Conference trucks::football;1

    1. a CAP is "given" each time a player plays for his country in their
    national team in an international game, ie. a player who played in 15
    internationals has 15 CAPs.
    2. taking someone down should always be a free-kick or a penalty
    (assuming taking someone down means tackling an opposing player without
    attempting to go for the ball). A penalty is awarded if the
    infringement occurs within the marked 16 yard area around the goal.
    I'm sure some of the referees is this conference will give you a more
    detailed and accurate explanation than this.

    Offside:
    
    	A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his
    opponents' goal line than the ball, unless
    
    a)  he is in his own half of the field
    
    b)  he is not nearer to his opponent's goal line than at least two of
        his opponents.
    
    	Please note from the above definition that, in contrast to ice
    hockey, where a fixed line (the blue line) marks the offside
    infractions, in soccer the "line" is dynamic, being based on defensive
    player positions.  As a result, players can maneuver to "trap" an
    opposing player in an offside position.	
    
    
    (How did this "Yank" do in this explanation?}

A player can only be offside if a ball is played forwards... and the offside
is judged at the time the ball is played. 

A player can not be offside if:

* The ball was played by an opponent
* The ball is passed laterally or backwards
* The ball is received direct from a throw-in, goal-kick or corner
* Deemed to be not interfering with play, by the referee (this is obviously
  a subjective call).

Norman

    
    2 more to add to the offside law....
    
    c) You can't be offside from a throw-in...
    
    d) You can't be offside when your team is not in possesion therefore
       a defensive mistake which passes the ball to an attacker who is
       in an offside position is not deemed offside.
     
    e) If none of the previous 4 rules are met he would be offside UNLESS
       in the referees opinion the player is NOT interfering with play.
       e.g. down injured
    
          
    	The offside rule is probably the most complicated rule in soccer
    akin to the lbw law in cricket.
    
    Hence for years the old way to change a conversational subject amoungst
    the footballing fraternity was/is 'I still think Jeff Astle was
    offside !!'
    
    Dezzz. 

Compare taking someone down to the American Football "defensive pass interference".

The reward to the team suffering the infringement is a free kick (stationary ball kicked
from the point of the infringment) or penalty (stationary ball kicked from the 12 yard
spot in the penalty box) if the infringment takes place in the 18 yard box of the 
defending team.

Goal-line = pitch side on which the goalposts are stood c.f. American football end-zone.

Regards
Kev

    >    2 more to add to the offside law....
    >
    >c) You can't be offside from a throw-in...
    >
    >d) You can't be offside when your team is not in possesion therefore
    >   a defensive mistake which passes the ball to an attacker who is
    >   in an offside position is not deemed offside.
    
    The only othe clause in the offside rule I can think of 
    
    e) If your name is Tommy Tynan.
    
    Ex Sheff Wed - permanently offside.
    
    Paul.
    

    
    Dezzz,
    
    	please could you keep any discussion of cricket in it rightful
    place....
    
             ....note 177  8-)
    
    JBG

I would suggest getting a referee rule book, called Laws of the GAME.
Best way to get one of these is to attend a referee training course.

regarding Note 395.4

>>>>    
    d) You can't be offside when your team is not in possesion therefore
       a defensive mistake which passes the ball to an attacker who is
       in an offside position is not deemed offside.
     
>>>>
not any more ...

That was changed last year, being in an off-sides position, is seeking to 
gain an advantage, no matter how the ball gets to you ...

I wish I had my book with me so I could tell you what page the rule and 
diagram showing just that example, but people keep borrowing it ...


So, being in an off-side position, errant pass deflects off an opponnet and 
comes to you ... your off

	John

    
    After having elaborated the offside rule, the offside TRAP works as 
    follows:
    
    	Just before the attacking team tries to pass the ball to one of 
    	their forwards, the defending players run two or three steps ahead,
    	this way putting the player, who was to receive the ball, into an
    	offside position.
    
    Heiko

    Firstly, just a point of clarification for those who are unaware.  
    The word is OFF-SIDE.  There is no 'S' at the end. A player is 
    OFF-SIDE not OFF-SIDES.

    Secondly, here is the Law 11.

    Gerry

      --- Law 11 : Off-side ---
 
      1. A player is in an off-side position if he is nearer to his
      opponents' goal-line than the ball, unless:
 
      (a) he is in his own half of the field of play, or
 
      (b) he is not nearer to his opponents' goal-line than at least
      two of his opponents.
 
      2.  A player shall only be declared off-side and penalized for
      being in an off-side position, if, at the moment the ball
      touches, or is played by, one of this team, he is, in the opinion
      of the referee
 
      (a) interfering with play or with an opponent, or
 
      (b) seeking to gain an advantage by being in that position.
 
      3. A player shall not be declared off-side by the referee
 
      (a) merely because of his being in an off-side position, or
 
      (b) if he receives the ball direct from a goal-kick, a corner-
      kick or a throw-in.
 
      4.  If a player is declared off-side, the referee shall award an
      IFK, which shall be taken by a player of the opposing team from
      the place where the infringement occurred, unless the offense is
      committed by a player in his opponents' goal area, in which case
      the free-kick shall be taken from a point anywhere within the 
      goal-area.

 
      (Decisions of the International F.A. Board)
 
      (1) Off-side shall not be judged at the moment the player in
      question receives the ball, but at the moment when the ball is
      passed to him by one of his own side.  A player who is not in an
      off-side position when one of his colleagues passes the ball to
      him or takes a free-kick, does not therefore become off-side if
      he goes forward during the flight of the ball.
 
      (2) A player who is level with the second last opponent or with
      the last two opponents is not in an off-side position.

	Nobody seems to have mentioned a slight offside rule change for
this WC, introduced with the tackles from behind rule, namely, a player
is not offside if the ball is played when he is in an offside position,
but is running out from his opponents goal.

Am I the only one who heard this rule change?

Kevin.

    Kefin,
    
    If that is actually a rule, then it's wide open to abuse. 
    
    Picture this:
    
    Player stands beside the opposing goalkeeper, thirty yards behind the
    nearest defender. He waits there till one of his team mates gets the
    ball and then start to run (slowly) away from the goal. His team mate
    then lobs the ball over the defenders straight to this guy (who is now
    out as far as the edge of the box). He traps the ball, turns around and
    only has the keeper to beat !
    
    According the rule, as phrased in .11, he is not offsied because he was
    running out from the opponents goal.
    
    
    This could suit my style of play perfectly ;-)
        
    Jerry.

    
    Jerry,
    
    	presumably the this extension to the offside rule is similar to
    that already used in rugby, ie. if you realise that you're offside
    you can run back and not be called offside. However, you are not
    allowed to play the ball or interfere with play until you have first
    "played yourself back onside". If this is the case it is a change for
    the better. It allows for the case where a forward doesn't get back on
    side in time following a goal-kick for example. Provided he keeps out
    of the way and plays himself on side, one of his team-mates can still
    break through & score without the goal being disallowed for the first
    player being offside.
    
    	Of course, if this is the case, it won't help your game at all!
    
    8-) JBG

    .8
    I think you are referring to the old 'played on' rule were if the ball
    deflected off a defender to an attacker in an offside position he was not
    deemed to be offside. This rule was changed so that he is now regarded
    as being offside. However if a defender makes a deliberate backpass to
    the keeper which is intercepted by an attacker in an offside position
    he would not be deemed to be offside. ( is this making things easier to
    understand :>).

    RE.12 which was RE.11
    Well, maybe it *would* be better for his style. That way, he is not
    allowed to interfere with his own team-mate, who can then score the
    goal.  :)
    
    Just kidding, Jerry. Great win from your guys. I was delighted when I
    heard it. I'm serious. I like the Irish better than the Italians.
    Well, in football anyway.  :)
    
    Marcel

    
    ref. .10
    
    As a tiny addition to otherwise complete definition of 
    off-side given in .10:
    
    There is also "living in a continuous state of "offside" in life".
    
    Cheers
    
    Lale