This is similiar to the question asked in the other thread about the DC/C-bus game, but I wanted to generalize the issue. I was doing a Bu-14 rec game when shortly after a team changed its keeper, a long ball was sent into the corner. The keeper ran out of the 18 and picked up the ball. I immediatly whistled it for handling but took no other action. He was not being pressured by the opposing team and probably would have had the time to dribble back into his box had he chosen to. My question is at what point does a clearly intentional handling become a cardable situation? I talked it over with the coach who is also a ref who I respect and he said that if the goalie were being seriously pressured he would have shown yellow and if it took away a DOGSO he would have shown red. I follow the red issue, but couldn't find any support for the yellow in the LOTG. Any ideas comments on the general situation and on my friends specific answer would be appreciated.
Advice to Referees 12.28.1, third bullet point, gives reason for a caution: If the keeper's handling outside the PA results in breaking up an impending attack, then caution. Your situation, where the keeper just didn't seem to know where he was, no caution needed.
It also sounds like this keeper (being that he is not a regular keeper and it is a rec league game) did not really know what he was doing (true?)? Your logic seems reasonable, if it was a simple "Ooops!", then I wouldn't card unless it clearly took an attack away (or did a DOGSO). Of course if I did not card, I would take a walk over to the keeper and explain that the penalty area is not quite that large .
Truly it was an odd moment seeing how old the players were. The minute I blew the whistle he had the most sheepish look on his face
IMO, it is a yellow if the player handles the ball with the clear intent of eliminating an advantage for the other team. I think in all my career, I can count on one hand the times I've had to caution a player for handling, but one instance comes to mind: A player was defending an opponent, slipped and fell. The attacker took advantage of the defender's miscue by touching the ball past him. The defender then lunged out toward the ball, grabbed it with both hands, and smothered it with his body. He was already carrying a yellow for dissent, so he earned his second yellow and an early shower. To me, that was a very clear case of unsportsmanlike conduct.
Depending on the age I usually card a player for handling if the act is very blatant. Just yesterday in a semi-pro match one of the players reached up and swatted the ball down. I'm not really sure as to why but it was so absurd and did stop the flow of the other team's attack, so I gave him a caution for unsporting behavior. I don't believe it was done maliciously but it certainly didn't sit well with his opponents. The other time where a caution is actually mandatory for handling is if a player attempts to score a goal with his arm (thanks to Maradona).