Question Number: 22759

Mechanics 1/26/2010

RE: Competitive Adult

Ethan of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada asks...

Hi there,

My question is regarding Assistant Referee mechanics and signaling. Particularly for goal and corner kicks.

As an AR I am level with the 2nd to last defender, which is outside of the penalty area. The attacking team takes a hard shot, and I chase the ball down to the goal line. Being that it is a hard shot, it crosses the goal line by the time I am level with the penalty mark.

Where do I make my signal for goal kick? Do I continue to run towards the goal line until I am level with the goal area (6 yards from the goal line) and then signal? Or signal from where I am standing when the ball crosses the goal line?

I have the same question regarding corner kick signals. If the shot deflected off a defender and crosses the goal line when I am level with the penalty mark. Do I continue my run until I am beside the corner flag before signaling?

Great site! I check it every day for new advice. I hope you can give me some good advice for this one.

Cheers!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The assistant referee must sprint to the goal line until it is clear that the ball has gone out of play or is safely in the goalkeeper's hands.

But, the assistant who sprints to the goal line everytime will develop the habit of never assuming that the ball will go out of play or will end up safely into the goalkeeper's hands. That habit rewards huge benefits when the ball doesn't do what is expected. Assistants who run to the goal line get noticed, and appreciated.

Moreover, when the ball has left the field of play, the assistant referee's next act should be to look at the referee. I find that continuing to move down the line gives the assistant an opportunity confirm through eye contact that the referee isn't giving one signal before the assistant stops and make a different one.

There is no worldwide standard for where to make the goal kick signal. In some places, the referee makes the signal from the six. In the US, both signals are made near (but not dead on) the flag; the assistant returns up the touchline a yard or so from the flag to signal.

IMO, with a corner kick, the assistant is going to be at the corner for the restart, so there is no reason not to continue running toward the flag.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Ethan
In this part of the world the AR is requested on a goal kick flag signal to face towards the halfway line at right angles to the field of play whilst pointing the flag into the field of play at 90 degrees away from the body with the right hand. The AR should be standing (or move) adjacent to the goal area line (approx 5.5m (6 yds) up the touch line, away from the corner flag.
In the case you describe IMO it does not make sense to continue to the goal line so the AR should get as close to the goal area line as possible and make the signal. I can see the discipline element of it but if the ball is picked up and put down quickly for the GK while the AR is still running to the corner it makes little sense.
The important ones are the tight calls and as Referee Wickham states it is important to be well positioned to view these and the discipline of following in to the goal line is helpful.
On corner kicks the Assistant Referee should run to the corner flag, then turn to face towards the centre Referee, whilst pointing the flag downwards towards the base of the corner flag post, using the hand that is nearest to the goal line. In the case of running lefts backs it is the right hand.

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Ethan, being an A/R requires extra eyes in the side of the head. The ideal A/R also has better peripheral vision than Wayne Gretzky.
Generally, just before the A/R signals, he should glance at the ref. It is recommended in Canada that the A/R stop before signaling. In the first instance, you are making all the effort to follow the ball to the goal line. (It is not a problem to be out of position by itself but you better be running to catch up to the ball if you are.) You are running at full speed as you should be, flag in the left hand if you are running with the right wingers and you go past the penalty mark as the ball leaves the field of play. Take the extra six yards to slow down and arrive at the top edge of the goal area. As you are stopping, use the eye in the left side of your head to glance at the ref (remember a good A/R has extra eyes), stop, face the field full on and hold the flag level pointing at the goal area to indicate a goal kick. The flag by now is in your right hand because you remembered that goal kick signals are made with the hand away from the ref. As an extra little trick, bring your flag down at the same time as the ref because this looks like you are a team and are working in unison. There is no need to whip the flag as you do this.
On the corner kick situation keep your sprint further down the line, close to the corner flag and signal from there. By the way, if, when you glance at the ref he is not already signaling and you are not sure if it is a corner or goal kick you must indicate that the ball has gone over the line by raising you flag straight up in the hand away from the ref. This comes up when the play is on the far side of the field and there are too many bodies in the way. As soon as the ref makes up his mind, follow his signal. Hopefully this will never come up in your game and the ref has kept up to the play to see the action in his quadrant.

Answer provided by Referee Tom Stagliano

Referee Ethan

My fellow referees (Wickham, McHugh and Nagy) offer valuable advice.

However, I have had some issues with ARs who continue to sprint to the goal line (after the ball has already crossed the goal line) before they signal.

In adult amateur (open amateur or college games), EVERYONE (including the CR) wants to know: is it a corner kick or is it a goal kick? The ball may have just skimmed the outstretched fingers of the diving goalie, making it a corner kick and not a goal kick. Or the ball may have taken a quick double bounce and last touched the attacker (making it a goal kick) while 90 percent of the people in the stadium think it is a corner kick.

They (the players, coaches, spectators) are all looking to the CR for the direction and the CR is looking to the AR. Meanwhile the AR is continuing towards the goal line. .... So, the CR starts to think it is a corner kick, but Finally the AR stops the sprint, squares up with the field and raises the flag pointing for a Goal Kick. The AR is correct, but it seemed like an Eternity before that signal was given.

If the ball is Clearly beyond the goal line, crank on the Brakes, pivot establish eye contact with the CR, and make the goal kick or corner kick signal crisply. Time is of the essence. Otherwise, it appears that the AR and the CR team are guessing, thinking it over, and going with whomever is screaming the loudest.

However, while the ball is still on the field, continue towards the goal line at warp speed if necessary. In a major game I had as CR, the ball was heading for the goal line, the goalie proceeded towards the goal line to be ready to retrieve the ball for a goal kick, but was standing merely inches outside the field. The ball struck the goalie's shin, rebounded into the PA and was BURIED for the only goal of that game. The goalie pleaded that the ball had left the field of play, but the AR had followed the ball completely to the goal line and was there to indicate that the ball had Never left the field of play. Without that continued run to the goal line, the no-call could Not have been sold and mayhem would have reigned.

So, Sprint to the goal line when the ball is still on the field of play, but Crank on those Brakes and signal goal kick or corner kick (after establishing eye contact with the CR) when the ball has clearly left the field of play.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

As you are from Canada, you should check with your national association for their preferences in these situations. Check with upper level referees in your area for the practices they use.

My colleagues have given a range of advice, all of which is very good, some of which is locale specific. It will do you no good to use mechanics from another country if that mechanic is not considered good form in your own.

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