On the guardian website - Cult classic cartoon strip You are the Ref appears exclusively this season on guardian.co.uk on Fridays, with Keith Hackett's official answers following on Mondays.
I'll post a few of the comic strips with the answers in a spoiler. I'll see what you would do differently in these situation.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/you-are-the-ref?intcmp=239
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/29/ref-paul-trevillion-keith-hackett
Verdict in spoiler
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/17/you-are-the-ref-trevillion
Verdict in spoiler
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/24/you-are-the-ref-duff
Verdict in spoiler
I'll post a few of the comic strips with the answers in a spoiler. I'll see what you would do differently in these situation.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/series/you-are-the-ref?intcmp=239
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/29/ref-paul-trevillion-keith-hackett
Verdict in spoiler
- Spoiler:
- Keith Hackett's verdict
1) Yes – this is a clear trick to circumvent the law. He may not have handled the ball directly, but doing it indirectly like this is still an offence: his shirt effectively becomes an extension of his hands if he's using it to trap the ball. Show him a yellow card for unsporting behaviour and restart play with a direct free-kick to the opposition.
Thanks to Dan Fleming for this question.
2) Award a dropped ball on the six-yard line parallel to the goalline at the point nearest to where the keeper was standing. The laser has totally distracted the keeper – it's the same as if he'd been hit by an object thrown from the crowd. Before restarting, talk to the security at the ground and arrange for an announcement to be made warning fans not to use laser pens. After the game, report what happened to the authorities. All this fan has succeeded in doing is costing his side a goal.
Benjamin Cullin wins the shirt.
3) There are rules about players lifting shirts to display slogans, but it'd be stretching them a bit to punish this player for his celebration. What you need to consider is whether his celebration was excessive and so delayed the restart. If it did, show him a yellow card. Thanks to Joe Gibson.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/sep/17/you-are-the-ref-trevillion
Verdict in spoiler
- Spoiler:
- 1) Yes. Provided the kick-taker did not use excessive force when he aimed the ball at the keeper, he's done nothing wrong: it's a salutary lesson for the keeper, who should have been concentrating on the match, not on complaining. Thanks to Nelson Herbert for the question.
2) Speak to the player. Let him know that you will allow him to play, provided he reports to you after the game so that you can take a photo of the slogan on his head, which you will then send with your report to the FA, so it can be translated. It would be interesting to see his reaction if it is indeed an abusive message. Thanks to Guy Pierce.
3) Providing they communicate the changes to you before making them, and providing that the goalkeeper is clearly identified at all times, then this is allowed in law. Also be aware that, at every corner kick, the change back can only take place during a stoppage in the game. You can only intervene if you believe this is a deliberate tactic to waste time. Tell the away team to cool down, and make them aware that the home side are acting within the laws. Ben Marlow wins the shirt for this question.
Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/24/you-are-the-ref-duff
Verdict in spoiler
- Spoiler:
- Keith Hackett's answers
1) Disallow the goal. The fact that the striker is face down in the mud, half off the field of play, does not mean he can't be in an "active" position. The ball has hit him on the way in, so you must declare him offside.
Thanks to Adam Jenkins for the question.
2) If you have lost confidence in your assistant, and you believe his decisions have been suspicious, you must arrange to have him removed from the second half, with the fourth official taking over the role. And with any illegal approach, or any suspicion of an illegal approach, you must immediately report what has happened to the Uefa match delegate at the game. Fortunately the chances of this happening in the Champions League are slim due to the high security around players and officials: no one is allowed in the tunnel area without the appropriate accreditation. Darren Smith wins the shirt for this question.
3) It's a goal. The keeper would have a point if the second striker had been ahead of the first when the ball was passed, and had to go back for the ball. But here the colleague is not in an offside position as he was behind the ball when it was knocked sideways.
Thanks to John Rolfe for the question.
