Question Number: 19577

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 7/6/2008

RE: Rec Under 11

Jeffrey of Saratoga, California USA asks...

I've been watching lots of Euro 2008 games, and I notice that at the kick-off, the kicking team typically has one player next to the ball, and one player typically a metre away ready to receive the forward kick. But the receiver typically has one foot on the halfway line, and one foot well over it in the opponent's half. So what exactly does 'all players must be in their own half' mean? That they must be fully behind the halfway line? Or have one foot on oe behind the halfway line?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

'In' means 'in' - the players should not be lined up partially in the other half. But many referees will regard this as trifling, as the team gets no benefit and the opponents are not adversely affected.

Enforce it at Rec U11, just as you enforce throw-ins strictly, so they will learn it properly. Then you can relax it as the teams get older and more experienced, as long as they don't go crazy with it. Ask yourself, do a couple inches really matter?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

You'll note in later matches the players were in their half of the field as per Law 8. In the early matches this was relaxed a bit as was the location of throw-ins, holding jerseys, pushing and jostling at free kicks close in or corner kicks and all the other mucking about footballers usually try to get away with. Funny, but later in the tournament this stuff stopped and the referees who allowed it in the earlier matches were never seen again...

Let that be a lesson as to what is and is not to be allowed. On your matches players are 'IN' their own half or we wait for the whistle until they are. Simple, if they want to stand around where they please let them but sooner or later they will wonder why they are not playing the game. That's when you mention being in their own half is required before you whistle.

Regards,

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19596