Tactical Thinking for Referees

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Tactical Thinking for Referees

• United States Soccer Federation

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Tactical Thinking Restarts

• Any restart situation near goal is a significant
  event that requires careful handling.
• The referees strategy must be selected based on
  the teams tactics during the game, and on the
  particular situation.
• Flexibility is Essential!

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Questions to Ask During the Game

• What are the teams doing with free-kicks near
  their opponents goal?
• What are the teams doing with a throw-in near
  their opponents goal?

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Free-kick Near Goal

• Usually confronted by a wall
• Wall can be beaten if positioned badly
• Referee must prevent encroachment and gamesmanship

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Free-kick near Goal

• If the wall cannot be moved it must be by-passed.
• What does this mean for the referee?

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Tactical Thinking Free-kick near opponents goal
AR
Where would the referee normally be?
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Where is the greatest danger for defenders?
AR
R
(normal position)
8
Where will the action be?
AR
R
(normal position)
Three unmarked players
9
Does the referee have the best possible view?
action
AR
R
(normal position)
10
Has the referee improved his position?
R
(alternate position)
AR
11
Tactical Thinking Throw-in near opponents goal
AR
Where would the referee normally be?
12
Where is all the activity going to be? Does the
referee have the best position?
AR
R
(normal position)
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In this somewhat unorthodox position, the
referee has the best possible view of what is
probably going to happen activity behind the
defenders.
(better position)
R
AR
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Tactical Thinking Dynamic Play

• Referees should not interfere with the tactical
  flow of the game
• Referees
• Must know how to read the game
• Must know where to go
• Must know where not to go

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To deal with tactical problems

• Referees should study tactics of teams
• Referees should study individual players

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Keys to Tactical Thinking

• SPACE
• TIME

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Problem

• Any time that the referee is in front of the
  ball, he may be using space that the players
  could use.

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Solution 1

• Change position relative to the ball
• (a) by waiting for the player in possession
  to move ahead
• (b) by actively seeking a position behind the
  ball

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Solution 2

• Hide behind an opponent
• If the referee is ahead of the ball and in a
  useful space (to the teams), he can hide behind
  an opponent of the team in possession.

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Manchester United vs. Manchester City (English
Football League)
AR
R
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Referee seeks position behind the ball
AR
R
R
22
Referee hides
AR
R
R
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Solution 3

• Referee can move into space that cannot be used
  by the players

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R
Referee moves into space that the players cannot
use at that moment
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R
Referee is in space that the players cannot use
and can respond to the attack or a counter-attack
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Tactical Thinking Off the Ball Incidents

• Players can play very effectively using their
  time away from the ball.
• How can we protect them?

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Problem

• How can the referee watch players during their
  time away from the ball?

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Solution 1

• Whenever he is behind the player with the ball,
  the referee can see downfield without difficulty

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Solution 2

• When a player has the ball, and has no opponent
  near him, the referee may safely look downfield

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Mexico
AR
R
East Germany
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Mexico
AR
R
East Germany