Capital Reward for Australia's Top Referee

Congratulations to top referee Ben Williams and his ARs Luke Brennan and Paul Cetrangolo for their prime appointment to the 2012 AFC Champions League final between Ulsan Hyundai (South Korea) and Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia) on Saturday 10 November 2012 at the Munsu Football Stadium in Ulsan, Korea.

Referee Ben Williams. Pic from here.


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Optimum Officiating: Tackling Time Wasting

Referees Correct to Caution Players for Jumping into Spectator Stands

The following incident occurred during an English Premier League match between Everton and West Ham on Saturday 22 January 2011. The match finished 2—2.

In the 84th minute, West Ham’s Frederic Piquionne made it 1—2. He celebrated by jumping over the perimeter fence and running into the West Ham crowd. Referee Peter Walton had no choice but to show a yellow card. Since this was Piquionne’s second caution he was sent off. Here are the freeze frames:

After Piquionne celebrates in the spectator stands, he returns to the pitch and receives his second yellow card

Subsequently, in the 92nd minute Everton’s Marouane Fellaini scored the equalizer against 10-man West Ham. Note that Fellaini was careful (and clever?) not to jump over the perimeter fence to celebrate.

Fellaini celebrates without crossing the perimeter fence

West Ham manager Avram Grant was not happy because his team, currently bottom of the EPL, ruined their chances of getting 3 points.
Here's Grant on the second caution and subsequent send off of Piquionne:

It’s a joke. The red card is a joke. I’m not speaking against the referee. For me it’s a joke. But next time I will tell my players to go to a funeral when they score.

On BBC's Match of the Day, presenter Gary Lineker and pundits Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer discussed the goal celebrations of Piquionne and Fellaini.

Shearer: It’s ridiculous. Look, the one criticism the fans have of players is that they don’t care enough. Now for what he (Piquionne) thinks, he’s scored the winner here. His team are bottom of the league, and struggling, so he’s shown passion, commitment, great header, and I know that’s the Law and I know it’s the rule …

Lineker: And the players know that [Law]

Shearer: Yeah but it’s ridiculous. It’s a stupid Law, it’s a stupid rule. It’s not as if he’s going into the away fans causing a riot. He’s going to his own fans. It’s ridiculous. That Law has got to be changed.

Hansen: To make matters worse, in the 91st minute Fellaini scores. And when he runs towards the crowd he knows the rule, he knows the Law, because he doesn’t go into the crowd. So I think that’s incitement, that’s only half a yellow card.

IMHO, the BBC pundits don't have a case. They can't even string an argument together between themselves.


On the Celebration of a Goal, referees are advised the following:

While it is permissible for a player to demonstrate his joy when a goal has been scored, the celebration must not be excessive.

Reasonable celebrations are allowed, but the practice of choreographed celebrations is not to be encouraged when it results in excessive time-wasting and referees are instructed to intervene in such cases.

A player must be cautioned if:
• in the opinion of the referee, he makes gestures which are provocative, derisory or inflammatory
• he climbs on to a perimeter fence to celebrate a goal being scored
• he removes his shirt or covers his head with his shirt
• he covers his head or face with a mask or other similar item

Leaving the field of play to celebrate a goal is not a cautionable offence in itself but it is essential that players return to the field of play as soon as possible.

Referees are expected to act in a preventative manner and to exercise common sense in dealing with the celebration of a goal.


There are reasons for these guidelines and mandatory cautions. A recent example that occurred during an A-League match between Sydney FC and Gold Coast United on Saturday 8 January 2011 nicely illustrates the reason why players should refrain from going into the spectator stands. The match finished 2—0. Here are the freeze frames:

Sydney FC Finnish forward Juho Makela scores in the 92nd minute and proceeds to jump over the perimeter fencing to celebrate with fans

The consequences are clear to see, in that Juho Makela's team-mate Matthew Jurman had his left leg pinned under an advertising board as it collapsed due to the overflow of fans that congregated following Makela's goal celebration with the fans.

Fortunately Jurman, who received prompt medical assessment, was not seriously injured. However, he did miss the final two minutes of the match!

Surprisingly, referee Chris Beath did not issue a yellow card to Makela for jumping over the perimeter fencing.

So, in response to Shearer's opinion about the "ridiculous rule", it doesn't matter whether players jump into their own supporter's area or even into their opponent fans' area to celebrate ... because there is still potential for things to get out of control in the ensuing mass euphoric congregation. Players need to act responsibly and must refrain from getting into situations that may endanger the safety of others.

Hands On Hands Off Goalkeepers

First, a very Happy New Year to everyone. And second, thank you for taking the time to read some of the posts here.

Now, onto today’s post about goalkeepers and when they are in possession of the ball.

The following incident occurred during the New Year’s Eve A-league match between Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne Victory on Friday 31 December 2010. The final score was 1—2.

In the 87th minute, the match was precariously balanced at 1—1 (although the Mariners are one man down following a send-off in the 53rd minute). Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan fumbled a goal-bound shot from the Victory, and as Ryan turned around to scoop up the ball with both his hands, Victory player Grant Brebner rushed in and kicked the ball from out of his hands and into the net. It was the winning goal. Here are the two freeze frames.

[Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan has the ball between his hands]

Should the goal have been allowed? Despite the fumble, did the goalkeeper gain possession of the ball before it was kicked by an opponent?

Here’s what the Laws state:

A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball:

• while the ball is between his hands or between his hand and any surface (e.g. ground, own body)

When a goalkeeper has gained possession of the ball with his hands, he cannot be challenged by an opponent.

In the match report, everyone apparently accepts that the goalkeeper made a mistake and paid for it by conceding the winning goal.

IMHO, it would not be incorrect for the referee to whistle for a foul against the Victory player for playing in a dangerous manner, and awarding a direct free kick to the defending team (because there was obviously contact between the players).

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Two-footed Challenges Are Considered Serious Foul Play

Violent Conduct by Robbie Fowler

Former Liverpool favourite Robbie Fowler, who is just two games into his first season in Australia's A-League, has escaped punishment after he retaliated by acrobatically placing his boot onto an opponent's neck and upper body. Fowler is captain of North Queensland Fury, who were beaten 5-0 by home side Gold Coast United on 15 August 2009. In the 85th minute, Fowler was charged down but managed to use his agility, guile and spatial awareness (his hallmark of scoring wonderful goals for Liverpool) to "exact revenge" on his opponent.



Referee Chris Beath probably did not clearly see the off-the-ball incident (nor apparently did his assistant referees), but nevertheless dealt with the incident by talking with Fowler. No card was issued. Because of the referee's acknowledgement of the incident and according to FIFA and FFA Regulations, the Match Review Panel cannot issue punishment based on video evidence since the referee is deemed to have seen and dealt with the matter.

What can referees do to minimize such incidents? It is important for all match officials to stay alert and watch for any signs of potential trouble. Assistant referees play an important role in being an "extra pair of eyes" for the referee.


References:
Fowler escapes FFA's fury (ABC news)
Robbie Fowler Escapes Punishment After Anderson Kick In North Queensland Fury's Loss To Gold Coast United
NINJA KICK! by Robbie Fowler (original)