Question Number: 22279

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 10/18/2009

RE: semi pro Adult

David Sleezer of Sierra Vista, Arizona USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 18

Can a center referee switch the A/r's after 3/4's of the game is over here is some background the A/r on one side was not making and understanding the offsides rule so with about 15 minutes left in the second half the Center told the other A/r to move to that side and the other to the oter side. Just wondering if this was legal I feel you cheat the other team since the had the other A/r the whole first half.

Thank you for any clarification

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

There is nothing in the Laws that would prohibit this, but I would suggest the referee had better have a pretty good reason for making the change. The reason AR's usually stay at the same ends of the fields while teams switch at half is so each team has equal benefit from any strengths or weaknesses of the AR's.

There was one youth game many years ago where I had only one neutral AR that showed up, so we had to use a club line on the other side. The game was extremely lopsided. At halftime I told the coach of the leading team that I was going to do something really weird, and move the neutral AR to the other end of the field. (That would mean he would be in the attacking end for the leading team both halves.) My reasoning was that I might as well use the AR to help me call the game, rather than having him watch it long distance from the far end of the field where nothing was happening.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Sleezer
Nothing in the law to prevent the referee from doing this but personally I would not do that for the following reasons
1. It will damage the team spirit among the officials.
2. It can effect the confidence of the 'demoted' official.
3. The team should benefit from the same conditions in each half including the interpretation of offside. It will look very odd and it will be interpreted negatively by the team that is attacking the demoted ARs half who may have had to accept poor offside decisions when they were defending in the 1st half.
4. It does not guarantee that the correct decision will be made by the more experienced official when required.
5. I would view it as a learning and coaching experience for the inexperienced AR. Also the referee is the sole judge of all decisions and he is assisted by ARs. Nothing to stop the CR from calling offside if the AR misses it or interprets it incorrectly and I have done it and seen it done. I think too many referees 'abdicate' offside calls totally to the AR which is not correct, particularly when the AR is inexperienced.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

It is possible the AR was moved because negative comments from the fans or coaches were making it impossible to concentrate and do his job, especially if the AR was inexperienced.

As my colleagues note, there is nothing to prevent a referee from moving his ARs at any point, and I agree that it is normally not the best of practices for all of the reasons outlined. But each game, and combination of teams and officials is different. If the referee feels moving the AR is best for the game and for the AR, then that can and should happen.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

I might add at the elite level it is done more frequently given the ARs are (a) neutral (b) experienced professionals (c) tactically aware of the interaction of the players in the first half they can use that knowledge in the second instead of trying to relearn or pass on stuff to the other.

Jeff Winters a former EPL professional referee introduced this concept when he came and did a top level college match for us in Canada at a teaching seminar. It was eye opening to see he created as many problems as he solved when he tried this The opposing coach went ballistic at the switch as he perceived it as unfair for the reasons my colleagues outlined but I think more because it simply is rarely if ever done over here and nothing new in soccer is accepted readily by the die hard traditionalists.

While the laws do not prohibit it, in my humble opinion the circumstances best be made better by doing it not simply doing it because you can! I have chastised ARs for taking too much flack and being silent on situations that I want to know about! So the switch is not needed if we put a stop to the garbage that could make it necessary.

In the pregame SPECIFIC instructions to ARs if the touchlines are uncomfortable you brief me at a stoppage.

If they are unbearable you raise your flag and get my immediate attention.

Premise EVERY match in any introduction of the officials to coach or captains, Hi this is AR 1 and AR 2 they are the my team mates and are 100% off- limits to ANY hassle or abuse. WE are fair, not perfect but only I am reasonable to talk to, so please bring all queries directly to me in a reasonable fashion, when and if circumstances permit I will do my best to answer or solve the issue but it is not a discussion! These are comment cards, please feel free to use them to make suggestions, criticisms or praise and turn them into the league after the match. We value your honest opinion and we promise we will do our best for you and the match. Have a good game! Are there any questions?

Cheers