AboutStuart Young Expertise I can answer questions to do with all aspects of English football, Spanish football and International football. My strongest area in football is current news. I also have a great knowledge of tactics and strategies.
Experience I have played football from a very early age. School teams, youth club level progressing to semi-professional level and playing at county level.
Question I know the basic off side rules. But watching my team play last week, I saw a strange call. (A player was well offside) When his team mate passed the ball to him, it just touched a defenders shirt and the ref said that put him on side. I thought the offside was in effect when a player kicks the ball and even if it touched a defender, it was never under his control to put the player on side. How does the deflection rule effect offside. The game was controlled by a sole ref. (no lines people)
Answer Apologies for the late reply, just picked up the question.
As far I am aware the deflection rule comes into effect when the ball is played away from goal, by the attacking player and then it rebounds off a defender and then heads back towards the goal.
If the attacking team player plays the ball forward (toward the goal), the ball becomes live in phase one of the offside rule. If the ball touches a defender en route to the attacker who is an offside position the player would still be offside.
So in this instance the ref got the decision incorrect.
