By Randy Vogt Generally,
restarting play will not be challenging on free kicks
when the ball is far from the goal. However, you will
find certain forwards and midfielders deliberately walk
by the ball after a foul is called against their team.
They are trying to delay the other team restarting play.
Do not let them do this -- verbally warn them that if
they persist, they will be cautioned.
Should a
player deliberately run up to a stationary ball,
preventing a free kick from being taken, that player
should be cautioned immediately for failing to respect
the required distance when play is restarted with a free
kick.
More challenging is restarting play when a
free kick is in or near the defensive team’s penalty
area. Opponents stand near the ball and prepare to set
up a wall. The referee should ask the offensive
player(s) by the ball if they want 10 yards. Should they
say yes, the referee points to the whistle and says so
everyone can hear, “Wait for my whistle.”
You as
the referee then back up 10 paces (yards), always
watching the ball to make certain that it is not moved.
You then call the defensive wall to where you are.
Take your position as soon as possible, glance at
the AR to make sure he or she is in the proper position
and is not trying to communicate with you, then blow the
whistle for the kick to be taken.
Players in the
wall can jump up and down but cannot wildly gesticulate.
A player doing the latter should be cautioned for
unsporting behavior.
It’s always a bit of fun
when the attacking team decides to put a player or two
in the wall. Defenders do not like them there and
pushing often occurs. Attackers sometimes try to back up
into and/or push defenders to move the wall back
further. Watch out for these actions.
Remember
that if the ball was not kicked yet when a push, or
worse a punch, occurs, you cannot call a foul but you
should caution for unsporting behavior (deliberate push)
or send-off for violent conduct (punch). Should this
occur after the kick is taken and the ball is in play,
feel free to call a foul plus a caution or send-off too.
Where Is the Free Kick Taken?
Except for fouls in the goal area, the proper
restart position for a free kick is where the foul was
committed. It does not have to be exactly on that same
blade of grass (or turf).
The farther you are
from the goal that would be attacked, the more leeway
you could give the team when placing the ball. So if you
called offside near the penalty area and the indirect
kick is 80 yards from the goal that would be attacked,
you can give a couple of yards of leeway to place the
ball. Give less leeway for free kicks 20 yards from
goal.
(Randy Vogt has
officiated over 7,000 games during the past three
decades, from professional matches in front of thousands
to 6-year-olds being cheered on by very enthusiastic
parents. In his book,
Preventive Officiating, he shares his wisdom gleaned
from thousands of games and hundreds of clinics to help
referees not only survive but thrive on the soccer
field. You can visit the book’s website at
http://www.preventiveofficiating.com/)
