Was that ever written into the rules or was it simply an interpretation by many people (such as "if you raise your arms in the box it's a penalty" - even though handball has always required intent)? I mean, as I've now mentioned three or four times in this thread, if someone has to play the ball backwards to get it to you, you are behind the ball, ergo, onside.
Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊
Woodwork - Did it cross the line?
- Thread starter eastlondonseagull
- Start date
Was that ever written into the rules or was it simply an interpretation by many people (such as "if you raise your arms in the box it's a penalty" - even though handball has always required intent)? I mean, as I've now mentioned three or four times in this thread, if someone has to play the ball backwards to get it to you, you are behind the ball, ergo, onside.
Ok then. Anyway, it was written in the LAWS. It no longer is. And since we are playing by today's LAWS, it is no longer relevant.
Unless you were ahead of the ball when it was played. E.g. player is marginally ahead of the ball and in an offside position (which in itself is not an offence) and interfering with play, a square ball is played marginally backwards and you move to collect it...offside.
I'm not convinced it was ever in the laws. Laws seem to evolve and change in people's minds via, amongst other things, media and use of language. All this nonsense about 'there was contact' when fouls and penalties are discussed. Contact in itself does not constitute a foul, there is no mention of contact being a punishable offense the laws of the game, but this seems to be trotted out as an arguement when foul/penalty claims are discussed.
I don't mean to be a pedant, but I specifically said 'get the ball to you' to rule out the player being in an offside position running back to collect the ball from behind them.
If you have to go back,while the intent was to pass you the ball, it wasn't 'to you' it was 'to a little bit behind you'
Speaking as a certified referee (18 years) and referee instructor (6 years), the wording of Law 11 may have changed slightly, but the essence of it has not changed for many years. (What has changed is how referees are expected to interpret a player being 'involved in the play', but that's a different discussion.) As others have pointed out by quoting the exact wording, it is the position of the player at the moment the ball is played (or touched) by one of his own team that matters. There is no reference to the direction the ball is played.
Now of course, in most circumstances a ball played backwards would likely be a pass to a player who was behind the ball anyway, so no problem. But if he was in an offside position and ran back to an onside position to get a ball that was played backward he should still be called offside.