Question Number: 28703

Law 11 - Offside 9/6/2014

RE: Select Under 18

Gary Morgan of Culpeper, VA USA asks...

Can you please provide some good guidance language, with references if possible, for when possession by thee defense 'resets' the offside equation?

Extreme example: An attacker in an offside position near the top corner of the penalty area watches (entirely uninvolved in play) as a long shot soars past and is caught by the keeper. The goalkeeper holds the ball, walking forward, verbally directing his defenders. The goalkeeper then rolls the ball to the same offside-positioned attacker. Big 'oops!'

Is the attacker whistled for offside because he was in an offside position when the ball was last touched by a teammate (the legal long shot) ? -OR- Did the possession and control by the goalkeeper 'reset' the whole equation and now, since the ball came directly from the defense, the attacker may play the ball?

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The referee needs to make a judgment call over what is a deflection (offside) or a deliberate play (not offside).

The key to the judgment is often space and time. Defender with unfettered control of the ball without a PIOP nearby - - think deliberate play. As the PIOP gets closer to the defender or the ball - - consider if the PIOP is interfering with the defender's ability to see or play the ball. When the defender has no time or space to to play the ball, think 'deflection.'

Note: playing the ball after a deliberate save does not reset offside position. So, it any defender's action follows a shot on goal, the first touch on the ball may not reset offside position. But, afterward, considerations of time and space will inform whether the defender has held (as in your example) or controlled the ball at their feet (other defenders) to reset offside position.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Gary
The key for me on these scenarios are control and possession of the ball. If the goalkeeper has clear unfettered control and possession of the ball and then releases the ball to an opponent then there is no offside. It would only be offside had the ball rebounded or deflected from the goalkeeper as part of a save.
As described this is an error by the goalkeeper who deliberately threw the ball to an opponent in which case there is no offside.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Thank you Hmm if we are using archaic English like thee, thou must be old school? Verily I say un to you my friend Gary of Culpepper Commonwealth of Virginia fear not thy plague of offside innuendos, miscreant and vile thou they may be! Thy wisdom of the big oops is indeed worthy alack such misfortune to befall the keeper yet fain thy striker cry of gramercy shalt it be so to take advantage of such a bounty.
Roughly translated, 'thanks for the gift you ninny!'
Forgive my attempt at humour I be answering in the wee hours and my dram of coffee has since disappeared! lol
Question 28711 has some additional thoughts, you may wish to look it up for greater clarity.
Offside is a simple premise yet its application terrifies, mystifies and just plain seems to defy understanding at times given what we witness at times even at the highest levels , yet it is still difficult to say with certainty just how each referee will view certain situations.
The rewording of law 11 created specific text as it applies to how we judge an offside infraction but is bereft of content as to when the offside no longer applies. Weak also on the understanding of what 'deliberately plays the ball ' do they mean this is an actual physical touch of the ball and ' challenging an opponent for the ball' where as this is an attempt to touch the ball and as an action unsafe due to a possible collision or a distraction to the opponent affecting the opponents' ability to play the ball uncontested .

There are only three stages of play that could allow a offside restricted player to rejoin active play.

One - a NEW teammate's touch of the ball
(1) Condition one requires the former restricted offside player to no longer be in an offside position when this new touch occurs. Offside reset occurs at ANY teammate touch of the ball deliberate or accidental creating a NEW phase of play with a freeze frame snap shot of the new positioning of the players on the field
Two - opposing player plays/controls the ball
(2) Condition two must simply occur, offside position is not part of the equation because condition one no longer applies the former restricted offside player can legally contest ball possession if his opponents now have actually touched the ball with uncontested control/possession which frees a previously restricted offside positioned attacker to rejoin active play no matter his position on the field
BUT---: yup there is a but, a WAVE if you like, in our sea of tranquility
If the opponent/defender touch of the ball is deemed in the opinion of the officials to be a deflection/rebound this WILL NOT RESET nor change an attacking opponents restricted offside status!
Three - the ball goes out of play
(3) Condition three requires a restart of play!
Three restarts are free from any offside criteria by either team (Throw-in, corner kick, goal kick) where position is NOT a factor at the moment of the kick
A NEW positional offside evaluation will occur ONLY from the team taking the kick be it indk or direct as there is a new touch of ball by the attacking team/or team mates. The opponents are exempt because condition two now applies

Offence
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
• interfering with play
"interfering with play" means playing or touching the ball passed or touched by a team-mate'
or
• interfering with an opponent
"interfering with an opponent" means preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent's line of vision or challenging an opponent for the ball
or
• gaining an advantage by being in that position
"gaining an advantage by being in that position" means playing a ball i. that rebounds or is deflected to him off the goalpost, crossbar or an opponent having been in an offside position ii. that rebounds, is deflected or is played to him from a deliberate save by an opponent having been in an offside position'
Then we add this little gem
----A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent, who deliberately plays the ball (except from a deliberate save), is not considered to have gained an advantage!'---
This I think applies to your query. The act of intentionally trying to play the ball by kicking it or heading it as a deliberate play but you do it poorly and the ball goes directly to an offside opponent is ONLY excused if that act was a deliberate save to keep the ball out of the goal otherwise the offside player has a right to play that ball. The concept of a rebound or deflection is more in the ball hitting the defending opponent unaware or insufficient time and distance to react with a deliberate action much the same as we view deliberate handling

I equate the same principle to DELIBERATE HANDLING as a defenders actions when the BALL makes contact with him as opposed to he makes contact with the ball! Eliminate the word deflection use rebound, if the ball strikes the defender then offside is not reset. Just as if the ball strikes the arm or hand we do not award a foul unless the players actions dictate he initiated the contact! Just as in any decision to award a foul for deliberate handling the offside INDFK will always have those who claim it was accidental , unintentional and not my fault!

Think a bit on the incident at 27. 37 of the first half of the World Cup final Muller (offside player) leg stretched and reached for the ball, but could not get there, did not appear to impair vision of keeper and was flagged for offside (Incorrectly in my opinion) as the rebound off the keeper went to another German player, Klose I think, far left who was onside. I thought this an example of the new interpretation where the flag could have stayed down. I was thinking no flag necessary! The announcer claims once he stuck out the leg it was automatic. sigh announcers they truly get it do they not? lol
This was more in keeping with interfering with play! He DID NOT touch the ball passed or touched by a team-mate He DID NOT interfere with an opponent in this case the keeper by stopping him from playing the ball by challenging or preventing the keeper from seeing. He DID NOT gain any advantage, it was Klose who got the rebound and he was onside when the initial pass that Muller was unable to gather in was hit through.
So if the best of us get it wrong on occasion, it goes to show you how difficult it actually is to get it right 100% of the time Cheers