1. Offside Historical Perspective 1 Offside - A Historical Perspective United States Soccer Federation

2. Offside Historical Perspective 2 Objective The participants will understand the historical changes which have ocurred in the Offside Law in order to apply present day interpretations of this Law to actual match situations.

3. Offside Historical Perspective 3 Thring’s Rule Rule # 9 of the 10 Rules written by the Rev. J.C. Thring, Master at Uppingham School, 1860: A player is “out of play” immediately he is in front of the ball and must return behind the ball as soon as possible....

4. Offside Historical Perspective 4 Thring’s Rule continued....If the ball is kicked by one of his own side past a player who is “out of play”, he may not touch it, kick it or advance it, Defines what a player, who is “out of play”, could not do

5. Offside Historical Perspective 5 Thring’s Rule continued....until one of the other side has first kicked it, or one of his own side, having followed it up, has been able, when in front of him to kick it. Describes several ways how a player can become “onside”

6. Offside Historical Perspective 6 Other School Rules Harrow School - defines an offside player to be “behind” and restricts an offside player from interfering with an opponent Eton College - defines an offside player to be “sneaking”

7. Offside Historical Perspective 7 Offside: Important Dates 1870 Football Association (12 Laws) Law 6: Defines “out of play” as player being nearer opponent’s goal line than the ball unless there are 3 opponents between the player and the goal.

8. Offside Historical Perspective 8 Offside: Important Dates 1881No offside on corner kick 1907No offside in own half of field 1921No offside on throw-in 1925Three opponents reduced to two 1938Offside becomes Law XI 1956IBD 1 1978Law Xl rewritten 1990Even with 2 opponents is ok 1995“ involved in active play” 1997/98 Law 11 simplified

9. Offside Historical Perspective 9 Law Change of 1978 F Preceded by 1974 proposal of FA of Wales to International Board F Removed any reference to ball touching or played by an opponent F Stated that penalizing offside is to be judged (starting) the moment the ball is played by a teammate

10. Offside Historical Perspective 10 Offside Diagram 1976 Diagram 10.-NOT OFFSIDE C D1D1 D2D2 A B E Ball touching an opponent A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is not off-side because, although he is in front of the ball and has not two opponents between him and the goal-line the ball was last played by an opponent, D.

11. Offside Historical Perspective 11 Offside Diagram 1979 Diagram 10.-OFFSIDE C D1D1 D2D2 A B E Ball touching an opponent A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is off-side as he was in an off-side position at the moment the ball was played by one of his own team and interfering with play notwithstanding that the ball was deflected by D.

12. Offside Historical Perspective 12 Offside Diagram 1980 Diagram 10.-OFFSIDE C D1D1 D2D2 A B E Ball touching an opponent A shoots at goal. D runs from position1 to position 2 to intercept the ball, but it glances off his foot to B who scores. B is off-side as he was in an off-side position at the moment the ball was played by one of his own team and interfering with play notwithstanding that the ball was deflected by D.

13. Offside Historical Perspective 13 Offside Diagram 1976 B D C A E Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and scores. B was in front of the ball and did not have two opponents between him and the goal-line when the ball was played by A, but he is not off-side because the ball has been last played by an opponent, C. Diagram 7.-NOT OFFSIDE

14. Offside Historical Perspective 14 Offside Diagram 1979 Diagram 7.-NOT OFFSIDE B D C A E Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper (contd.) A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and scores. B was in front of the ball and did not have two opponents between him and the goal-line when the ball was played by A, but he is not off-side because the ball has been last played by an opponent, C.

15. Offside Historical Perspective 15 Offside Diagram 1980 Diagram 7.-OFFSIDE B D C A E Shot at goal returned by goalkeeper (contd.) A shoots at goal. The ball is played out by C but B obtains possession and scores. The goal should be disallowed if the referee considers that B, who is in an off-side position when A shoots, is interfering with play.

16. Offside Historical Perspective 16 Offside: Current Key Issues F What is meant by “gaining an advantage”? F How does one interfere with an opponent? F When is penalizing for offside judged? F What is “active play” F How does a player become “onside”? From a historical perspective, none of these issues have changed since the rules of the early 1860’s.

17. Offside Historical Perspective 17 Questions & Answers Q1.When is a player in an offside position? A1.When he is nearer to his opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second to last opponent (and he is in the opponent’s half of the field).

18. Offside Historical Perspective 18 Questions & Answers Q2.When (at what point in time) can the referee consider penalizing a player in an offside position? A2.The moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team or any time later as long as the offside player has not become “onside”.

19. Offside Historical Perspective 19 Questions & Answers Q3.While in an offside position a player cannot do what? A3.Be involved in active play by: F interfering with play, or F interfering with an opponent, or F gaining an advantage by being in that position

20. Offside Historical Perspective 20 Questions & Answers Q4.How does a player become onside again? A4. 1. He is not in front of the ball when it is next played by one of his side, or 2. He is no longer in an offside position when the ball is next played by one of his side, or 3. If an opponent gains possession of the ball, or 4. The ball goes out of play.