From: smithx@fraser.sfu.ca (David Smith)
Subject: Re: The law about Goalkeeper control
Organization: Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 11 Apr 1992 23:13:32 GMT

dpwo_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Dave Wolgast) writes:

>In <smithx.703012524@sfu.ca> smithx@fraser.sfu.ca (David Smith) writes:

>>I have already seen this rule cause quite a lot of confusion and I 
>>expect it will continue to do so until referees learn how to interpret
>>it. The purpose of the law is to prevent goalkeepers from knocking the
>>ball down and then dribbling it along the ground with their feet.    
>>and then picking the ball up again. However  
>>I have seen referees call a free kick even when the goalkeeper picked 
>>the ball up immediately after knocking it down. If the goalkeeper does
>>this, even if he/she appears to have deliberately knocked the ball down
>>rather than catching it, no advantage is gained. Therefore referees should
>>only call a free kick when the goalkeeper starts to dribble and then picks
>>the ball up. 

>I don't buy all of what Dave has said.  I feel that I've got an interesting
>perspective here, as both a referee and a goalkeeper, so this is pretty
>important to me.

>Tell me why the goalkeeper should EVER intentionally knock down a ball that
>he intends to pick up immediately.  The only reason that I can think of is
>that he wants some extra time...exactly why the IFB decision exists.

My point is that the referee cannot get inside the mind of the goalkeeper.
As a consequence the referee has to make a judgement as to whether the 
goalkeeper has deliberately knocked the ball down or not. There would
be no reason for a goalkeeper to accidentally knock the ball down and then
pick it up again. That is my point.

>I am going to be fairly liberal as to what constitutes an intentional
>parry and what constitutes an uncontrolled save, at least for awhile.  I'm
>sure there will be warnings in cases where there is a question.


Good, but as you point out. You are a goalkeeper and consequently you
understand the problem. Many referees aren't and don't

>A shot comes in and is intentionally parried to the ground.  The GK does
>not move, but lets the ball rest at his feet.  He waits until he is
>challenged by an opponent.  He then picks the ball up again and holds it
>until he is ready to put it in play.  If he had been holding it the entire 
>time, he might have been called for indulging in tactics which delay the game
>(there is such a thing...Law XII 5(b), punishable by an IFK).  But the 
>referee cannot make such a call when the ball is playable by the opponent,
>thus the goalkeeper gets away with 'legally' delaying the game.


I don't buy this. The amount of time  that a goalkeeper can waste in 
this way is so minimal as to be inconsequential. Besides, do you really
believe this would happen often enough to matter?

>>Perhaps FIFA would have been better to simply make a rule saying that once
>>the goalkeeper has touched the ball with his/her hands he/she cannot dribble
>>the ball and then pick it up?

>What will this solve?  It's a habit for me to bounce the ball twice before
>a kick downfield (though I really don't kick much anymore...).  Why should
>I not be allowed to do this if it's not a time-wasting tactic, and nobody
>gains anything.

By dribbling I mean dribbling along the ground with my feet, not dribbling
as in basketball. The previous and current rules do not allow goalkeepers
to collect the ball in their hands, dribble it with the feet and then
pick it up again. The rule change that I proposed would not prevent bouncing
just the forward movement of the ball after it is in the hands. I too often
bounce the ball before getting rid of it and (incidentally) I have been
called by referees for this. I fear that this new rule is going to result
in more such quirky calls.

Dave Smith