BEST FOOT FORWARD

Tips for Spotting Fouls With the Feet

By Kara Honthumb

Recognizing fouls and knowing what to do about them is one of the hardest skills for a referee to perfect. As officials progress, it is also one of the key pieces to proper match control. But for something so big and important, where does one start so they can hope to get it right both on paper and on the field?

First, what is the criteria used to determine if something is a foul?

•Committed by a player.

•While the ball is in play.

•On or just off the field.

•Against an opposing player, substitute or other rostered person. Depending on the skill level of the game, the referee may be able to allow play to continue if a foul appears trifling and is made while challenging for the ball or while players are attempting to create or protect space in anticipation of receiving the ball. Trifling fouls do not greatly affect the opponent’s movement. They are able to stay upright and maintain possession of the ball if it is already at their feet or receive the ball if it is passed to them. Fouls that are considered trifling should be monitored closely as the temperature of the game can escalate quickly if not managed appropriately.

With younger players, a lot of contact may seem to be harmless attempts to win the ball or create space by unskilled movements, but each action should be evaluated individually as successive noncalls will cause the amount of force to increase or potentially lead to frustration and retaliation.

Finally, any fouls committed against an opponent from behind should be dealt with quickly. Because players cannot see the contact coming, they cannot brace for impact, which increases the potential for injury and loss of match control.

A column in the 1/23 edition of Referee focused on four fouls committed with the hands: pushing, striking, holding and handling. Now let’s address the three types of fouls commonly committed with the legs and feet while challenging for the ball and how to better identify them.

The penalty for these fouls is a direct free kick for the opponent or a penalty kick if the foul was committed by a defensive player within the penalty area. Also, the player committing the foul could be cautioned or ejected depending on the severity of the foul.

Jumping at an Opponent

Jumping at or into an opponent while challenging for the ball is a direct free kick foul. A referee must determine if the contact was careless, reckless or made with excessive force. A fair jumping challenge occurs when a player is attempting to win control of a ball that is in the air — otherwise known as a 50/50 challenge — and the contact is almost always between the upper bodies of the player and opponent involved. The movement of the player initiating the action must be made in a controlled manner while going straight up and/or toward the ball; any arms that contact the opponent should be loose or against the player’s own body, not used to create space or to push an opponent away.

Key elements:

•Is the player attempting to win the ball?

•How much force is used when contact is made?

•What is the direction of the movement?

If the player is attempting to win the ball and the amount of force used to initiate the contact is fair relative to the level of play, the contact can be considered trifling and play can be allowed to continue. If a player jumps into an opponent in an uncontrolled manner or uses the arms to unfairly create space, the action should be sanctioned as a foul.

Misconduct should be considered if there is no attempt to play the ball, the contact is retaliatory, made with disproportionate force or the jumping player comes into the opponent from behind.

Tripping

Tripping is also a direct free kick offense. It is the referee’s responsibility to determine if it was committed carelessly, recklessly or with excessive force. A trip will usually, but not always, be made when a player’s foot or lower part of the leg contacts the leg of an opponent while attempting to challenge for a ball either with a sweeping or “poking” motion. A tripping foul can also be made with the upper leg, in which case the contact should almost always be thigh to thigh in order for the contact to not also be considered misconduct.

Tripping fouls usually occur for one of three reasons: the speed or direction of the opponent is misjudged, the tackle is mistimed or the player trips an opponent to prevent the opponent from going by with the ball or into space to join active play. Often what differentiates a trip from a tackle is the player committing the foul is relatively stationary while the opponent or the ball is moving past or away from them. Because the opportunity to make a fair tackle is usually gone, timing becomes an important consideration and contact with the ball is rare or glancing.

Key elements:

•How much force is used?

•Is the movement of the opponent affected?

•Does the opponent maintain possession of or is able to receive the ball?

If the player who was tripped only stumbles slightly, maintains possession of the ball or their movement is not otherwise greatly affected, you can consider allowing play to continue. If a player commits a trip that is badly mistimed, causes the opponent to stumble noticeably or fall or causes the opponent to lose possession of the ball, it should be sanctioned as a foul.

Misconduct should be considered if the player who commits the foul is making no attempt to play the ball,

By The Numbers

The average age of soccer officials who responded to the 2017 NASO Sports Officiating Survey.

They Said It

“Every club has told me that the 50/50 decisions go against them! But that’s the world in which we work.”

— Howard Webb, chief of Professional Game Match Officials Limited

SOURCE: AS.COM

Sideline

PRO Names Manager of Senior Referees

The Professional Referee Organization (PRO) appointed Sandro Ricci as its manager of senior referees.

Ricci officiated in Brazil’s toptier league, the 2014 World Cup in his home country and the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He also worked the 2016 Olympics bronze-medal match in Rio. Other significant assignments included the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup Final between Bayern Munich and Raja Casablanca, the 2015 Copa America semifinal between Argentina and Paraguay, and a 2017 FIFA Club World Cup semifinal.

After retiring in 2018, Ricci worked as a rules analyst on Brazilian television. He joins PRO in the role vacated by Alan Kelly, who was promoted to director of senior match officials at the start of the season.

“Sandro was one of the leading South American referees for more than a decade, and his experience in the game, combined with his dedication and determination, will be positive for our officials,” said Mark Geiger, PRO’s general manager.

SOURCE: PROREFEREES.COM