clinic in Dallas, I was accepted.  My first match was on April 17 when I ran line in the game between Dallas and Toronto.

    That little preamble serves to let readers know that it was a bloody long time ago that I was first exposed to the kind of things that professional players do to circumvent the laws during matches.  Eddie Pearson had been in the Football League in England after years as a referee in the "feeder leagues" that led to the highest competitions.  He knew what went on in the professional game, and he opened my eyes.  Among the first things he taught us was the catalog of deceptive practices of defenders at free kicks.  Forty years later they are still indelible in my mind, and players are still doing them.

    Which brings me to one item of the Referee Week-in-Review Week 3, April 14, 2010: Free Kick Management.  Quite simply:  The advice offered therein forces the referee to become an ally of the defenders who are cheating, and--in case you are wondering--that is not a good thing.

    I'm not going to reprint or even summarize the article on free kick management.  You can do that for yourself, but I do need to state some principles referees need to understand and act on.

    1. Defenders choose to delay the kick because they want time to get organized, to get a number of players behind the ball and all their opponents marked up.

    2. The simplest way to do that is to get players near the site of the free kick, so that their opponents cannot take the kick right away.  The "ten yards" requirement of the law is used as a device to delay.

    Once you understand those two things, then your strategy as a referee must be to prevent the delay.  Yet most referees believe that their prime responsibility at free kicks is to get the ten yards.  If you look at most free kicks within thirty yards of the goal, by the time the referee is having his skirmish with the slowly-retreating defenders, the battle to prevent the delay has already been lost.

    So what is wrong with the directive in WIR#3?  And what can the astute referee do to negate the efforts of the defenders and restore the rights of the attackers?

    The weakness of the advice in WIR#3 is revealed here:

    "Any action by the referee that may be perceived as interfering or being involved with the restart, requires that the free kick become ceremonial."

    That includes trying to get defenders to move back.  So the effect is that if the referee talks to defenders about their breaking of the law, or waves them back, then he achieves the purpose they want: delay of the free kick!  The policeman becomes the ally of the criminal, courtesy of advice that is nowhere to be found in the laws of the game.

    Do the defenders know what they are doing?  Of course they do, and they deserve no consideration from the referee at the taking of a free kick.  I won't argue that subject here, but here's how you defeat the cheats and aid the attackers.

    If the referee is somewhere around the site of the free kick, and a defender or two have not retreated, the referee can say to the person who looks as though he is going to take the kick:

    "Go when you're ready!"

    If the attacker points to the defender (or even if he does not) and says "What about him?"  The referee shouts out: "He will not interfere!"

    The referee has thus given permission for play to be started quickly, and has simultaneously warned the encroaching defender(s) not to interfere.  If a defender does interfere with the kick, the referee then orders it retaken and cautions the defender, as the laws state.  By his actions the referee has thus taken control away from the defenders, has punished one of the cheats, and sent out a message of the risks the defenders will have to take if they want to continue to interfere with any free kick.

    Two other things that emerge from WIR#3.  In the video clip of Columbus at Dallas, the central defender belts the ball upfield AFTER the whistle has gone for the foul.  That action is misconduct, and the referee (at least) should speak to the player.  Now, if you are trying to get the kick taken quickly, you don't need to do it then, but as soon as an opportunity comes your way, have a word in the player's ear.  The second is that when the referee is working with the wall, he is paying no attention to other players who have stayed close to the ball.  You must look around and shout at any players who are not getting back.

    I have not seen the DVD on management of free kicks, so I can't speak to that.  But I can say that the technique I am advocating is effective in cutting down on delays at free kicks.  I have used it in hundreds of games.  It is an example of the "thinking outside the box" that has been advocated publicly since the "new" changes in the referee program came into being.  Outside the box it may be, but it stays inside the law.  All that the referee has to be is bold and fearless, proactive and alert.  What's wrong with that?

    I'll bet that not many referees in the World Cup will use it, because in the handling of free kicks these last few years, refereeing around the world has regressed.  Regrettably, that change is not FOR THE GOOD OF THE GAME.  And of course, I wasn't asked to instruct them, here or elsewhere!

Comments

[OMG not again]

Bravo Dr. Evans.
At last.
I have said for many years that players will use whatever tactics the referee will allow and even some that he/she will not.
As a lifelong central defender I love the fact that if I interfere and the referee adheres to the advice I can manage to get a few more seconds to allow others to take up better marking positions.
I have used and will continue to use the tactics that you point out. It has always been my philosophy to move players verbally as soon as it is obvious that 1), the forward can see and apply a quick kick, and 2) that this WILL establish no tolerance on my part for these actions.
Sometimes the "Box" needs to be a circle. As an assessor I have been at odds for a long time with those things that seem out of place. I do always allow that the advice comes down fro lofty places in the clouds and from many that have attained positions way beyond my humble level. It is however a simple thing. If the end result is that advantage happens as it should I for one applaud the referee for using his skills to manage important aspects of a "free flowing game". Even though it is not what we are expected to do.
The bottom line is that the laws are constantly changing and the game is also, but some of the perspectives are NOT

[yellowcard]

Top class article! I will most certainly put this into practice. Thanks for the insights!!!

[Nutmegger]

I'm sure you applauded Irmatov's card for FRD to the Mexican player in the 1st half of today's World Cup opener. I know that I did.

[Nate]

Excellent posting. I can have a pretty good presence on the field when I need to, and one of the times I choose to use it is on free kicks. A sharp, "get out of there, give them ten" with a stern look and sharp gesture works well to move the defenders back. I like the "he will not interfere!" comment and the procedure you outlined above, it seems to be a very complete procedure for preventing tese unfair delay tactics. I may try it this afternoon if the opprotunity presents itself!

The procedures surrounding free kicks are really hurting the image of th MLS in particular. Hopefully this advice will reach to the figure levels of our top league.

[Gary Voshol]

Obviously the WC ref committee doesn't read your blog, Bob. Because already there sure are a whole lot of ceremonial free kicks where the defenders have elicited the referee's compliance in delaying the restart until they're ready.

Your method is unlikely to work at the youth level where I work. I give the U12's and the rec teams one warning when they've clearly mis-estimated the distance by a factor of two or more. U14's and older are expected to be closer to 10 yards than to 5. If they can't figure it out themselves, they get a caution following that one warning. (If they can't tell the difference between 10 yards and 10 inches, I'll go to yellow directly.)

Harsh? Yes. But there's no more 2-foot distance to the walls anymore.

We still have the problem where they line up 7-8 yards away, and then the kicker needs to decide whether the delay is worth the entire 10 yards after I back them up.

[Robert Evans]

Well Gary, I found that it worked even more effectively in youth soccer, because of the intimidation factor provided by an assertive referee!

Cheers,
Bob.

[Max Sands]

Prior to the USSF "ceremonial kick" directive/dvd, in one of the adult Mens (Over 30 ~2nd Div) match, I informed the kicker "Carry on" and literally barked to the fouler "Do not interfere any further," from 3 yards away. A whole lot of uproar and nonsense started from the fouler team-mates, booked the delayer, and it landed being a "ceremonial" kick {the foul was in the attacking half on a windy field}. Peace and cooperation from then on out throughout that match from both teams on FKs, ditto, when I see that team again, although it needs a less audible verbal reminder now and then.

Now, these directive bind the referee in awarding what the fouler wanted, a pity really, but the referee's hands are tied tighter now, and damn the flow.

The ceremony aspect of the directive is directly playing into and encouraging the gamesmanship aspect, and not my favourite tool, however, I am bound to work within these directives as they are the ones applicable. With youth matches (all the way to B19), same strategy of two sharp sentences, and no more mucking around from the players; sometimes a quick quiet word "Hey Fellow, I know what's happening here, first you (your buddy) foul, now you are delaying, that's two counts against you," "Get Moving."

Now if I can measure ten yards walking backwards on a potato-field of a pitch with precision, then things will be all right!

[Luke]

Great points for game control. Since my facility deals with indoor soccer only dealing with the wall is slightly different. However we implemented a policy of issuing a blue card (requiring team to play man down for specified period) for all these delay attempts. Especially with indoor where quick restarts are the norm, the defenders would routinely step or stand right in front of ball. We begin to instruct officials to loudly say "if player does not move he will be carded". Offensive player would just look at us than kick ball in defender where we would then issue the card.

After a season all players understood and cards dropped off as the tone was set. The only cards usually issued now are on newer players or when they strategically take the card.

As always great stuff. Myself and my officials regularly review your posts and discuss.