The Advantage Rule

[Sarge]

The current rule states: "When a team commits a technical foul, the referee may allow the play to continue if he considers it to be the advantage of the opposing team. Once he allows play to continue, he may not subsequently award a free for that foul. He shall apply any relevant disciplinary action."

Either you give the advantage or you do not, this Rule is far too muddy and should be cleared up, i for one agree in a full advantage to the attacking side.

Thoughts?

[criostlinn]

I think the refs should be allowed let the play run for a couple of seconds to see if it is infact and advantage.

All to often a ref waves for an advantage when obviously the free would have been more of an advantage

[magpie seanie]

The rule is clear enough.

[Sarge]

The rule is clear enough.

But its not been carried out.

[screenmachine]

The problem is that referees wave advantage and sometimes the player in question still has the man hanging off him or holding his arm. The player subsequently loses the ball and no free is given even though there never really was an advantage. Very frustrating to watch...

[Canalman]

The problem is that referees wave advantage and sometimes the player in question still has the man hanging off him or holding his arm. The player subsequently loses the ball and no free is given even though there never really was an advantage. Very frustrating to watch...

With all due respect I think the main problem is a referee allowing "an advantage" and the player in possession making a right balls of it by missing a sitter or tamely giving it away  AND then the referee getting the blame for it.
Lad in our club who is a ref said he never ever gives an advantage as it just is not worth the hassle. Easier to give the free and be done with it.

[magpie seanie]

The rule is clear enough.

But its not been carried out.

I agree but that's a different problem. Or you could say it is being carried out but the referee is showing remarkably poor judgement.

Clearly what should happen is that the rule is changed to allow a ref come back for an earlier offense if an advantage doesn't accrue.

[Sarge]

 Clearly what should happen is that the rule is changed to allow a ref come back for an earlier offense if an advantage doesn't accrue.
[/quote]

Agree 100%

[Keane]

People who watch soccer seem to think that the word "advantage" means "play on a few seconds" and nothing more.

You frequently see a so called advantage being given to a player being fouled straight in front of the sticks who misses an off balance shot due to the foul and the ref thinks he's done a good job because advantage just means let him play away for a few seconds.

[fearglasmor]

"When a team commits a technical foul, the referee may allow the play to continue if he considers it to be the advantage of the opposing team. Once he allows play to continue, he may not subsequently award a free for that foul. He shall apply any relevant disciplinary action."

What does a technical foul mean ?  I would have thought it meant fouling the ball as in 2 hops, pickup, steps etc as opposed to a personal foul on a player.
But then how can you play an advantage for a technical foul if the player committing the technical foul has possession of the ball ?

Is there a definition of "technical foul" included in the rule ?

[Hardy]

The rules divide fouls into two categories - Technical and Aggressive. There are 32 Technical Fouls - fouls on the ball, etc. (Rules 4.1 to 4.32) and 30 Aggressive Fouls - fouls on the man (Rules 5.1 to 5.30). The Advantage Rule applies to both Technical and Aggressive fouls though, as mentioned, I don't see how it makes sense for a Technical foul.