Laws of the Game need overhaul

[Unregistered]

So a referee call a foul/ awards a free kick. Opponent is standing in front of the ball preventing the kick. This is an age old thing that happens almost every game. Why isn’t this delaying the start of play? LOTG states that until the ball is in play on free kicks, all opponents must remain 10 yds from the ball, unless they are on their own goal line or between the goalposts. Why should an opponent be able to prevent my kick from happening without consequence? LOTG need clarification.

[Unregistered]

So a referee call a foul/ awards a free kick. Opponent is standing in front of the ball preventing the kick. This is an age old thing that happens almost every game. Why isn’t this delaying the start of play? LOTG states that until the ball is in play on free kicks, all opponents must remain 10 yds from the ball, unless they are on their own goal line or between the goalposts. Why should an opponent be able to prevent my kick from happening without consequence? LOTG need clarification.

I believe (I could be wrong), this was changed recently if you overtly stand in front to delay a restart, you will get a yellow. But it seems to be called less in the last year.

I have two mentions about this, though. First, as a goalie, it would drive me crazy as I'm setting up a wall and when I'm not done, the ref blows for the restart. I'm still scrambling back...why not wait until I'm ready, too? In short, that's my problem to deal with (and why a forward should set up the wall, not always the goalie).

Second, we would have a player who would stand over the ball and clearly tell the ref "I'm not asking for 10." Ref would just stand there. So, while the wall is getting sorted out he'd just drop it into the open net. THAT's why players stand in the way.

[Unregistered]

Foot to foot is not always called, but I am sure it at least results in a stoppage of play for injury. Players also get kicked in the ankle or just below the shin pads, and fouls are not always called. Players should be in control of themselves.

Fair replies on all, but why there always need to be interpretation and context as part of the game.

For #1, I played with a player who would do that. Rarely was it ever called, and he always thought it should be. "Why stand there and get taken out? At least if I'm airborne I won't blow my knees out." It was a valid point; by avoiding contact he lost possession, so he was in fact penalized. He was also given a yellow once over it.

#2, this troubles me. Again, I agree with you, but if you are doing the same thing and not making any aggressive motions, in essence that player is being penalized due to his genetics.

#3, that one gets called all the time. Mostly, because the one who was kicked is writhing in pain because it hurts like hell (had a kid break her foot that way). I always viewed it as a 50-50, but since one was damaged it's not called that way.

[Unregistered]

This is the point of the thread. You make great points, so why not clear it up in the LOTG? No yellow card is given because it is done in professional soccer in every league.

I believe (I could be wrong), this was changed recently if you overtly stand in front to delay a restart, you will get a yellow. But it seems to be called less in the last year.

I have two mentions about this, though. First, as a goalie, it would drive me crazy as I'm setting up a wall and when I'm not done, the ref blows for the restart. I'm still scrambling back...why not wait until I'm ready, too? In short, that's my problem to deal with (and why a forward should set up the wall, not always the goalie).

Second, we would have a player who would stand over the ball and clearly tell the ref "I'm not asking for 10." Ref would just stand there. So, while the wall is getting sorted out he'd just drop it into the open net. THAT's why players stand in the way.

[Unregistered]

Speaking of goalies, how many times on a corner kick do you see an opposing player stand in on the goal line to impede the goalie? So there is impeding progress of an opponent and right to position. What’s yo keep a coach from putting 5 players on the goalie? I think this is a loophole in the game and the LOTG should prevent this from happening when it is obvious that the opposing player is simply there to impede. Should be a 5 yard rule at start of corner kick.

[Unregistered]

Speaking of goalies, how many times on a corner kick do you see an opposing player stand in on the goal line to impede the goalie? So there is impeding progress of an opponent and right to position. What’s yo keep a coach from putting 5 players on the goalie? I think this is a loophole in the game and the LOTG should prevent this from happening when it is obvious that the opposing player is simply there to impede. Should be a 5 yard rule at start of corner kick.

Any player has a right to stand anywhere on the pitch, as long as they are 10 yards away on a restart. So, an offensive player has every right to stand right anywhere in the box, even in front of another player (i.e. the goalie). The goalie doesn't own the box.

[Unregistered]

I have coached and been a referee up and through college level - and I can tell you three things

1) It takes years and a LOT of games to even start to get good at refereeing
2) We had a referee shortage - Covid made it worse and it now critical. Get used to a single referee at games and be thankful if the solo referee is even close to good enough to handle it by him or herself....Despite the great pay the job offers (that should tell you something BTW)
3) I always told my team - if you let the referee determine the outcome of the game, you didn't do enough to win it.. Period.

I agree with earlier statement on offside (foot as determiner) and the latest swing at Handling rules is a complete CF - we as referee's hate it. Its complete ambiguous and worse - uneven and inconsistent. We HATE it.

The referees I have met and worked with are almost (almost) universally hard working and incredibly fair people who, believe it or not, self analyze their performance during and after the game and really do try to get it perfect. When you leave the field knowing the referee had a bad day just know the referee knows it to and probably feels worse about it.

[Unregistered]

I have coached and been a referee up and through college level - and I can tell you three things

1) It takes years and a LOT of games to even start to get good at refereeing
2) We had a referee shortage - Covid made it worse and it now critical. Get used to a single referee at games and be thankful if the solo referee is even close to good enough to handle it by him or herself....Despite the great pay the job offers (that should tell you something BTW)
3) I always told my team - if you let the referee determine the outcome of the game, you didn't do enough to win it.. Period.

I agree with earlier statement on offside (foot as determiner) and the latest swing at Handling rules is a complete CF - we as referee's hate it. Its complete ambiguous and worse - uneven and inconsistent. We HATE it.

The referees I have met and worked with are almost (almost) universally hard working and incredibly fair people who, believe it or not, self analyze their performance during and after the game and really do try to get it perfect. When you leave the field knowing the referee had a bad day just know the referee knows it to and probably feels worse about it.

Thank you for refereeing. My daughter refereed for a few years for U9 thru U12 games and loved the money she earned, but once she started refereeing the older U13+ games she stopped because the parents got too nuts. She could deal with the players and coaches no problem, but when parents started cursing at her and following her out to the parking lot after the game she no longer felt safe. She’s just a couple years older than the players she refereed for and wanted to give back to the game she loves and make a little money. It’s no wonder there is a referee shortage.

[Unregistered]

Thank you for refereeing. My daughter refereed for a few years for U9 thru U12 games and loved the money she earned, but once she started refereeing the older U13+ games she stopped because the parents got too nuts. She could deal with the players and coaches no problem, but when parents started cursing at her and following her out to the parking lot after the game she no longer felt safe. She’s just a couple years older than the players she refereed for and wanted to give back to the game she loves and make a little money. It’s no wonder there is a referee shortage.

I've seen a number of teenage refs reduced to tears by nut job parents. It's disgusting. I've seen parents kicked off the sideline in a U11 game. Some of the behavior I've seen over the years on the sideline is shocking - and usually leaves the kid of the nutty parent standing there embarrassed in front of their teammates. I've even seen coaches pull kids off in an attempt to get their parents to shut up. I've seen a near brawl twice - once when a parent heckled an injured child in a U12 game. It's true that the majority of soccer parents are normal people but there are way too many jerks out there.

[Unregistered]

As the one who started this thread, you are the perfect poster to respond. Your response provided great information.

Right with you on referee shortages, the challenge to gaining experience, and the difficult environment. I wanted to design this thread to think about how we can help referees and simplify/ bring more consistency.

Offside example could help to simplify offside for linesmen/ women or solo refs. I thought your response was insightful in terms of refs feeling the exact same way on the LOTG. We can’t expect referees to interpret so much ambiguity in the LOTG. Thank you to all refs for doing what you do!

Leagues should have parents sign a no tolerance policy on questioning calls and complaints at games and parental issues should be logged and followed up on with clubs that do not adhere to policy. So many things can be done to end this, warnings, team suspensions, and put the onus back on clubs.

I have coached and been a referee up and through college level - and I can tell you three things

1) It takes years and a LOT of games to even start to get good at refereeing
2) We had a referee shortage - Covid made it worse and it now critical. Get used to a single referee at games and be thankful if the solo referee is even close to good enough to handle it by him or herself....Despite the great pay the job offers (that should tell you something BTW)
3) I always told my team - if you let the referee determine the outcome of the game, you didn't do enough to win it.. Period.

I agree with earlier statement on offside (foot as determiner) and the latest swing at Handling rules is a complete CF - we as referee's hate it. Its complete ambiguous and worse - uneven and inconsistent. We HATE it.

The referees I have met and worked with are almost (almost) universally hard working and incredibly fair people who, believe it or not, self analyze their performance during and after the game and really do try to get it perfect. When you leave the field knowing the referee had a bad day just know the referee knows it to and probably feels worse about it.