Last week, in my indoor league playoffs, I beat a defender at midfield and was clearly tripped while running by him. The ref blew his whistle and signaled a foul against my team. The defender--the guy who tripped me--took a quick re-start to a forward on his team, who scored. When I complained to the official he admitted he had signaled in the wrong direction (i.e. that I had been fouled and that my team should have been awarded the direct kick), but said that once play had been re-started, there was nothing he could do and he let the goal stand. He realized that he had signalled in the wrong direction, and could have stopped play, right after the restart occurred. Assuming FIFA rules, did the ref make the right decision?
No, He should have noticed the wrong team taking the restart and corrected his mistake, the fact that the ball was put into play already doesn't matter. He should have peeped his wistled a couple of short quick times to stop play, and then given the restart correctly. The fact that they scored off of the play will not make him popular when he calls it back, but certainly no less so than when he pointed the wrong way. What does matter here is that if he only noticed his mistake after the next stoppage in play, (In this case the goal), he would not be correct in trying to change it....... it has to be before the next stoppage in play.
The ref is confused on this restart erases the decision. The reason it doesn't apply is, that the restart was not taken, or taken properly. The "wrong" restart was taken. Here's a little bit of trivia, only refs know. . . it's not the signal that defines the restart, it's the decision in the ref's mind. For example, if the referee signals a foul and points the right direction, but he "intends" for it to be indirect, but doesn't signal, and the ball is kicked DIRECTLY into the net. . . the goal doesn't count. It's what he decides, not what he signals. Also a good procedure and proper game management when the referee points the wrong way and the wrong restart is taken or about to be taken, is not only to correct it. . . but also to give time for the opposing team to set up for it. The reason being is the referee screwed up and the wrong team set up for defense. When the referee signals the RIGHT way, the team now getting the restart can get an advantage with a quick restart because the opposing team had bought into the referee's erroneous decision and set up on offense, and now their caught off guard, and at a disadvantage caused by the ref. The ref owes it to the game to hold up the restart until the other team is ready. It's interferring with a quick restart, but it's all for the good of the game, caused by his error.
For some reason, I've had to practice this one a lot - particularly at the start of the second half for some reason.
That's funny, I too used to get the second half kickoff wrong all the time. Then I okayed it with the indoor facility I ref at to let me have the kickoff, both first half and second, always go the same way. In other words, whoever grabs the guest bench on my field is gonna get the ball first ( running left to right from the bench view) and home team bench gets the second half start. As for the comment about slowing down the corrected restart, that is a brilliant observation, and thank goodness one I can say I follow instictually....... it just seems like the RIGHT thing to do, especially in indoor where the field is small and attacks on goal happen so quickly.
I always screw up the direction of the first call or two in the second half. What I've started doing, is calling out verbally, "blue kick" or some such thing and then as it becomes obvious which way blue is going, I give the direction. Saves a little embarassment for me.
It's more than just "fair" too. The team you pointed for are upset because you took the restart away from them, and then if you let the other get a quick restart on them after they are out of position because of you mistake, they'll really be upset with you. Sometimes you need to verbalize "why" you're delaying the "corrected" restart for the little "slower" players. Verbalizing and pointing can help, but what do you expect the players to do when they are in conflict? Which is more right? (get it?)
In the situation that I'm talking about, I DON'T point -- I ONLY verbalize. Then I wait until my brain catches up with which direction is the correct way to point and THEN I point the direction. When I do indicate the wrong direction whenever it occurs, as others have stated, I will delay the restart if necessary to be fair to the defending team.