Question Number: 28751

Law 11 - Offside 9/20/2014

RE: Rec Under 19

Dale Gray of Omaha , Ne USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26748

All teams members are lined up on the mid field line. The goalie is 10 yards out from the 18 yard line(box). Is the goalie the last defender for offside purposes? The AR wasn't calling offside because of the goalie position out of goal box.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dale,
the keeper is alone standing 28 yards away from his goal line!
I would chip the cocky sob! lol
The rest of his defenders are up at the mid line?
Well ONE of those 10 defenders must be the 2nd last defender for offside purposes .

I can tell you the keeper not being back inside the 18 yard penalty area or within his 6 yard goal area located inside the penalty area mean nothing at all for why an AR would call offside or not call offside against the opposition?

Any AR who claims there is no offside possible because a keeper decides to move up the field is simply incorrect. As I said before the keeper is but one of 11 player/opponents. Being the traditional last man back is due to his duties as keeper but it terms of offside it means absolutely nothing.

2nd last defender and or the ball are the defining requires of establishing position

I would have to ASK this AR what the keeper position has to do with offside because given your information I can draw no conclusions. Last man back is not part of offside positional considerations unless even with the 2nd last defender.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi dale
I hope this is not another of these myths that have developed in offside. The penalty area has nothing to do with offside. It is simply the position of two defending opponents which can include the goalkeeper and most time it does. The referee will look for the positioning of the 2nd last opponent and / or the ball as the deciding factor in offside.
Now I might add that if the ball goes to the goalkeeper on a through ball the AR may not call offside because any player in an offside position has not touched the ball or interfered with an opponent which is not offside.