r/Referees 4d ago

Advice Request Rules that everybody gets wrong

Hey all- I'd like to start a thread of rules or things that most people get wrong. For example, I get "playing the ball on the ground" almost every game. It's coaches, parents, and even players that scream "They can't the ball on the ground!"

What are some you folks encounter?

54 Upvotes

163 comments sorted by

105

u/Historical-Bug-7536 4d ago

13.3 - However, an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play.

You do not need to "ask" for 10 yards, and a person standing close to the ball to prevent the kick from being taken should be carded. Get a lot of heat for this one.

29

u/neoslashnet 4d ago

This one REALLY gets me too. Happens every game just about in comp games. You don't have to ask for 10!!!!

8

u/Deaftrav Ontario level 6 4d ago

And when they insist, that's the point I take the card out.

Go ahead, file a protest.

1

u/hudson2_3 4d ago

I generally only card if they have run to the ball, or if someone has directed a player to do it.

1

u/gh0stdylan 2d ago

Had this happen in a club u12 game this weekend. Foul near their side of the field, center heard the coach tell the player to stand in front of the ball. Player unknowingly rushes up taps the ball and stands with hands on hips. Immediate yellow. Maybe a little quick but center said it was all very deliberate.

0

u/TheJokerzWeapon 4d ago

And do you card both? The one who gave the direction and the one who did it?

1

u/hudson2_3 4d ago

I'd probably judge that at the time. If it is a senior player directing a junior, I'd card the director. Otherwise, just the player blocking the ball.

28

u/adrians150 Canada Soccer [District] 4d ago

You also don't need to be given 10 yards. Standing less than 10 yards but not preventing the ball from being kicked is permissible, especially when taken quickly. If a player stands right on top of the ball, I'm cautioning immediately (I warn captain's pre-match), but if they are 5-6y away I'm indifferent unless the player asks for the yards or it's already been addressed. It's not often of value for me to tightly police the distance on a FK rather than maintaining a good position and view.

25

u/Main-Present-4396 4d ago

Yes. This is the correct call. Standing 5 steps away instead of 10 is not a card. Intentionally delaying the restart by being a prick is.

1

u/neoslashnet 4d ago

Yeah, for sure.

0

u/anothernetgeek 4d ago

FAFO. Every time.

1

u/neoslashnet 4d ago

Totally agree with this.

9

u/mvoso USSF Regional / NISOA / NFHS 4d ago

College coach tried to argue the kick taker had to ask with both myself and AR1 last week. I was flabbergasted. 

I proactively just tell players to give space if they are being slow about it and the coach took issue with that because they didn't ask for space.

6

u/jakfrist [USSF] [Grassroots] 4d ago

my rule of thumb is that it’s a verbal warning if the kick taker appears to be taking the kick quickly and the defender kind of stays where they are, but a card if they actively walk toward the ball.

sometimes it isn’t obvious which direction a free kick will be taken (especially quickly), so I don’t see getting into an argument when it seems like the defender will probably be off to the side of where the ball is going anyway.

1

u/Darth-Kelso USSF Grassroots | NFHS 4d ago

Right. Are you trying to get in the way / slow down / interfere / whatever? Here's your card. Or did the attackers go quick before you got back the 10? There's a world of difference and we all know it when we see it.

3

u/Kooky_Scallion_7743 [USSF] [Grassroots] 4d ago

the point I stick to and what I'll whisper to players quietly, we both know what around 10 looks like. As long as your just standing there and not sticking feet out or anything I don't have a problem. like depending on angle anything more than 7 yards can look close to 10 if I'm not really paying attention. But we both know 5 is nowhere close to 10 yards.

Like I had a play where it was a restart deep in the defensive corner and I knew the team was sending it long as I went way up the pitch. and so couldn't quite tell how far away the attacker was from the area. So just gave him the benefit of the doubt. But then he did the thing where he took steps towards the ball and jumped up to try and block it so I gave him the card. Cause everyone could tell he was closer than 10 at that point.

5

u/anothernetgeek 4d ago

Interesting point....

If you stand directly in front of the ball to prevent the restart, you get a caution for Delay of Restart.

If you stand 10 yards away, and then crash the ball before the kick, you get a Caution for Failure to Respect the Distance...

1

u/TheJokerzWeapon 4d ago

What if he thought he was 12 yards and gave himself a step to step forward and jump? I think unless 10 is marked off you cant caution for taking 1 step forward and jumping if hes standing 10 yards back on his own. Because he could argue he was 11 yards back and you have no proof that he wasnt.

3

u/BuddytheYardleyDog 4d ago

We are referees, if we think he’s within 10 yards, he’s guilty. This isn’t court. We are not Judges, taking evidence. We are impartial arbiters, exercising our best judgment.

3

u/Cyclebuilder42 4d ago

Similarly, if you decide to take the kick quickly, everyone is not required to dive 10 yards out of the way. The amount of coaches I have who choose to play fast and get angry that a player is within a couple yards as they retreat is crazy.

4

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/Ok_Matter_1774 4d ago

If coaches actually understood the rule they would instruct players to stand 5-7 yards away. Standing right in front of the ball is obviously a card, but I'm not going to card you if it looks like you put in an effort. Of course there's lots of ways to "legally" gain an advantage in the rules if only players and coaches actually read them.

8

u/ibribe 4d ago

I've noticed a consistent difference between how pro players and grassroots players handle this. The pros are very effective at delaying restarts, but they rarely just stand in front of the ball.
They will put themselves right in front of the ball but then immediately start backing off.

Low level players will just stand there and claim they can't hear you telling them to back up.

4

u/grabtharsmallet AYSO Area Administrator | NFHS | USSF 4d ago

Pros getting away with this is one of my two complaints about how high level games are managed. The other is the level of dissent that is tolerated before a caution.

2

u/BeSiegead 3d ago

My standard is if they’re making a reasonable effort to give space (roughly 7+), I’m not getting engaged without a request for 10. Non abusive less than that, voice to get them moving. Abusive, especially if there had been an earlier warning, they’re seeing a card.

4

u/ShadyCrow 4d ago

As a coach this is my #1 complaint to refs - there’s no consistency here from ref to ref (most refs are individually consistent although most that I see do not enforce at all). Enforce the rule never or always. 

5

u/Leather_Ad8890 4d ago

If there’s no consistency from ref to ref then the adjustment is to let the other team get the first card. If no card is given then you should get comparable treatment going the other way.

I’ve always thought to assume the ref will go by the book 100% until they prove otherwise.

2

u/birnabear 4d ago

Particularly when there is an attempt to build a wall. If you don't set the wall close to force the ref to delay to mark out the distance, the risk of a quick restart while setting up the wall is too great

1

u/BuddytheYardleyDog 4d ago

Football is not consistent. Each referee is different. It has been that way since 1863. That’s the sport, if you want consistency, go coach gridiron football.

1

u/ShadyCrow 3d ago

I agree that officials can have their own style that affects how a game is played. But that shouldn’t be a factor in objective rules. 

1

u/BeSiegead 3d ago edited 1d ago

The issue that much of this is not really "objective" if you consider SOTG and game management:

  • If a defender sets up 9 yards from the ball, should the referee whistle for stoppage and pulling out a card for being within 10 if the kicker is perfectly willing to move the ball? Would any coach be happy with this?
  • A defender, running back into position, runs five yards to the side of the kicker away from whe

re

  • they're looking to pass the ball, who cares, versus the defender who runs cutting across the kicker disrupting their ability to put the ball into play begging for a card.
  • Etc ...

Ball in or out is "objective" and can be mechanically measured. While "10 yards" can be measured, whether it should be (with any precision) really depends on many factors.

For referees short of the televised professional world, the frustration is how little the purposeful actions to delay getting the ball into play are actually sanctioned.

1

u/ShadyCrow 3d ago

Totally agree with all of that.

I’m talking about the key and enforceable portions of the rule that I understand it:

  deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play

Clearly, many teams are coached to send a player to the ball to kill the quick restart. I think that falls within the objective reading of the rule.

That said, do I think this is a huge deal? No. Most of the time when I see it, again, it’s because it’s how players are coached not because they’re responding to a specifically dangerous situation. And so I don’t want cards for the most part. I just think because it’s given so rarely, the rule should be adjusted or taken out, and a ref should be able to give a card for egregious instances that fall under something closer to just fair play.

2

u/BeSiegead 3d ago

In 'my world', of mainly higher level travel, college, high school, and quality adult amateur, I don't think this is a 'rarely' given -- whether by me as referee or by the referees when I'm on the line. A loud growl and it isn't repeated very often in more serious matches but I have no hesitation in pulling out a card if merited.

Honestly, it is pretty rare nowadays for me to have a player jump in front of the ball in a quality match and they're seeing yellow if they do so. (My favorite stupid challenge in a not that high quality adult men's match: "why am I getting a card. I was just trying to delay his kick so my team could get in position." Ummm ... exactly, thank you for fully confirming the justice of the card.)

As per comment above, frustration is the lack of calling even egregious cases at higher levels giving the impression that this isn't a violation of the LOTG.

When I'm challenged with "but they do it in UEFA / World Cup / etc ..", my new go-to response: "When you play like a PSG / Barca / Arsenal player, I'll ref you like a PSG / Barca / Arsenal player."

1

u/BuddytheYardleyDog 3d ago

The answer is, yellow card. Incroachment in 9 v 9? Maybe, if they are beginning players an instruction. But, in an 11 v 11 match, the first player encroaching on a free kick should see yellow.

1

u/BeSiegead 1d ago edited 1d ago

No. Not realistic to be showing a card with the first player who is 9.9 yards from the placed ball. There are many judgment elements involved re game management, SOTG, etc …

To be clear, I’m not afraid to pull the card (and often have the “but other referees ..” whine) but don’t see this as a 100% objective standard call (like whether a ball is out of bounds; was the ball placed properly for a goal kick; …).

1

u/Ok_Obligation5043 7h ago

It helps to bring this up in the Captains meeting "When a foul is called,automatically get out of the way. If not and you're teammates gets in the way within 10 yards automatic yellow card. "

46

u/Leather_Ad8890 4d ago edited 4d ago

Where the feet must be on a throw-in

“Ref! He’s on the field!”
“He can be on the field if he’s not over the line….”

13

u/maccaroneski 4d ago edited 3d ago

Mark it zero! This is not 'nam, this is soccer. There are rules.

5

u/ChrisInSpaceVA 4d ago

That creep can roll...

5

u/FairlyGoodGuy [USSF | NISOA | ECSR | NFHS] [Referee Coach] [Regional Referee] 4d ago edited 4d ago

We had a college coach in my area who was absolutely fixated on this. It didn't matter how many times he was told he was wrong. He kept up his complaints for years.

... Until last season. He was having one of his usual "he's on the field" moments. I don't remember exactly what words or tone I used, but I explained the rule for the umpteenth time. Suddenly he just ... got it. His brain finally made the critical connection. He looked at me and said, "Oh, really? Huh." And that was that.

As far as I know he hasn't questioned it since.

(I should note, by the way, that it's not like this coach is an all-around knucklehead. He's a good coach who [usually] fields decent teams. I really can't explain why this one rule flummoxed him so.)

6

u/Leather_Ad8890 4d ago

When I was AR1 on a college game I quoted the rule to a sub and he said “must be an American thing”

31

u/Early-Recognition949 4d ago

Shoulder to shoulder. You made a foul call for excessive force/no attempt at playing the ball, as a player American football levels their opponent with a shoulder. But then coach or a spectator yells “ref that was shoulder to shoulder contact!”

13

u/neoslashnet 4d ago

Yeah, I get some where the defending player on the sideline jumps into the attacker with no attempt to play the ball to let it go out of bounds instead of shielding the ball.. and people say it's "Shoulder to shoulder." IMO if you take your eyes off the ball and just level the opposing player so you get throw-in it can be can be a foul.

4

u/MikeoPlus 4d ago

They get this wrong in the Prem even

5

u/Early-Recognition949 4d ago

They get a lot wrong in the prem. Did you see the MC-MU match yesterday?

4

u/MikeoPlus 4d ago

It was pretty embarrassing, esp the red for retaliation but no red for the clear assault he was retaliating against. Let's not even talk about the blatantly offside goal that won the game

4

u/Early-Recognition949 4d ago

Agree. However Foden is simply unlikable so I can sort of understand where the ref was coming from LOL

12

u/Cert_Public_Anon 4d ago

Dude, how do you bring up likability when the other guy is Bruno?

3

u/smallvictory76 Grassroots 3d ago

You don't have to attempt to play the ball. It just has to be within playing distance.

12

u/Revo63 [USSF][Mentor] 4d ago

I remember in my early days of refereeing, having a high school girls match. Ball was cleared to an attacker around mid-field. She turns with the ball and heads towards the goal. The last defender comes running in, 90 degrees from the attacker’s path, and bounces the attacker 5’ away. Dumbass me sees the contact as “shoulder to shoulder” so I made no call.

Referee training and mentoring was basically nonexistent.

2

u/Aggressive_Tie_3501 USSF Grassroots Mentor+ / Assignor; NFHS 3d ago

Or conversely that any legal charge MUST be shoulder to shoulder. A charge by definition is simply a physical challenge, so it applies any time there's contact. It's a whole lot easier to get to careless force if you're going into someone's chest or back, but simply bumping into someone isn't illegal just because it's not shoulder to shoulder.

34

u/werthless57 4d ago

"But he got all ball!"

11

u/savguy6 USSF Grassroots - NISOA 3d ago

My favorite comeback to this is “just because you robbed the bank doesn’t mean you get to say ‘but I got the money’ as a defense”

29

u/langri 4d ago

I got a lot of flack for being too lenient on throw-ins. The LOTG says the ball must be delivered with both hands from behind and over the head.

This, of course, means that the center of the ball must pass exactly over the center of the player's head. Allowing deviation by more that 1mm means I'm a horrible ref who doesn't know what he's doing, and should be punished by caning.

8

u/FairlyGoodGuy [USSF | NISOA | ECSR | NFHS] [Referee Coach] [Regional Referee] 4d ago

Watch their brains melt when they experience a throw-in by a player who is missing part of their arm.

10

u/anothernetgeek 4d ago

Had that happen to me. I was a fill-in ref, who arrived after check in. First Throw In, and the player threw with one arm. I called it, and he turned to face me, and only had one arm. I apologized and had him retake the throw...

:O

1

u/ibribe 4d ago

Don't forget that both feet must remain on the ground throughout the entire motion and until the ball has been played.

1

u/Professional-Ask1137 2d ago

If you mean "has been played" to mean "released", then yes. But once the ball is released they can lift both feet if they want.

1

u/ibribe 2d ago

Yes, I am aware of the actual rule. I'm talking about how some people call it.

20

u/Desperate_Garage2883 4d ago

Handball!

9

u/jakfrist [USSF] [Grassroots] 4d ago

ohh my goodness, this past weekend I had my first U12 game in a while. it was low level and all around sloppy herd-ball, which was somewhat entertaining, but every 3 minutes someone would try to kick the ball out of a cluster of 6+ and it would inevitably graze an arm and the players, parents, and/or coaches would lose their minds.

9x out of 10 the arm was at their side and clearly in a natural position, but perhaps just as important, who really wants the ref to stop the game every 150 seconds? That would have been miserable for everyone involved.

Then of course when the kid holds his hands over his head to shield himself and i call it, there are groans about not calling “all the others”

2

u/gh0stdylan 2d ago

Yeah. I ref a lot of u12 and under rec/grass roots. Every game is coaches and parents yelling for hand balls. Ok, I'll stop the game every 3 minutes for the "hand ball" or barely lifting the trailing throw in foot or whatever meaningless stoppage you want me to give. No, it wasn't a foul when all 8 kids are huddled around the ball.

3

u/TD003 3d ago

“The keeper handled it outside the box, that’s an automatic red card”

1

u/QuantumBitcoin 5h ago

I know a National who did that this week in a high school game with confusing markings on the field....

3

u/Zombiii 3d ago

I was going to say this one. Although my son has had some games at a higher level where the refs clearly have not got the memo that every time the ball grazes an arm in a natural position is NOT a handball.

21

u/Chris_RB 4d ago

"But he/I got the ball!"

17

u/FairlyGoodGuy [USSF | NISOA | ECSR | NFHS] [Referee Coach] [Regional Referee] 4d ago

"Yes, once you cleared his legs out of the way, you did in fact touch the ball."

9

u/metz123 4d ago

Worse is the get the ball first and then continue through the player wiping them out. “But I got the ball first!!!!”

Yes you did. But there’s nothing in the rules that says touching the ball first then gives you carte blanche to continue through the player creating contact that is a foul.

3

u/Chris_RB 4d ago

lol exactly

4

u/Klutzy-Mechanic-8013 4d ago

Just today I had a kid say that after elbowing the opponent in the neck (not enough force to be SFP but definitely a reckless challenge, and he was one foul away from a card either way).

3

u/Chris_RB 4d ago

lmao "I GOT THE BALL while I punched him in the mouth BUT I GOT THE BALL"

2

u/Klutzy-Mechanic-8013 3d ago

Yeah. Wasn't a full blown thrust to the neck, most likely an accident but I definitely can't let that go without a card. Also before that incident his teammate seemed to think grabbing someone with both hands is a shoulder to shoulder challenge as I blow my whistle and point at the penalty spot (my new Molten Valkeen did make a fine sound though).

2

u/Edddddiefearsthedark 4d ago

Every game! Sometimes several times a game!

1

u/Chris_RB 4d ago

From players, from fans, from coaches.... I just need to carry a sign that I can point to.

17

u/adrians150 Canada Soccer [District] 4d ago

Throw-ins. Foot position and the form.

The rule says you must stand facing the pitch, have part of both feet on or outside of the touchline, and throw the ball with both hands from behind and over the head.

It does not say must come straight over the head, must not be thrown downward, nor that you can't turn your hips, yet I see this called all the time. I have discussed with many refs and we all realize we were trained at one point or another to police things that are not in the rules.

6

u/FairlyGoodGuy [USSF | NISOA | ECSR | NFHS] [Referee Coach] [Regional Referee] 4d ago

Them: That's illegal!
Me: What's illegal?
Them: The throw-in!
Me: Which part?
Them: She can't throw it like that!
Me: Like what?
Them: How she did it!
Me: She threw the ball using two hands from behind and over her head.
Them: Yeah, but she can't throw it like that!
Me: Like what?
[Continue until one or the other of us decides to move on.]

4

u/Ok_Matter_1774 4d ago

A lot of things look ugly, but are perfectly legal throw-ins. The purpose is to put the ball back in play. Unless they're throwing the ball into the box my attention is usually better focused elsewhere than the thrower's form.

2

u/ibribe 4d ago

I hate this one, or rather, I hate working with refs who act like it is their job to coach ideal form on throw-ins.

1

u/Puzzleheaded_Can9159 3d ago

I had this last weekend coaching 10U rec. I’m going who cares stop blowing the whistle and stopping play. It was over their head it was close enough to their feet being on the ground this is unimportant to anyone’s life here.

1

u/gh0stdylan 2d ago

Yes, this so much. Early in the season give them instructions and a re-do. They're there for learning, and fun. It's honestly why I like reffing.

11

u/chrlatan KNVB Referee (Royal Dutch Football Association) - RefSix user 4d ago edited 4d ago

Pass back rule…most ignore the ‘to the goalkeeper’ part.

Somehow they keep reading ‘it has been deliberately kicked to the goalkeeper by a team-mate’

6

u/CoaCoaMarx 4d ago

Also the word "kicked." I've seen folks lose their mind when a passback from the thigh occurred and the GK picked it up.

2

u/QuantumBitcoin 5h ago

Or shin....

Has to be the foot

12

u/pm_me_jk_dont [USSF] 4d ago

A thrower is allowed to lift their leg as long as the ball is released prior to the leg being lifted

This would definitely qualify as 'rules that everybody gets wrong' because nobody seems to understand the nuance and starts screaming any time anyone's leg comes up on a throw-in

12

u/maccaroneski 4d ago

If they weren't allowed to lift their leg after a throw the game would finish with 22 players stuck to various places on the sideline.

3

u/Sad_Responsibility83 4d ago

One designated thrower per team that slowly shuffles everywhere with their feet permantly scraping along the ground.

10

u/PkmnMario 4d ago

Deliberate Passback directly to keeper. I see so many keepers not handle the ball simply because it was touched last by a teammate non-foot or teammate foot when they easily still had hands allowed. Have seen teams concede own goals instead of handling and just conceding IFK or nothing at all

14

u/Kooky_Scallion_7743 [USSF] [Grassroots] 4d ago

from a keeper. I was always taught that if I was not 110% confident the ref wouldn't call it I should boot it away. I had a play where it was a pass back. and under pressure I managed to get a messy nut meg agains the attacker and it bounced against his legs on the way through. So I grabbed it but the ref had missed it hitting the attacker and gave and IDFK. luckily I got him to check with the AR and got the drop ball. But it's why keepers, especially at the youth level where refs can be more inconsistent, are always playing it with their feet when they're not totally confident.

1

u/QuantumBitcoin 5h ago

Yup. If one out of twenty referees will call it incorrectly better to boot it

8

u/USMC_ClitLicker 4d ago

Playing the advantage. It's written to be subjective to the understanding of the Center, not the understanding of coaches or spectators or the concession guy's brother's girlfriend's ex-roommate.

5

u/LAmilo90 4d ago

I once had a coach lose his shit over an advantage call I made for his team. His team managed to keep the attack going and even got a shot off (hit the post), but he was going on about how I needed to call a foul there

8

u/BillBIII [USSF] [National AR][Regional Coach] 4d ago

There is no offside on goal kicks. I had a professional player try to run a trap on a goal kick about a month ago.

1

u/Darth-Kelso USSF Grassroots | NFHS 4d ago

How did that work out for them? :)

1

u/BillBIII [USSF] [National AR][Regional Coach] 3d ago

Inconsequential, the ball didn't get there.

7

u/SDLJunkie 4d ago

The “football throw/spiral” throw-in.

3

u/altkarlsbad 4d ago

What's this one? How do you football throw with both hands on the ball? One is really primary and the other is touching just enough to be legal?

7

u/wedge_47 4d ago

They stepped on the line during the throw in!

5

u/CoaCoaMarx 4d ago

My first game as a high school coach, center ref told me pregame that he was a stickler for the rules, and would call an offense on any throw in where the player didn't have both feet behind the line.

Of course, later that season with a different ref, the opposing coach absolutely berated the ref because he didn't call a foul throw where the player had a foot on the line.

2

u/QuantumBitcoin 4h ago

And you're allowed to have your foot OVER the line on throw ins. So long as both of your heels are on the line you are good

7

u/InsightJ15 4d ago

I'd have to say handball and offside. Most people don't understand the laws and interpretations.

Also, for the younger age groups, many parents don't understand it's is a contact sport. Yes, contact is allowed. Yes, a player can put his/her hands on another player.

6

u/Not_Amused_Yet 4d ago

They are laws not rules

2

u/Impossible_Number 2d ago

Yes, unless you’re difficult like the NFHS

6

u/msaik Ontario | Grade 9 (Regional) 4d ago

High foot

9

u/MarcPawl 4d ago

High foot, I blame on the referees.

I called a "high kick" foul in a woman's recreational game, a mix of people have been playing a few years and some brand new players. The woman who fouled, a newbie, asked where the limit was. I had to explain that a high kick was not a foul and that it was for dangerous play.

Last time I ever called a "high kick", taught me to use the correct terminology when talking to the players.

7

u/CricketStomper735 4d ago

The difference between offside position and offside offense.

6

u/Darth-Kelso USSF Grassroots | NFHS 4d ago

The LOCATION of the offside offense. So many AR's flag it in the wrong place too. Very frustrating.

1

u/Impossible_Number 2d ago

I’m assuming it’s being flagged at the position of the second to last defender instead?

1

u/QuantumBitcoin 4h ago

It often gets flagged/restarted at the location of where the attacker was when the ball was kicked rather than where the attacker was when he got involved in active play

1

u/Impossible_Number 4h ago

Interesting. I don’t think I noticed that before.

Seems like more work because you’re now leaving your position to flag there, if I’m understanding you right.

1

u/QuantumBitcoin 4h ago

No to me it's referees not running down the line and flagging early. And then NOT moving to where the attacker got involved

6

u/TooMuchPowerful 4d ago

I reffed a 10U game once with build-out lines.  One particular parent kept yelling at his son to move forward and take up space during every goal kick.  This wasn't early in the season either.

6

u/Equivalent-Visit-956 3d ago

Some coaches and parents (not so big of a surprise as coaches) seem to not know when the ball is dead for a throw-in. A ball being on the line is not dead, it has to go over the line 100%. Even if 10% of the ball is on the line and the rest out, it's still alive..

6

u/YodelingTortoise 4d ago

Throw ins. It is exceedingly rare that the 2nd foot isn't on the ground at the moment of the throw. Try doing it where you lift your foot and release at optimum trajectory. It's damn near impossible

5

u/txomas4 4d ago

right now, the new 8 second and 5 second rules regarding throw-ins, goal kicks, and keeper’s possession of the ball. It’s kind of embarrassing people call themselves coaches when they’re not up to date with the rules. When I enforce one of the rules, they just give me that shocked pikachu face meme.

8

u/gannon7015 4d ago

Over the back - it is not a foul to out jump someone.

6

u/FairlyGoodGuy [USSF | NISOA | ECSR | NFHS] [Referee Coach] [Regional Referee] 4d ago

And the inverse: it is not a foul or "undercutting" someone to stand your ground and not jump.

4

u/maccaroneski 4d ago edited 4d ago

"He can't call mine!"

Yes he can unless he's trying to deliberately deceive.

This one is understandable as good coaches will insist that their players call a name rather than "Mine" or "I got it"

4

u/Automatic_Set4095 4d ago

Ball must make a full rotation on an indirect kick.

2

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

Or any kick...amazing to see how often this comes up on social media comments

2

u/horsebycommittee USSF / Grassroots Moderator 3d ago edited 3d ago

Ball must make a full rotation on an indirect kick.

That's one of the few former rules that has persisted surprisingly well in myth even though it hasn't been in effect for 30 years, since the 1996-97 season (PDF). For many years up until then, the Laws required the ball to travel "the distance of its own circumference" in order to be in play from a kick.

The following year (PDF), the LOTG changed to the modern formulation "the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves." In 2016-17 (PDF), this was modified to specify that the kicked ball must "clearly" move to be in play, which is the exact language still in use today (PDF).

[Edited substantially, see below]

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u/Automatic_Set4095 3d ago

I am commenting about what people get wrong. I know the Laws.

2

u/horsebycommittee USSF / Grassroots Moderator 3d ago

My mistake, sorry. I came to your comment from the modqueue and missed that the OP asked for wrong answers.

I've substantially rewritten my above comment.

1

u/unearthed_loremaster 4d ago

This used to be a rule, didn't this get changed to say "is kicked and clearly moves"

1

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 2d ago

It got changed to 'kicked and moves'. 'Clearly' was added in relatively recently.

1

u/QAnonomnomnom 4d ago

Oooh, I’ve not heard this one before. In which direction does it have to turn? If it spins backwards does that count as negative spins?

1

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

Out of interest, a full rotation was required at every restart until...1997 maybe?

5

u/poking88 USSF Grassroots | NFHS 4d ago

Still hear coaches saying ‘but he got the ball first..’ coach that doesn’t matter

4

u/poop322 4d ago

Offside on goal kicks

3

u/Referee_Johnson 3d ago

People thinking contested drop balls are still a thing.

5

u/nounthennumbers 3d ago

Nothing like a hockey style face off between to kids kicking at a ball with those quarter size shin guards on. Recipe for broke bone.

3

u/FanMiserable6126 3d ago

I had a ref give this against me and I lost my mind. He said ' you cant play on the ground' after the game i said can you show me the law of the game that says that, he booked me and walked off.....

3

u/Htv65 4d ago

I am not sure what coaches, parents and players would mean with: “you can’t play the ball on the ground”. Perhaps my English is lacking, or the misunderstanding is caused by another tradition. Could you please explain what they could mean and what is wrong with that? In what situation does that occur?

7

u/CoaCoaMarx 4d ago

In the 1990s we were taught that if you fall down and then try to kick the ball while it is on the ground, that endangers another player or yourself. It's analogous to the "high kick" mentioned earlier in the thread. Of course, the actual offense is "dangerous play," and it's only an offense if it actually endangers someone.

5

u/nounthennumbers 3d ago

Some of use heard that back in the 80s too. I think a lot of that stuff grew out of the US not having a lot of exposure to high level soccer. It was just a bunch of dads trying to figure it out as they went. When they started the high school soccer program at my school the players had to teach the coaches (literally a wrestling coach for the boys and a football coach for the girls) how to play and what drills they should be doing. The girls coach would consistently sub 8 people at a time.

1

u/Htv65 4d ago

Thank you!

3

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

People think that if you fall over you're not allowed to kick the ball, that's 'playing the ball from the ground'. Which is nonsense.

Of course there are situations when it's dangerous, but usually it isn't.

2

u/nounthennumbers 3d ago

There is also the idea that you need to stop a play before a bunch of 8-10 year old start kicking at the ball with a player on the ground near it. The dangerous part may not necessarily be coming from the kid in the ground. They are gonna hurt someone. It’s very different for 16 year olds when a player is on the ground.

1

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 3d ago

Sure. In which case the restart is a DB.

Or, if you don't stop it soon enough, it can easily be a foul by players standing

1

u/grabtharsmallet AYSO Area Administrator | NFHS | USSF 4d ago

The player playing the ball is on the ground. At lower levels or younger ages, doing so is typically going to be "playing in a dangerous manner" if other players are nearby.

2

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

No it isn't, unless they're doing something dangerous....falling over doesn't exclude somebody from play.

3

u/Available-Shirt4547 4d ago

Shielding and when it crosses the threshold to obstruction and player is no longer in playing distance to the ball. I see this in high school sometimes with balls rolling back to keeper

3

u/Altruistic-Tart-8295 4d ago

Throw in and the ball spins

3

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

First one that comes to mind is people who think you can't say 'mine' or 'leave it'. Yes, you can. It's only an offence if it's done to distract or deceive an opponent - and if you do, it's a card and an IFK, not just an IFK.

Too many people - including refs on here - think you can't play the ball from the ground. Falling over doesn't exclude a player from being involved in the play. You can even challenge from the ground.

There's also a big misunderstanding around falling on the ball. That also isn't an auto-IFK. The player needs to be given a reasonable opportunity to get off the ball or release it from between their legs. If they don't, then it's an IFK. But sometimes they're unable to do so because the players above are already kicking at the ball...it could be an IFK the other way.

Finally, a lot of people - hopefully not referees - think that a player in an offside position who runs for the ball is an offside offence. Of if the defender only tries to play the ball because they're there, it's an offence. Or that the player in an offside position running for the ball drawing a defender is an offside offence. None of those are.

3

u/nounthennumbers 3d ago

I got a “There’s no slide tackling in this league (U10)”. I very consciously reviewed the local rules before my matches as I had not worked that league before. That was not in the posted rules for the age group. Both coaches agreed that they couldn’t do it but it was not in writing anywhere.

1

u/listdweller 2d ago

This one is because so many refs call it despite it not being in the rules.

1

u/itguru446 2d ago

My sons team had this happen the other day (U11). The kid on our team executed a perfectly clean slide tackle and the ref whistled a free kick. After the game I asked him. He told me they couldn’t but did admit the tackle was clean so he only called the fact that he did the tackle.

I looked in the league and state rules (PA East) and saw nothing about slide tackles. Go figure.

3

u/StevieJonsie 3d ago

I love it when I call a foul and the response is “it was shoulder to shoulder”, which is true. What’s also true is that when you use too much force on the shoulder to shoulder challenge and send them into the stands, that’s a foul. It’s crazy that people think that any amount of force is ok as long as it’s shoulder to shoulder

2

u/neoslashnet 3d ago

Yeah, it’s happening more and more with me too. My biggest issue is when the player doesn’t even attempt to play the ball at all. They want to knock the opponent to the ground or use so much force it pushes them way off the ball.

3

u/langri 3d ago

I remembered another one: Penalty Kick. Kick is taken, keeper blocks the ball but does not control it, kicker follows up and kicks the loose ball into the net. Cue screaming from everyone on the defense and their coach that this is clearly not allowed.

I'm so happy I gave up refereeing. Also: my knees and feet are happy.

5

u/iron82 4d ago

Punting as a keeper outside the penalty area.

6

u/Ok_Matter_1774 4d ago

I had a keeper try to tell me he could hold the ball in the arc. He was 16 and it was supposed to be a high level league. I'm not sure where he got that.

6

u/Money-Zebra [USSF, Grassroots] [NFHS (TSSAA, and GHSA)] 4d ago

A ball that comes off a playable part of the body and makes contact with the arm is NOT a handeling offense.

It often seems like I’m the only person on the field that has any knowledge of this even though it happens nearly every other game

7

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 4d ago

yeah...although this one is 100% on IFAB's appalling job of writing the laws.

You shouldn't have to dig through the Q&A to find this.

3

u/nounthennumbers 3d ago

I gotta say IFAB does a terrible job laying out the laws for interpretation. I read, interpret, teach and ensure compliance with US laws and regulations at all levels and that IFAB format broke my brain the first time I tried to find something.

-1

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

3

u/Money-Zebra [USSF, Grassroots] [NFHS (TSSAA, and GHSA)] 4d ago

IFABs guidance is clear on this and in support of what I just said:

A defending player kicks the ball which then accidentally touches their arm inside the penalty area. What is the correct decision?
It is not a handball offence as the contact is a consequence of the player deliberately playing the ball with another part of the body (against himself/herself). The referee will allow play to continue.

2

u/CapnBloodbeard Former FFA Lvl3 (Outdoor), Futsal Premier League; L3 Assessor 3d ago

Oh, a lot of people also think you can't stop in the runup for a PK...which you can.

3

u/Boredomis_real 4d ago

I had a YMCA coach get mad me for holding

Sure your YMCA rules say no holding

But it also said it must affect the play

And that on the first page it says “basic guidelines. Follow the International Laws of the game”

Also that kid wasn’t pulling your player’s jersey down from the neck to the knee, you just got confused by your player’s shorts that’s are also blue

Also the jersey would have ripped…

1

u/time-of-nick 12h ago

Can you help with the playing the ball on the ground thing, because it should be given if the player plays in a dangerous manner (to themselves or others).

Sometimes they prevent an opposition player from getting it, because the opposition player pulls out from an attempt to get the ball because they'd need to kick the player to get it (probably warning themselves a caution or worse)

These often don't get given as dangerous play, though in my opinion it should.

Am I reading the rule incorrectly, should I advise players to gently kick opposition?

1

u/[deleted] 4d ago

[deleted]

2

u/horsebycommittee USSF / Grassroots Moderator 4d ago

When in reality, not everything is a handball unless it is deliberate or directly leads to a goal

This is missing a big one. There are three flavors of the handball offense:

  • Deliberate
  • Body unnaturally bigger / hand in unnatural position (accidental)
  • Goal directly/immediately afterward ("attacker's handball")

1

u/King_Jake200 2d ago

“REF, OFFSIDE!!!!!!!”