Law Changes - Goalkeeper 8-Sec

So the goalkeeper ball-holding rule just got more lenient (8 seconds not 6 seconds) and more heavily punished (corner kick instead of indirect kick) at the same time.
 
So the goalkeeper ball-holding rule just got more lenient (8 seconds not 6 seconds) and more heavily punished (corner kick instead of indirect kick) at the same time.
That's correct. Most people do not know this, FIFA and IFAB (4 British football associations) make up the law body of Soccer; they make the changes and updates to the Laws. Referees uphold and enforce them.

  • IFAB:
    • Established in 1886 to standardize football rules.
    • Composed of the four British football associations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and FIFA.
    • Determines and updates the Laws of the Game.
    • Meets annually to discuss and approve changes to the rules.
    • Has a voting structure where FIFA holds four votes and the British associations hold one each.
    • Changes require a three-quarters majority, meaning FIFA's support is crucial.
 
The open question is whether referees will actually enforce an 8 second rule.

I certainly can’t remember many free kicks being awarded for 6 second violations.

It was kind of like the yellow card for failing to respect the 10 yards. Rules clearly state “an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play.”

Simple rule. Run up to delay the restart, get a yellow.

But that’s not what we actually do. What we do:

Ref signals a free kick. Defender runs up to 3 yards from the ball. Attacking player asks for ten. Ref slowly walks off 10 yards. Attacking player flips the ball forward 2 yards while the ref’s back is turned. Kick is taken 8 yards from the wall.
 
So the goalkeeper ball-holding rule just got more lenient (8 seconds not 6 seconds) and more heavily punished (corner kick instead of indirect kick) at the same time.
The corner kick is much more appropriate for the situation than an indirect free kick
 
More heavily punished? a Corner kick or an IFK inside the penalty area, which would you prefer?
A corner kick is a direct kick. From age 8 on up, outside backs are taught how to shoot corners aiming for the far post. If the team is following one of espola's Golden Rules, they have a man waiting outside the far post for the 30% or so (in my counting of them) that go all the way through -- and in the advanced class they are taught how to make a timed run to get to that position so that there is not an opponent on their backs.
 
The open question is whether referees will actually enforce an 8 second rule.

I certainly can’t remember many free kicks being awarded for 6 second violations.

It was kind of like the yellow card for failing to respect the 10 yards. Rules clearly state “an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play.”

Simple rule. Run up to delay the restart, get a yellow.

But that’s not what we actually do. What we do:

Ref signals a free kick. Defender runs up to 3 yards from the ball. Attacking player asks for ten. Ref slowly walks off 10 yards. Attacking player flips the ball forward 2 yards while the ref’s back is turned. Kick is taken 8 yards from the wall.
The new rule suggests that the referee give an audible and visual (with fingers) count to the keeper, counting down the last 5 seconds. It's as if the pitch clock has come to soccer/football/futbol (take your pick).
 
Unnaturally bigger still in the Laws, what a shame. I guess IFAB enjoys watching defenders playing with their arms behind their back in the box, which is truly unnatural.
 
When does the rule change take effect?
I believe it went into effect 7/1, start of 25/26 season

I haven’t seen it called in the youth game yet

I wonder if anyone have seen any instances of it being called in other leagues . The only one I’m aware of so far is yesterday in an EPL game
 
I believe it went into effect 7/1, start of 25/26 season

I haven’t seen it called in the youth game yet

I wonder if anyone have seen any instances of it being called in other leagues . The only one I’m aware of so far is yesterday in an EPL game
There was at least one ref calling it at Surf Cup. Twice in one game.
 
The open question is whether referees will actually enforce an 8 second rule.

I certainly can’t remember many free kicks being awarded for 6 second violations.

It was kind of like the yellow card for failing to respect the 10 yards. Rules clearly state “an opponent who deliberately prevents a free kick being taken quickly must be cautioned for delaying the restart of play.”

Simple rule. Run up to delay the restart, get a yellow.

But that’s not what we actually do. What we do:

Ref signals a free kick. Defender runs up to 3 yards from the ball. Attacking player asks for ten. Ref slowly walks off 10 yards. Attacking player flips the ball forward 2 yards while the ref’s back is turned. Kick is taken 8 yards from the wall.
Referees are supposed to do a visual 5 second court down with their hand/arm in view of the keeper, kind of like how the high school referee how lines up near the linebackers does a countdown for the quarterback during high school football games. The San Clemente Cup last month had the referees enforce this new law for the 9v9 games. I did 3 games and only half of the keepers knew of this new law, but everything went well, no 8 second violations. BUT...the Newcastle goalkeeper was the 1st keeper to get called for the 8 second violation in the Premier League yesterday, so it has started.
 
There was at least one ref calling it at Surf Cup. Twice in one game.
I saw this being enforced at Surf Cup also (with visual hand signals).

However, in my son's tournament this weekend, nothing, and there were a couple 8+ second holds (I was counting). So it's certainly not a point of emphasis across the board. I don't think I've seen it yet outside of Surf Cup, and I know not all club coaches are aware of the changes either.

It kinda reminds me of some of the debates on other threads re "ref abuse" (ie: people yelling things like "bad call"): the officials don't always know what the rules are either, and/or what proper interpretations are, and for all the talk of ongoing education for official to keep their knowledge and skills current, the reality on the field can be quite different (and there are some terrible officials, in addition to rare but present corruption). The new rules to silence dissent are certainly not going to help (and I am seeing an up-tick in players being carded for questioning any calls, even in the more local matches... so that rule change is certainly being more enforced, particularly by the officials generally making worse calls, as expected).
 
I saw this being enforced at Surf Cup also (with visual hand signals).

However, in my son's tournament this weekend, nothing, and there were a couple 8+ second holds (I was counting). So it's certainly not a point of emphasis across the board. I don't think I've seen it yet outside of Surf Cup, and I know not all club coaches are aware of the changes either.

It kinda reminds me of some of the debates on other threads re "ref abuse" (ie: people yelling things like "bad call"): the officials don't always know what the rules are either, and/or what proper interpretations are, and for all the talk of ongoing education for official to keep their knowledge and skills current, the reality on the field can be quite different (and there are some terrible officials, in addition to rare but present corruption). The new rules to silence dissent are certainly not going to help (and I am seeing an up-tick in players being carded for questioning any calls, even in the more local matches... so that rule change is certainly being more enforced, particularly by the officials generally making worse calls, as expected).
Give it up. You're the only one still fighting for your right to scream insults at refs trying to do their jobs. And as I recall, you're God-level at loudly scoffing, too. That was so endearing. SoCal soccer won't be the same without your obnoxious scoffing.
 
A corner kick is a direct kick. From age 8 on up, outside backs are taught how to shoot corners aiming for the far post. If the team is following one of espola's Golden Rules, they have a man waiting outside the far post for the 30% or so (in my counting of them) that go all the way through -- and in the advanced class they are taught how to make a timed run to get to that position so that there is not an opponent on their backs.
A few guesses on my part when it comes to the youth game. The vast majority of youths have not taken an espola course and cannot execute a corner kick properly to save their lives...the highest levels are excepted...even at the older ages its why they tend to swing it outward (because once the boy GKs are tall enough to intercept they tend to leave it out of the box). The only place in the youth game I can see a substantial advantage is 11-13 before the kids are in the 11v11 field and can take the direct shot at the far post on goal. Otherwise, given that so many teams don't know how to defend the IDFK, and given the initial kicker basically just needs to give it a little tap making it practically the same as a DFK, I much rather have the DFK in the box, though I admit taking the espola school could substantially improve teams chances at the highest levels where kickers are able to execute with such precision (proper power, proper aim, high enough it stays out of the gk reach, low enough it is controllable into a header and doesn't overshoot the bar).
 
Give it up. You're the only one still fighting for your right to scream insults at refs trying to do their jobs. And as I recall, you're God-level at loudly scoffing, too. That was so endearing. SoCal soccer won't be the same without your obnoxious scoffing.
It is perhaps equally endearing how you continue to persist in your incorrect belief and attribution as to who I am. In actuality, I am probably the most defensive of the refs (of the parents on my sideline), and the least personally likely to be impacted, which makes your belligerent ignorance even more amusing.

In large part, I'm critical of US Soccer's approach of silencing dissent (vs improving officiating) because I don't want parents to feel even more frustrated if/when there are bad calls and punitive measures when people point them out, without any path to improving the officiating. As noted in other threads, I'd prefer there to be a give and take (ie: no actual abuse, but also viable practical methods to identify and improve bad and/or corrupt officiating).
 
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