COLLINA's INTERPRETATION: How Teams Fall Victim to Their Own Offside Trap [Fifa Rule]

Pierluigi Collina

Football coaches often warn their players that the center referee could become the twelfth player on the opponent's team. A most powerful player for that matter. The center referee's decisions and interpretation of the rules could change the course of a game in favor of the opposing team. One of those controversial football laws only the referee could interpret in his own way is the offside rules.






According to Wikipedia, "Offside is a law in association football which states that a player is in an offside position when the ball is touched or played by a teammate, he may not become actively involved in the play." "A player is in an offside position if the three conditions are met: First, the player must be in the opposing team's half of the field. Second, the player must be in front of the ball. And third, there must be fewer than two opposing players between him and the opposing goal line."

"A player is in an offside position if the three conditions are met: First, the player must be in the opposing team's half of the field. Second, the player must be in front of the ball. And third, there must be fewer than two opposing players between him and the opposing goal line."



Offside not given

 Offside rules seem clear enough on paper, but the application in the field of play has often caused a lot of controversy. Even with the introduction of technology that made it possible to interpret the rule via video capture, the referee's decision still remains the final. Although, the referee may be sanctioned afterwards, the game is irreversible. And there are lots of human errors in the application of the rules. Sometimes, referees are suspended for being guilty of purposefully applying the rules wrongly.



Offside Rule Apply



Well, you cannot say that about Pierluigi Collina, the Italian Chief Referee who perhaps is the most widely known referee in the world today. Collina's distinctive looks and refereeing style stands out, but his brave and strict application of the rules get players on their toes anytime he is at the center of any game.



Collina said, "The referee's human error can't be ruled out completely, but the problem is usually from a team's tactical approach to the game, and the referee's ability to interpret the rule in such unbecoming offside tactics." "The referee may allow a player on when he observes the opposing team is running out of goal line or refuse to run fast enough to cover their goal line just to trap the said player in an offside position. This is usually the controversy. Teams fall victim to their own tactical approach to the game."

"The referee may allow a player on when he observes the opposing team is running out of goal line or refuse to run fast enough to cover their goal line just to trap the said player in an offside position. This is usually the controversy. Teams fall victim to their own tactical approach to the game."



Offside Flag



In the heat of such controversy, some school of thoughts has called for the total abolition of the offside law. They are of the opinion that it will go a long way in curbing match fixing scams in the field of play. And the abolition of the law will help open up the game. It will release spaces on the field and make teams adjust their current compact formation that usually disrupts the free flow of the game.

Collina doesn't see anything wrong with the offside rule, rather he said, "The application of the offside rules maybe considered in three steps, Offside position, Offside offence and Offside sanction. It advances the way the game is played in modern time. And no referee with FIFA Badge has difficulty in interpreting the rules."