Ai to replace redundant linesmen

[Woodleyclaret]

As most linesmen contribute zero to a game other than the odd throw in, is it time to bin them?
A clear penalty was denied in the first half but didnt get awarded as previously, refs have consulted the linesmen for clarification. Less and less this is happening and maybe it's time for a change

[Bordeauxclaret]

Surely there is more communication between the referees and linesman than ever before?

[Hipper]

As most linesmen contribute zero to a game other than the odd throw in, is it time to bin them?
A clear penalty was denied in the first half but didnt get awarded as previously, refs have consulted the linesmen for clarification. Less and less this is happening and maybe it's time for a change

You ignore the disallowed offside goal of Coventry's.

There was no clear penalty. I recall two incidents: the rather hefty shoulder charge which may have been a penalty, and the handball incident which was not.

As I understand it, Referee's Assistants follow instructions given to them by the referee. I don't know what those instructions are but suspect they differ from one referee to another.

[ClaretTony]

previously, refs have consulted the linesmen for clarification. Less and less this is happening and maybe it's time for a change

They are in constant contact with each other throughout a game - there is more communication between the referee and his assistants than there has ever been.

[beddie]

They are in constant contact with each other throughout a game - there is more communication between the referee and his assistants than there has ever been.

That’s very true but I still don’t get why ( well I do- unison) sometimes the assistants don’t give what they see rather than look at the ref and follow what he decides. On Tuesday night the assistant in the longside was clearly looking at the ball right in front of him as the players tussled, it went out for either a goal kick or a corner, his wrist with flag in hand down by his side started twitching, he didn’t give anything until he spotted the ref point a finger from close quarters to him, the assistant then pointed his flag for a goal kick as the referee raised his arm and pointed for that goal kick.

[NottsClaret]

Barring the odd marginal one, I think it's pretty amazing how often the linesmen get it right on offsides, without help of the TV ref in a hut drawing lines. To be honest, I've not really noticed the refs much either so far. It's almost as though you can still enjoy playing and watching football without VAR.

[ecc]

Barring the odd marginal one, I think it's pretty amazing how often the linesmen get it right on offsides, without help of the TV ref in a hut drawing lines. To be honest, I've not really noticed the refs much either so far. It's almost as though you can still enjoy playing and watching football without VAR.

Therein lies the problem.

Unless you've actually run the line yourself you can't imagine how good they are. I did it, reluctantly, several times when my lad used to play and a parent was required to do it. Incredibly difficult task.

As for the referee, I wouldn't do that in a million years.

Referees have to make scores and scores of decisions during a match and, without VAR, do so with one view only. The linos can help in certain situations.

Like everything, people only focus on the mistakes and not the 99% of correct decisions.

[whentheballmoves]

As a level 5 / 3W ref, I do my fair share of AR duty, including in Burnley womens' league.

ARs are given a "pre-match" where the ref outlines his / her expectations - this is what you try to stick to during the game, and this can vary from ref to ref, albeit with some big similarities. This usually covers the things you would expect but probably stuff you don't consider, especially at FL level.

It's a lot more challenging than many appreciate: imagine a simple scenario: a winger is attacking right out by the touchline. The AR has to help look for fouls, check if the balls is in or out of play, and look for offsides, all whilst being on the move.

By no means are officials perfect. I have the utmost respect for the guys in the PL and FL...I was AR to someone who was at Wigan the day before. We did a Barnsley U21s county cup game and the speed is different level at times!

[Herts Clarets]

I regularly run the line for an under 15 side. Not an easy task for a number of reasons - I am 56 years old and have never lost my pace, given I never had any in the first place. Trying to keep up with athletic 15 year olds is a real challenge, especially the left winger we played against last Sunday, who I doubt I could have kept up with had I had a motorcycle on the touchline. Add to that the abuse you get from players, coaches, watching parents etc adds to the challenge. What they fail to understand is that if no one stands up and takes a flag from the ref before the game, there is no football. Add to that the ignorance and lack of undertstand of some parents and it can be a nightmare.

Last season one of our players took a corner and it hit the near post and bounced back out to the taker. He took a touch to cross the ball again and I flagged. How can he be offside from a corner liner, you don't know what you're doing and a host of similar comments. I then pointed out that I had flagged for a free kick due to the corner taker striking the ball twice. It took me a while to get them to understand the offence that had been committed and that i had correctly spotted this and flagged accordingly.

[DCWat]

As a level 5 / 3W ref, I do my fair share of AR duty, including in Burnley womens' league.

ARs are given a "pre-match" where the ref outlines his / her expectations - this is what you try to stick to during the game, and this can vary from ref to ref, albeit with some big similarities. This usually covers the things you would expect but probably stuff you don't consider, especially at FL level.

It's a lot more challenging than many appreciate: imagine a simple scenario: a winger is attacking right out by the touchline. The AR has to help look for fouls, check if the balls is in or out of play, and look for offsides, all whilst being on the move.

By no means are officials perfect. I have the utmost respect for the guys in the PL and FL...I was AR to someone who was at Wigan the day before. We did a Barnsley U21s county cup game and the speed is different level at times!

I've read before, probably on here, that what referee's expect / want from their assistants, varies from referee to referee. Surely, it would aid consistency of decision making if the expectations of the assistant referee were the same, no matter who was refereeing the game.

You notice the difference game to game and it's frustrating to watch at times. One week the assistant will be flagging the next they don't. It doesn't help the officials as it invariably ends up with the crowd getting fed up with them, particularly when it's one whose flag appears to be broken!

[Spijed]

And when people talk about consistency on off-sides etc. there never will be any until there is a clear definition on how you define whether a player interferes with play or not.

Likewise, can any define what is handball or what isn't?

No amount of technology with ever be able to sort that out where it's down to the opinion of the ref.

[Vegas Claret]

it's not the linesman that are the problem

[NottsClaret]

What they fail to understand is that if no one stands up and takes a flag from the ref before the game, there is no football.

That twists my melons. One of our parents had a pop at a volunteer running the line for the other team and I had to break rank and ask him what the f*** he thought he was doing. As you say, it's actually really difficult and if nobody does it, there's no game.

Good spot on the corner rule by the way, I'd never have got that.

[Leon_C]

I regularly run the line for my lad's U14s and district team. I am one of the few that actually enjoy doing it.
I'm relatively fit, and I enjoy the challenge of keeping up with fast wingers, and having some involvement in the game.

I don't get too much abuse, which I put down to my willingness to keep up with play (as Herts says above, there are some quick lads at that level!)

However, you do get the odd bit of dissent from opposition fans... my favourite one, last weekend was a chap who insisted that the ball had gone out of play, during a tussle on the touchline.
I was stood, literally on the line, concentrating on NOTHING other than has that ball fully crossed the line in its entirety. Hard enough to do in real time, stood 3 metres away... but impossible for a fella stood 4-5 metres away from the incident but also 2 metres away from the line itself.
Same with offsides... you're sprinting, in line with the 2nd defender, focusing acutely on the positioning at the moment the ball is played. When you're a spectator, your perception of offside is shifted towards receipt of the ball... leading to more dissent.