AR 2006:
The Role of the
Assistant Referee in
Contemporary Soccer
Steven S. Davidson
Updated January 30, 2006
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this discussion, you will have a better
understanding of the Role of the Assistant Referee,
as it pertains to:
Proper Assistance
Application
of Law 11 (Offside)
Foul Recognition
Empowerment to ACT
LET’S DO THE MATH!

With few exceptions, each game played
in the United States requires ONE
Referee and TWO Assistant Referees

Therefore, you should expect to work
twice as many games as AR
Law 6: The Assistant Referee
Seven simple duties – to INDICATE:
 When ball has exited field
 Which side in entitled to restart
 When a player should be penalized for Offside
 When substitution is requested
 When misconduct is not detected by Referee
 When offense occurs closer to AR
 Whether GK moves prematurely on Penalty Kick and
if ball crosses line
HOW MANY TEAMS?

In any soccer game, there are THREE teams
on the field

Soccer officials must embrace the TEAM
MENTALITY to succeed and to best service
the game!
CHECK THE EGO!

In order for the Officiating Team to succeed,
the Assistant Referees must ACCEPT and
EMBRACE their role

Be ready to assist when the Referee needs
help (infractions not observed)

Be ready to assist when the Game needs
help (Referee breaks rules)
AR: CRITICAL PLAYER
ON REFEREE TEAM

Not just responsible for ball out of
bounds

Not only indicate offside infractions

Not a spectator
AR CONFIDENCE
Must display confidence in yourself
 Body Language shows comfort & focus
 Instill confidence in your officiating
teammates
 Each team member trusts one another
so each can CONFIDENTLY focus on
individual responsibilities

HOW DO I SHOW MY
CONFIDENCE AS AN AR?
Demonstrate your THOROUGH MASTERY
of the application of Law 11…
… in other words, start by getting the
OFFSIDE DECISIONS correct!
Law XI: Definition of Offside
“Where was the offensive player (relative to
the Second Last Defender) at the time the
ball was last played BY A TEAMMATE?”
The CLASSIC Offside decision!
What about when
we have SEVERAL players
(from both teams)?

WHO is the second last defender?

WHICH teammate is the ball intended for?

HOW do we decide?
What’s this
“NEW INTERPRETATION”
all about?

It’s not really new… to USA

Attacker usually needs to TOUCH BALL in order
to interfere with play (with exceptions)

Bottom line: Identify offside position as before,
but WAIT to penalize (raise the flag)
SEVERAL players
(from both teams)
The effective AR MUST be able to:

Monitor the location of several players from both
teams AT EACH CRITICAL MOMENT

Concentrate on EVERYTHING in front of us

“DEFOCUS” your vision
CLASSIC OFFSIDE DECISION
Let’s look at a few
Examples…
Video
(You will have the opportunity to
learn from others’ mistakes!)
MOST COMMON ERRORS:
Decision to raise flag made “too fast”
 Non-Interference with Play
 Rebound from goalpost or goalkeeper
 Mental error following restart
 Lack of concentration
We would prefer that the AR NOT
have any doubt; however…
“WHEN IN DOUBT, PLEASE
KEEP THE FLAG DOWN!”
…So let’s eliminate Doubt!

Physical Fitness cannot be an issue!

You are EXPECTED to be in the proper
position to make critical decisions

BE THERE => Even with SLD or Ball!

Not in Ideal Position = GUESSING
OTHER FORMS OF ASSISTING THE
REFEREE: WHAT TO WATCH?”
Depending on the position of the ball and
the Referee, the AR must split focus:
OFFSIDE
 TOUCHLINE
 GOAL LINE
 FOUL/NO FOUL
 MISCONDUCT

ASSISTING WITH FOULS & MISCONDUCT:
“HOW DO WE WATCH?”

MONITOR the movements of the key players

IDENTIFY potential fouls and misconduct BEFORE
they happen

PREDICT where the ball might be played in the next
attacking sequence

ANTICIPATE players’ actions while the ball is in
flight/en route
CONCENTRATING ON
FOUR THINGS AT ONCE
AR must be able to concentrate – for a full
90* minutes – on several important factors
SIMULTANEOUSLY:
Location of Ball
 Location of Referee
 Second Last Defender
 Key Attackers & Defenders

CONCENTRATING ON
FOUR THINGS AT ONCE
AR MUST be able to recognize
EVERYTHING in field of vision!
 “DEFOCUS” your vision

DO NOT STARE at the Ball!
LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE:
Enough? Too Much?
THINGS TO CONSIDER – In THIS game:

How comfortable is the Referee?
 How comfortable am I?
 Do I agree with the way things are going?
 How can I BEST help the Referee?
IN OTHER WORDS: READ THE
GAME FROM THE TOUCHLINE!

Referee not aware of game intensity change

Player(s) disrupting game going unnoticed
 Dissent
 Persistent Infringement

Player(s) beginning to lose control
AR “READING” THE GAME

Be prepared to assist when the Referee
misses KEY & CRITICAL infractions

(Review four video examples)
AR MUST REACT
CORRECTLY… IN TIME!
Infractions not observed by Referee:
 DISTANCE: (1st & 4th examples)
 ANGLE TO PLAY: (2nd example –
DGSO)
Misconduct outside Referee’s field
of vision (3rd example)
AR READING THE GAME:
THE OTHER COMPONENT!
Preventing the Referee from BREAKING
the Laws of the Game:





Incorrect Restart after Prolonged Stoppage
Improper Identification of player (2CT, SO)
Application of Rules of Competition
Time Management (35: - 40: - 45:)
Substitutions (inappropriate time)
ASSISTANCE:
10 YARD ASSURANCE
When requested, the AR moves
players in a wall in the same
manner as the Referee:

DELAY THE KICK (TELL ATTACKERS!)

BECOME FIRST BRICK IN WALL

GET INTO POSITION FOR NEXT DECISION

REFEREE SOUNDS WHISTLE
The CRITICAL COMPONENT
when assisting with “10 yards”
EYE CONTACT
Between R & AR:

BEFORE AR enters field

BEFORE Referee blows whistle for
kick to be taken
PROPER ASSISTANCE:
10 YARD ASSURANCE
Let’s look at one more
Video Example…
ONE LAST THING for my fellow
Assistant Referees…
LATE IN THE GAME
we must concentrate that
much harder to counter the
effects of fatigue.
LATE IN THE GAME
(just like late in this presentation!)

Players are tired
 Coaches are tired (of yelling)
 Referee team is tired (of the coaches yelling)
 When we are tired, we make more mistakes
COUNTERACT FATIGUE!
To counteract the effects of fatigue,
give yourself a (silent) “pep talk.”
Concentrate EVEN HARDER in the
game’s waning moments!
ARE THERE ANY…
Questions?