Ok it was a moderately busy weekend for me this week. Four state cup games on Saturday and 2 Selects games on Sunday. However, I had a couple situations come up which I'd like to get opinions on. 1. In a U17G state cup match, the blue team completely dominates the white. They scored in the second minute and put up a total of 7 goals in the first half. Now in a previous assessment on a similar game, I was criticized for not adding time for an injury during the first half. So on this match, with that in mind, I added 1:30 as a result of an injury. At halftime, a State 6 who was my AR2, questioned why I'd add time to the first half with it such a blow out. So my question is probably obvious, if you have reason to, would you add time or not? What about the second half? 2. I'm AR2 on a U16G Selects match. White is trailing 0-1. White brings the ball into red's PA, a close range shot deflects off the keeper, nearby attacker sends in another shot headed for the net. Red defender standing in the goal mouth handles the ball to prevent it entering the goal. I flag, CR calls the foul (he saw it too), sets up the penalty but no other sanction, not even a talking too for the very obvious DOGSO. Now luckily the PK was a beautiful shot to the uppper corner so white's coach was ok with it but he did question the decision. After the match I questioned the CR about what he saw and ruled. His reply was that he'd never give a card at that level for that infraction!!! To me if there's any situation where a card is mandatory, this was it. Now he's a young referee and I didn't dispute him but mentioned to him that he might want to think about the game management problems he could have had if they had failed to convert the PK. So I have two questions related to this. First, in this situation would you ever consider something less than a send off? Second, at U16 select, isn't it fair to expect the players to know this law?
1. No, unless I'm being assessed. 2. No, Yes . For #1, I see no reason to add the time. For #2, it sounds like they are reasonably high level girls playing, so yes, they should know the rules and be sanctioned as such. It isn't U-9, its U-16 "select". The ONLY way I would consider downgrading it is if these girls clearly had no skill and it was a very very rec league. It makes it that much harder for us to give out the red card in that situation when other referees out there shy away from it.
#1 yeah, in this sitiation I would hesitate to add time in a blowout game like that. #2 The lowest level I have enforced the DOGSO is a 14g Premier level game but at least the he should have talked to her. The problem with not doing anything is it sets a precident that will cause the next official problems. When she does the same thing and gets sent off.
Hmmm...that opens up an interesting discussion. DOGSO carding....at what age? At what level? I happen to think if you have high level 12 year olds (premier, flight one) you can be shown that card. 14 to me is a tad too old to be catching the ball on the line. R
Agreed, I would say at 12 years old premier level, you should start to enforce this fully. Rec league....maybe 13-14. Of course, there is a bit more leeway for the referee in DOGSO-F cases compared to a DOGSO-H on the goal line.
I have already issued a DOGSO-F send-off in a rec u12. Of course part of it was because it was a horrible take down from behind as the attacker was one on one with the keeper. Had it been a less agregious foul maybe only a caution. I agree that you have more leway if it's a foul instead of a handling situation. This one was so bad, I mean right on the line, the ball was going in and she just caught it. I was so relieved when they converted the PK because I could just see the issues arising if they hadn't. Luckily they also went on to win 3-1 so that helped too. I was however disappointed with my CR that he didn't at least talk to her or give her a caution or something. After the match I did talk to the coach of that team and asked her to explain the laws to her players. They didn't seem to understand the gravity of what she had done and I wanted them to at least learn from this situation. What I don't like about not sending them off is that this now puts it in their head that it is a good strategy to use. Stop the goal at all costs and take your chances on the PK. There has to be a harsher consequence to keep them from doing this.
Adding time in that game? Nope, not a chance, unless its being assessed, though if it is it probably will be ruled uncompetitive anyway. For the card, for any premier/select/level 1 ABSOLUTELY card it at any age. For rec, at 14, I may try to read the face, for ones in between probably. I called an intentional pass to the keeper yesterday at U14 G, I watched the pass back from 20 yards out, right to the keeper, when she stopped her run up to the ball and started to bend over, I was thinking "oh dear God don't do it", well she did. Rules are the rules and clear cut ones at over U12 always should be called, premier at any age.
I treat DOGSO-F differently than DOGSO-H. I have enforced DOGSO-F as low as U12. For some reason I have called several PKs for handling, but I have not issued a card (yellow or red). One such occurence was in a B14 match where a team was getting hammered and a defender went up to play the ball with his body and then put his hands in front of his chest to block the ball (even G10 players do it better ). I deemed it not worthy of DOGSO-H because his body was directly behind his hands. No complaints from anybody. OTOH, I expect to hear about yesterday's non-card in a Veteran's match (O-58). First half, 0-0, and there's a bit of a scrum in the penalty area. With several players on the ground the ball squirts out towards the goal line. A defender on the goal line has ample opportunity to clear the ball with his feet. Instead, he calmly bends over to pick up the slowly rolling ball. The horrified look on his face when I blew the whistle and pointed to the spot was priceless. He had thought play had been stopped because of the players on the ground. Again, nothing "obvious" about the goal opportunity because he had the time and position to easily deal with the ball. PK converted, but that team eventually lost 2-1. Lest you think otherwise, I have sent off players for DOGSO-H when it was clear that the handling was the only thing that prevented a goal.
Amen. And she'll remember that call. While she may have sworn under her breath about it, you may have prevented her from being called for it at a higher level of competition in the future.
Glad this topic was brought up. Yesterday, my coed adult rec team had a pretty clear goal scoring opportunity -- our attacker was behind all the other defenders. A defender, who also happened to be, by far, the most skilled player the opposition had, came up behind our attacker and took him down outside the box. We were awarded a direct kick from that spot, but there was not even a caution against the defender. We didn't score on the direct kick. Now as I've mentioned in another thread, this is a very casual league, but actually I spoke to this official before the game and he was very clear that he would be refereeing according to the "USSF's laws" (I understood what he meant). Do you think he let it go without sending off or even talking to the player because of the level of the match?
Two different calls I have observed lately. 1. Was waiting for the next game at a tourney. As I was getting things together, looked up to see the CR sending off a U11 boy for DOGSO - foul (with about 3-4 minutes left in the game). I thought wow, ballsy. When the game was over I caught the ref coming off the field. I told him I thought it was pretty ballsy to do that. He said the defender took down the attacker in the box and was last defender, rules are rules. I said I agreed but you just don't see refs doing that much. 2. At a high school game (varsity). Attacking team takes a nice shot after a scramble inside the 18 that is heading straight for goal. It was a hard shot and a defender hit it with his arm (his arm was raised and hit about head high - on the elbow). Only about 3-4 minutes left in a tie game. The ref called the PK. (Give him credit for that) but no card of any kind. I don't know, maybe he didn't think the ball was going in (it was). If I catch up to the ref sometime, maybe I will ask him. I don't think there is some silly NFSH rule about that is there? Sending off at U11 but not at HS? Just found that interesting.
I could be wrong but I think handling in the area which results in a PK is an automatic red in NFHS rules....I haven't studied them as long as I need to yet, but I thought I have read that somewhere. Then we have the issue in your state about red cards and how it penalizes teams and coaches. So, it might be the rule, and the referee decided to ignore it because the consequence of the card far outweighed the circumstance of the card. R
I don't need to look this up to know it's WRONG! NFHS doesn't differ measurably from FIFA on DOGSO. Intentional handling in the area by the defensive team is a PK. It's only a RED if it's to stop a ball going into the goal!
One NFHS caveat, Defensive player attempts to prevent goal by DH and is unsuccessful, NFHS states that the player "shall" be disqualified even if goal is scored.
Let me just say that, no you didn't, it was as blatant as it gets. That's why I'm asking the question in as general a manner as possible.