Refereeing Decision

[boro_boy]

Why do some referees give penalties for slight fouls in the box and then other referees don't give anything for blatent fouls. Surely they all have to go by the same rule book. To me it seems that the smaller clubs are allways disadvantaged by referees.

Another question, if you block a player in the middle of the pitch, you get a free kick, but if you block a player when the ball is about to go out for a goal kick, nothing is done. Surely blocking a player is against the rules of football?

It seems to me there are different rules for different parts of the pitch, obviously there are for penalties as you can't get a penalty in the center circle. But for general fouls, you seem to turn a blind eye when your near the corner flag.

[westboy]

Originally Posted by boro_boy

Why do some referees give penalties for slight fouls in the box and then other referees don't give anything for blatent fouls. Surely they all have to go by the same rule book. To me it seems that the smaller clubs are allways disadvantaged by referees.

Another question, if you block a player in the middle of the pitch, you get a free kick, but if you block a player when the ball is about to go out for a goal kick, nothing is done. Surely blocking a player is against the rules of football?

It seems to me there are different rules for different parts of the pitch, obviously there are for penalties as you can't get a penalty in the center circle. But for general fouls, you seem to turn a blind eye when your near the corner flag.

I'm not a ref but I think I can answer those questions.

The first one is because refs are inconsistant and would worry about giving a small team a penalty due to the consequences of getting it wrong.

I think the second one is because your allowed to shield the ball anywhere on the pitch, but your only allowed to "block" a player by using your body rather than cutting across their path and pushing them out the way.

[notts ref]

Basically yeah Westboy lol. I'm not sure about your first theory lol, but yeah. Refs have different opinions on whats deliberately blocking the player (i.e. cutting along his line of direction), and just putting yourself infront of the ball. I think its a thing that will continue to happen I'm afraid, as I don't think there is a simple solution, apart froom having one referee who refs every game, but that would be silly lol.

But hey, isn't controversy a huge part of football?

[westboy]

a huge negative...

[wednesday4life]

Originally Posted by notts ref

Basically yeah Westboy lol. I'm not sure about your first theory lol, but yeah. Refs have different opinions on whats deliberately blocking the player (i.e. cutting along his line of direction), and just putting yourself infront of the ball. I think its a thing that will continue to happen I'm afraid, as I don't think there is a simple solution, apart froom having one referee who refs every game, but that would be silly lol.

But hey, isn't controversy a huge part of football?

his first theory has actually been half proved- scientifically the majority of refs a homers (for some reason this majority is never used in a home game but regularly away for wednesday). the big club favouring is just a variation on the proven homer theory and seems to fit the same kind of pattern, as does lower league refs being easier on the small team