you are the ref 3

[TightEnd]

Question
A team hanging on to a one-goal lead are desperately trying to waste time when their goalkeeper catches a long range shot from Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy. The keeper runs to the edge of the penalty area and then calls for a defender, who runs up close to him and throws the ball for him to head back into his hands. He does this repeatedly, assured it would not be judged a back pass.

a) If an opposition player came and tried to break it up, would he get booked for attempting to stop the keeper taking a throw out to a teammate?

b) Is there a ruling which would allow you, the referee, to put an end to this time-wasting ploy? If so, how would you re-start the game?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/euro2008/2008/06/you_are_the_ref_3.html

[kinboshi]

"when their goalkeeper catches a long range shot from Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy."

Pure fantasy.

[Josedinho]

Talk to the goalkeeper, warn him if he does it again he will be booked for unsporting behaviour and a freekick will be awarded.

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Just laugh and applaud their clever thinking. Unless it's Man Utd in which case call an end to the match by disqualifying them for unsporting behaviour, give opposition the win.

[AndrewT]

a) If an opposition player came and tried to break it up, would he get booked for attempting to stop the keeper taking a throw out to a teammate?

An opposition player is perfectly entitled to challenge the defender. I suggest this is what one of them does.

[gatso]

this one could turn into pure comedy. rather than just 1 defender the whole team could come back and the keeper could run around his area throwing to a different one each time

[Geo the Sarge]

I'm almost certain there is something in the laws that prohibits "manufactured" plays to head a ball back to the keeper.

For instance, a player cannot flick a ball onto his head with his foot and then head it back to the keeper.

Off to search for the laws of the game.

geo.

[Geo the Sarge]

Here you go:

http://www.thefa.com/NR/rdonlyres/095F9568-466D-4D71-ABF5-C1253A1C28FD/97756/LOTG2006_e.pdf

Law 12 on the right side of the page - decision 3.

It covers the offence of deliberately manipulating a headed pass to the keeper being deemed as unsporting behaviour.

geo.