1. United States Soccer Federation Tactical Thinking for Referees United States Soccer Federation

2. Tactical Thinking: Restarts u Any restart situation near goal is a significant event that requires careful handling. u The referee’s strategy must be selected based on the teams’ tactics during the game, and on the particular situation. Flexibility is Essential!

3. United States Soccer Federation Questions to Ask During the Game: u What are the teams doing with free-kicks near their opponent’s goal? u What are the teams doing with a throw-in near their opponent’s goal?

4. United States Soccer Federation Free-kick Near Goal u Usually confronted by a “wall” u Wall can be beaten if positioned badly u Referee must prevent encroachment and gamesmanship

5. United States Soccer Federation Free-kick near Goal If the wall cannot be moved it must be by-passed. What does this mean for the referee?

6. United States Soccer Federation Where would the referee normally be? AR Tactical Thinking: Free-kick near opponent’s goal

7. United States Soccer Federation Where is the greatest danger for defenders? AR R (normal position)

8. United States Soccer Federation Where will the action be? AR R (normal position) Three unmarked players

9. United States Soccer Federation Does the referee have the best possible view? AR R (normal position) action

10. United States Soccer Federation Has the referee improved his position? AR R (alternate position)

11. United States Soccer Federation Where would the referee normally be? AR Tactical Thinking: Throw-in near opponent’s goal

12. United States Soccer Federation Where is all the activity going to be? Does the referee have the best position? AR R (normal position)

13. United States Soccer Federation In this somewhat unorthodox position, the referee has the best possible view of what is probably going to happen: activity behind the defenders. AR R (better position)

14. United States Soccer Federation Tactical Thinking: Dynamic Play Referees should not interfere with the tactical flow of the game Referees: u Must know how to “read the game” u Must know where to go u Must know where not to go

15. United States Soccer Federation To deal with tactical problems: u Referees should study tactics of teams u Referees should study individual players

16. United States Soccer Federation Keys to Tactical Thinking: SPACE&TIME

17. United States Soccer Federation Problem Problem: Any time that the referee is in front of the ball, he may be using space that the players could use.

18. United States Soccer Federation Solution 1: Change position relative to the ball: (a)by waiting for the player in possession to move ahead (b)by actively seeking a position behind the ball

19. United States Soccer Federation Solution 2: Hide behind an opponent: If the referee is ahead of the ball and in a useful space (to the teams), he can “hide” behind an opponent of the team in possession.

20. United States Soccer Federation Manchester United vs. Manchester City (English Football League) AR R

21. United States Soccer Federation R Referee seeks position behind the ball AR R

22. United States Soccer Federation Referee “hides” AR R R

23. United States Soccer Federation Solution 3: Referee can move into space that cannot be used by the players

24. United States Soccer Federation R Referee moves into space that the players cannot use at that moment

25. United States Soccer Federation R Referee is in space that the players cannot use and can respond to the attack or a counter-attack

26. United States Soccer Federation Tactical Thinking: Off the Ball Incidents Players can play very effectively using their time away from the ball. How can we protect them?

27. United States Soccer Federation Problem Problem: How can the referee watch players during their time away from the ball?

28. United States Soccer Federation Solution 1: Whenever he is behind the player with the ball, the referee can see downfield without difficulty

29. United States Soccer Federation Solution 2: When a player has the ball, and has no opponent near him, the referee may safely look downfield

30. United States Soccer Federation R AR East Germany Mexico

31. United States Soccer Federation R AR East Germany Mexico