Had an escape from the norm this past weekend. My daughter played in a tournament that was about 200 miles from home and I arranged to do a couple of games for the tournament. One as a center and one as an AR. Nothing high level, but good to run around and get some of the summer rust off.
In my center, I met with a couple of guys that were to be my ARs and we discussed what I expected in my pregame and to feel free to give me feedback should it be warranted. Game starts and the yellow team dumps the ball into the opposing team's box. Defender and attacker jostle and the defender does a very evident push. Not 30 seconds in and I call a PK. Probably my fastest PK call ever.
Blue eventually ties and takes the lead before yellow ties it again on a silly shot right before halftime. At halftime my AR tells me that I should not have called the PK at the beginning. Why I ask. Because I coach at this age group and I know that the PK could discourage the team that got the PK. Interesting, so you want me to not call a foul because it was too close to the start of the game and could be damaging to the team that committed the foul? I had to tell him that I did not agree with that logic and that fortunately for this game, they had me in center instead of him. Come on, so a PK can't be called even though I saw a foul (and the AR who questioned my strategy also said it was a foul) because it was too early in the game. Hadn't heard that one before.
3 comments:
I associate this situation most with when there is a hard careless foul almost warranting a yellow card, but if it's the first foul of the game it may be a warning only and an AC. If it was a repeat offender or retaliation for something, it would be a caution. Either way I think if there is a foul in the box that isn't trifling, it should be called. We shouldn't pick and choose, the laws are mostly black and white. Solid call in my opinion!
Agreed. The laws say nothing about timing or age for fouls. A foul is a foul. Good call.
BTW, keep the blog going. I just recently found it and have read all the way from the current date to now. I'm going to share your page on my Facebook account so my ref friends can read it.
Paul, thanks for the comment. I really enjoy the therapy that this blog allows me to have. Please pass it on to those around you that also enjoy commentary from the third team on the pitch.
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