Citiref
04 Oct 2005, 03:44 PM
SWANSEA boss Kenny Jackett insisted his side's crucial third goal was fine and, more importantly, so did referee Ray Olivier.
The official faced the media afterwards to explain his decision, and claimed that Lee Trundle did not impede Peter Clarke, as the Seasiders skipper made a last-ditch attempt to clear the ball.
Olivier said: "My assistant Keith Buller had indicated that Trundle was in an offside position and, from my point of view, if Trundle had touched the ball after it had been played he would have been penalised for being in an offside position.
"But obviously he hasn't touched the ball and he hasn't interfered with play or touched an opponent so I gave the goal.
"You have to be clear that offside is not an offence. It only becomes an offence when the player touches the ball or interferes with play."
Asked if that still applied even if the striker was in the way of a defender,
Olivier replied: "From my position he wasn't because the ball was over the goal-line. As far as I'm concerned it was definitely the Swansea player who got it over the goal-line and not the defender. The ball was already in the net when the defender tried to clear the ball away."
Olivier added: "It was extremely clever by Trundle because he looked across to the assistant referee and he knew that if he touched or played the ball he would be penalised for being in an offside position.
"I can absolutely understand Colin Hendry being unhappy because of the differences in terms of interpretation.
"But what we've been told as referees is that there are too many goals being scrubbed off for players being in offside position but not interfering with play or touching the ball.
"I ran across to the linesman just to get confirmation to make sure that Trundle hadn't played or touched the ball. When the assistant said he didn't play or touch it we obviously awarded the goal."
Swans boss Kenny Jackett's assessment differed from the referee's – Jackett insisted Peter Clarke had got the last touch on the ball before it went in.
However, he backed his striker and said it was a goal.
"I thought the goal was fine," said Jackett. "Trundle has done very well not to touch the ball.
"My original thought was had he touched the ball but he didn't. Leon Britton has played it and Lee has threatened it, if you like, but he hasn't touched it or joined in.
"The Blackpool player Clarke has actually slid it in. I wondered if it was Lee who had put it in originally but it did go in off the Blackpool player and Lee used his head well not touch it.
"The new laws about not interfering have opened up the game. You've got to say that it has had a positive effect at both ends. It is harder to close the game down now.
"You see people doing it at free-kicks. Teams send two players in around the goalkeeper and they are dead men if you like. They just walk out as the kick is being taken. So what about them in those situations? These are the rules as they stand and you play to them."
Jackett refused to be drawn on whether Trundle was interfering with Clarke's attempt to clear the ball, though, simply saying: "What I will say is that he showed good intelligence not to touch it, though I can understand Colin Hendry being upset."
http://www.blackpoolonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=64&ArticleID=1209430
The official faced the media afterwards to explain his decision, and claimed that Lee Trundle did not impede Peter Clarke, as the Seasiders skipper made a last-ditch attempt to clear the ball.
Olivier said: "My assistant Keith Buller had indicated that Trundle was in an offside position and, from my point of view, if Trundle had touched the ball after it had been played he would have been penalised for being in an offside position.
"But obviously he hasn't touched the ball and he hasn't interfered with play or touched an opponent so I gave the goal.
"You have to be clear that offside is not an offence. It only becomes an offence when the player touches the ball or interferes with play."
Asked if that still applied even if the striker was in the way of a defender,
Olivier replied: "From my position he wasn't because the ball was over the goal-line. As far as I'm concerned it was definitely the Swansea player who got it over the goal-line and not the defender. The ball was already in the net when the defender tried to clear the ball away."
Olivier added: "It was extremely clever by Trundle because he looked across to the assistant referee and he knew that if he touched or played the ball he would be penalised for being in an offside position.
"I can absolutely understand Colin Hendry being unhappy because of the differences in terms of interpretation.
"But what we've been told as referees is that there are too many goals being scrubbed off for players being in offside position but not interfering with play or touching the ball.
"I ran across to the linesman just to get confirmation to make sure that Trundle hadn't played or touched the ball. When the assistant said he didn't play or touch it we obviously awarded the goal."
Swans boss Kenny Jackett's assessment differed from the referee's – Jackett insisted Peter Clarke had got the last touch on the ball before it went in.
However, he backed his striker and said it was a goal.
"I thought the goal was fine," said Jackett. "Trundle has done very well not to touch the ball.
"My original thought was had he touched the ball but he didn't. Leon Britton has played it and Lee has threatened it, if you like, but he hasn't touched it or joined in.
"The Blackpool player Clarke has actually slid it in. I wondered if it was Lee who had put it in originally but it did go in off the Blackpool player and Lee used his head well not touch it.
"The new laws about not interfering have opened up the game. You've got to say that it has had a positive effect at both ends. It is harder to close the game down now.
"You see people doing it at free-kicks. Teams send two players in around the goalkeeper and they are dead men if you like. They just walk out as the kick is being taken. So what about them in those situations? These are the rules as they stand and you play to them."
Jackett refused to be drawn on whether Trundle was interfering with Clarke's attempt to clear the ball, though, simply saying: "What I will say is that he showed good intelligence not to touch it, though I can understand Colin Hendry being upset."
http://www.blackpoolonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=64&ArticleID=1209430