Maldives Women in FIFA Ranking

Maldivesoccer.com report:

Male’, MALDIVES – Maldives has been included in the FIFA women’s ranking after being excluded temporarily. Maldives lies at the 94th position of 98 team ranking. Maldives got the chance mostly because FIFA has excluded 16 nations from the rankings after being inactive for more than 18 months. India is one country that has been dropped for being inactive for more than 18 months. India, who were ranked as high as 50 in the last list released in March, dropped 49 places and are now out of the list that ranks teams up to 98 places.Some other countries that have been dropped for being inactive for more than 18 months include, Columbia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, Paraguay and Egypt. Cuba, Jordan, Maldives, Uzbekistan and Venezuela return to the world rankings after having been temporarily excluded from the list due to their inactivity.Currently the USA leads the rankings followed by Brazil and Germany.

Women soccer in Maldives can soars to greater height with the cooperation of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Education and of course Football Association of Maldives. The present training program by FAM can be better enhanced through organising of competitions to enable the coaching panel to scout for more young potential talents in order to have a larger pool of girls, to train and groom into better players. Inter-schools or inter-department Futsal tournament can be organised for a start. These competitions will not only be useful to the coaches in selection but will also be a additional exposure to the present group of players to have more competitive experiences. If we dare to dream then there is the opportunity that the dream may come true!

"Spare the rod, spoil the child"

Lately, the Dhivehi league was smeared by incidents by errors of the match officials and misconduct by team officials and also the players. Although the saying goes, ‘to err is human’ but to err at the expense of others is unfair. Making mistakes as referee or assistant referee is part and partial of the game but mistakes that chages the result of the match is untolerableIt happened even in the World Cup. Misinterpretation of the Laws reflects that the referee needs to read and understand his law book again and seek the clarification of the experts. Missing a foul or incident maybe is due to wrong positioning and lack or lapse of concentration of the referee. This can be corrected by having a positive approach and be more committed to the game by always moving earlier, to be nearer to see clearer and to decide better. Missing an incident by not wanting to see the incident is untolerable. This shows the referee is not courageous to make strong critical decision – to award or disallow a goal, to give a penalty or sent off a player. These referee should stay home and hand up his whistle (retire). “If you seek to make a house near the sea-side, do not be scared of the storms and waves”. On the part of the FA, action needs to be taken and have been taken. The officials concern are either given advice on ways to have a better performance next time, sidelined to regain his confidence, rested to give him a break or punished by taking off from his duties. In Maldives, the limited number of registered active referees inhibits stronger action of suspending the match officials. Actions taken must be aimed to punish and also to teach and guide them to better one for the sake of the country’s football. This will a reality when the grassroots of younger referees are better developed and gain the experiences needed, then only the older and uncommitted ones can be weeded out or asked to retire.
What ever the consequences or bad the decisions are, it does not give the team officials or players the rights to be irresponsible in their conducts. If their conduct merits a sent off, the match official must take the strong action of sending off the person concern. The players or team officials should be 'sporting' or professional enough to accept the consequences too. Otherwise the whole system of developing the game to a more civilized, excellent and entertaining game will fail. If the match officials do not report incidents in the match, they will be suspended. Thus, players and team officials who chose to be misconduct should also be ready to face the music! Making and raising the dignity and the name of Dhivehi league and football is not an easy task, if we seek only to play but put aside the rules and regulation. Cooperation and working hand in hand of all party will ensure that 'fair play' prevails.

Sympathy at the Wrong Time - Managing Injury

Law 5 (The Referee) states that it is the duty of the referee to stop the match, if in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is removed from the field of play and to ensure that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. This point is also emphasized in the latest FIFA amendment to the Laws of the game – to stop play for serious injury.
Many referee being sympathetic stopped play unnecessary and frustrating to team by stopping play when one team is at the verge of attacking the opponent’s goal. What actually is serious injury? Although the referee may escape by saying that it is “in his opinion” but common sense tells that a cramp is not a serious injury. Neither is a slight knocked to the legs, head or body, or lying down to relax for a while after being tackled or simply tired. Stopping play at the wrong time can give the coaches and players ideas to be indulged in delaying or time-wasting tactics or to disturb an attacking move. In fact some of the coaches and players are practically practicing it with the help of the referee. A player after falling down and seeing that the opponent are still attacking his own goal, stays down hoping that a foolish (sorry!) referee would help by stopping play and then restarting it with a dropped ball.
“Ball sense” and common sense has to be taken into account when judging or deciding whether the injury is serious or not. The impact when two players collided or how bad was the tackle, head collision, ‘cracking sound’ when the foul was executed, player bleeding or two players lying down half incapacitated, are some common incidents that can be classified as serious injury. If a player is slightly injured even when he is holding his ankle or knee, he should be encouraged to move out of the field of play by himself during play or after a stoppage. Team who sincerely wants the referee to encourage ‘fair play’ should support the referee’s action to have play to continue when the player is slightly injured even though he is still on the ground and not to call out angrily, especially when his team is being attacked. That is the true FAIR PLAY!

Correcting Errors in the Game

The decisiveness of the referee’s decisions depend on his visibility of the incident when it occurred, his understanding and interpretation of the laws and the incident, his nearness and his present felt, his whistling and his assertiveness and courage in his approach towards the incident. As such, often the incident seen and interpreted by the officials may differ from that of the team officials. Position of the viewer – nearness to play, in line with play (especially for offside call or ball in and out of play) and the angle of view as perceived by the match officials and team officials; are factors that differs the opinion.
At times, the referee do erred in his decisions and the communication procedures and the cooperation of the assistant referees and the fourth official permits the referee to correct his error. The laws state that the referee can reverse his decision as long as play has not been restarted. The major responsibility here is to prevent serious error from occurring. A decision once reached, announced and perhaps partially implemented will see the match officials encountering with resistance if something different eventually needs to be done.
Among the potential serious errors which the match officials should prevent are: the failure to give a red card following the issuance of a second yellow card; the display of a card to the wrong player; the display of a wrong card to a player; the failure to punish instigating behavior in addition to any retaliation; an action which is contrary to the Laws of the Game or the local rules of the competition; an incorrect determination that a goal was scored or not or violent conduct has occurred which carries the threat of further serious misconduct. Decisions on whether a foul occur or not, a goal or not cannot be reversed once the play has restarted but disciplinary actions to players can still be corrected at the nearest realizing of the error. For instant, a wrong player being cautioned, a wrong card to the player, player receiving a second caution has not been expel form the field of play, any misconduct offences occur behind the referee or has not been punished. For these errors, the attention of the referee at the earliest possible opportunity as the information may be used by the referee to recover some measure of authority through the player management strategies. It is better than never for it would a serious error to allow a player who is supposed to be expelled to continue playing. Two wrongs cannot make one right!

Modified from USSF article - team communications

Misconduct on the Bench

Misconduct in the technical area is not a matter that will only affect the image of the team official or player concern. It will directly or indirectly jeopardize the image of football in the country. Anyone officially allowed in the technical area who is not a named player or substitute (substituted player) is a team official. Thus to raise the standard and image of football in our country, all person involved directly or indirectly with football have to play their role with commitment and honesty.
Behavior that might be considered as misconduct if committed by a substitute or substituted player would include dissent, offensive, insulting or abusive language, entering the field without the permission of the referee, violent conduct, unsporting behavior or receiving a second yellow card in the same match.
Team officials must conduct themselves in a responsible manner in the technical area. If they do not, they may be expelled from the field of play and its immediate surroundings. Behavior that might be considered as irresponsible are: throwing object in protest, speaking insulting words or making offensive gestures, kicking chair, making unwanted contact with opponents, striking advertising boards, persistently and flagrantly protesting decisions by an official, interfering with the performance of assistant referee or fourth official duties, refusing to return to the technical area, entering the field without the permission of the referee.The assistant referees and fourth officials shall assist the referee in monitoring the behavior of persons in the technical area and in alerting the referee when such behavior exceeds reasonable bounds. To err is human; the FA in its capacity is trying their level best to raise the standard of refereeing to a higher level. This needs the cooperation of all concerned. It will be a tragedy to see the referee having to get the team official off the bench to the grand stand. We pray that this day will not be a reality.

Compiled base on an article from USSF.

Playing the Ball or the Legs

This familiar incident occurs regularly in all competitive matches. Referees, coaches, team officials and the spectators see it differently from various perspectives. Coaches, team officials and spectators would want the decisions made to their advantage or favour. Referees do not see it in any team favour and it is their duty to ensure that the laws are enforce fairly and correctly.

What makes the decisions correct?

The referee's judgment is influenced by these few factors: his positioning and visibility of the incident, the anticipation and expectation that the tackle would take place, his ability to visualise, to see in between the two players and the courage to decide. If the player plays the ball first and subsequently the opponent clashes or collides into his legs, the tackle will be interpreted as legitimate, clean and correct. If the player plays the opponent's legs first then the ball or the opponent's leg with the ball, the correct decision will be to penalise the tackle. This incident can be judged as kicking or tripping an opponent and is penalise by a direct free kick to the opponent or a penalty kick, if it occurs in the defending team's penalty area.

Not all fouls of this nature is sanction with a card (yellow or red). If the tackle is deem as careless (trying to play the ball, miss it and plays the opponent legs instead), no card will be shown. If the player who tackle, attempts it in a dangerous or reckless manner without taking into consideration the safety of his opponent, a yellow card is rightly shown for unsporting behavior. If the tackle denies a good attacking move, a yellow card is also shown for the same reason. Red or expulsion will be sanctioned, if the player uses excessive force and plays in a violent or aggressive manner. He is sent off for serious foul play or violent conduct.

As a guide to referee, move in to the correct position (able to see in between the players) quicker and if possible, earlier, be nearer to the incident (not too near as to blind your visibility), read the intent of the player running with the ball and the defending closing in (the defender may have a good or bad tackle and the attacker may be tackled or jumped to avoid or to deceive). The place of incident should not influence your decision but when play gets nearer to the penalty area, the greater is your attentiveness to play needed. When making the decision, have a clear mind, read the intent, interprets the seriousness and decide immediately the correct sanction (verbal, yellow or red) the moment the whistle gets into your mouth. This will not allow any other factors to interfere with your sanctions. Do it right, do it fair and do it in the best you can - this will gain you the respect of all.

Developing Future FAM FIFA Referees

Developing our future excellent FIFA referees needs the cooperation and commitment of all, all Maldivians. The referees department can only scouts and identify the talents, analyses their strength and weakness, give them the proper guidance and training of fitness and refereeing techniques beside giving them the correct frame of mind in refereeing. Develop them through exposure to matches in the lower level till the highest level in the local league. All these efforts will not reap the expected harvest without the roles of others. This definitely will need the cooperation not only from the FA, referees assessors, the senior referees, players but also the team officials and spectators.

Team officials will be part of the making of our future FIFA referees if they can be patient with the errors that may occur during their first match experience. Willing to accept if one of these youngster is appointed to officiate in their match. Accept with opened-mind without prejudice. Give their compliment openly when a good job is well-done. Refrain from criticism when minor error do occured. One such daring effort was taken when Baasil Nafees (20) took charge ot the VB Sports Club - Victory Sports Club match. Overall, he had a good game and control of the match for a first-timer except for some minor points in his refereeing techniques. All his decisions were correct when his performance was viewed. Many have had a negative opinion on this appointment but all senior referees must remember and cherish the past when they were given their first 'break' in their refereeing career! "A journey of a thousand miles begin with the first step". We hope everyone would give their cooperation, advice, guidance and morale support in the creation of our future FIFA referees, who may one day will make our Dhivehi land proud, inshaAllah.

Understanding the Offside Rule (2)

The Offside Rule is among the shortest rule in the Laws of the game. Short does not imply that it is simple. The problems faced by referees, assistant referees, players and team officials are due to its understanding, interpretation and implementation. Assistant referees interprete it as they see it and team officials interprete it the way they want to see it (normally to their advantage). If their player has a goal scoring chance or attacking move they would prefer the decision to be not offside but if it is the opponent who gets the advantage, they would want it to be ruled offside. Offside is judged at the moment the ball is played by the team-mate NOT when he recieved the ball.

Assistant referees will make mistake in the judgement if he is caught not in position or unattentive. They will also tend to make error in their judgement call when the ball was passed from a distance or a long pass. Strikers moving forward and defender moving up makes the task of judging and alertness difficult. Usually, team official sees the incident after the ball has been passed not at the moment it was passed. The position of the team officials does not give them the right to say that the assistant referee was wrong either as they are not in line to see. Only the video tape can proof what is right or wrong. Assistant referee making a wrong offside judgement in the World Cup will be asked to pack and leave the next day.

It is not an offence for a player who is in an offside position. Thus he is not immediately penalised for it. He is only penalised when he is involved in active play by playing or interfering with play, interfering with an opponent or gains and advantage from being in that offside position.

In the diagram above, the player was in an offside position when the kicked was taken. If the ball goes straight into the goal, the goal would be awarded. Here the ball was deflected from the defender to him. He gains an advantage by being in that position, thus he is rightly penalised for offside. He will also be penalised if the ball was deflected from the goal post, cross bar or even from the goalkeeper to him. He gains the advantage and should be pull for offside.

Changes to FIFA Laws of the Game 2009-2010

Technical Area

Only one person at a time is authorized to convey tactical instructions from the technical area. (amendment 2009/10)

The part of the text deleted:

(....and he must return to his position after giving these instructions)

This change should be warmly welcomed by all team officials as one official can now stand the whole match without being pestered regularly by the fourth official to sit down or move back. They are reminded that only ONE official can stand at any one time and the coach and other occupants of the technical area must behave in a responsible manner. With this change too, the duty of the fourth official is made easier. He need not go and remind the official standing to return to his position after giving instructions.

Dangerous Play - Careless or Reckless

Playing in a dangerous manner involves no physical contact between players. Playing in a dangerous manner as defined by FIFA as any action that, while trying to play the ball, threatens injury to someone (including the player himself). More often a player attempt to play a high ball with his legs will endanger the safety of another player - clearing or attempting to kick the ball using the "bicycle kick" or "scissors kick" are examples. If no player is nearby or put off by that attempt, play shall proceed. Otherwise, the referee shall stop play when an opponent is adversely affected, and award an indirect free kick to the opposing team.

Carelessness do exist in football - a player trying to play the high ball with his leg and an opponent at the same time attempt to head the ball. If there is physical contact with the opponent, the referee will rule it as a penal offence and award a direct free kick. No card is given as it is a result of carelessness.

At times, a player knowing that his opponent will play the ball still attempt to play it with his legs and resulted in physical injury to his opponent. This is a reckless attempt and shall be sanctioned with a yellow card. If the element of excessive force is involved bringing about serious injury to the opponent, the player shall then be sent off immediately.

Changing for Better Referees' Performance

"For things to change, I must first change". More often, after each match or game, comments will be shared by the assessors, "friends", peers or even your juniors and the most important 'muhasabah' (self-assessment) is yourself. A referee should always remember that "if the wind did not blow, the grasses will not sway". If there was no error in your decisions, the players, officials, assessor and even the crowd will not swear. The ability to accept and absorb comments and criticism is one factor that not many referees possessed. Only excellent referees possess or are born with it. The realising that "alhamdulullah, when I did a good game, I was lucky but could I have done it better?" If my game wasn't good enough, how could I improve on it? are questions that one should ponder upon after each match. Being egoistic, snobbish and arrogant will not see the potentiality of changes for the better in a person.
As a FIFA official, one's performance should be a step at least (if not more) ahead of other referees. If the others are performing the same or better than the FIFA referees or assistant referees, then they should take over at that level. Perhaps the system of promotion or demotion should take into consideration the overall performance of all referees and assistant referees, arranging them in their level of merit and the better be chosen for registration in the following year list without taking into consideration whether they are the existing FIFA match officials or not. This perhaps would be a 'wake-up call' to some who thinks that they are the better ones but performing below par of the rest. "Leading by example", "Modelling the role" and "do your best to be the best" are a few guides that should be taken into consideraton all the time.
Look into onself and ask what are the strength that one possessed and the weaknessess that are the threats. Find ways and means to use one's strength to overcome the weaknessess. If all referees strive to be the best in any level of game or at any time of the game, the Maldivian match officials will be among the renown officials in SAFF, AFC and even in the World level to come.

FAM YOUNG REFEREES COURSE

Football Association of Maldives (FAM) will be organising a basic refereeing course for young schoolboys who aspire to be the future Maldivians FIFA Match Officials. 30 students aged 9 to 16 will be given basic refereeing skills.

The course is on the 22 - 26 June 2009 in FAM House and the Turf ground. These young referees will be instrumental in the coming YDP Festival Football Tournament 2009

Problems in the Game (Q & A)

I would like to invite readers of this blog to try their knowledge on the Laws of the game. The answers are given at the sidebars on the right.

1. A defender clears a high ball using the 'bicycle kick'. As he was about to kick the ball, an opponent behind him attempt to head the ball. The leg strikes the opponent body instead of the ball. The referee should stop play and give a direct free kick or play on?

2. A striker moves into the penalty area with the ball. The defender tried to kick the ball but missed it and kicked the opponent instead. The referee should award a penalty kick or allow play to continue?

3. A defender tackles for the ball but before he kicked the ball, his leg tripped his opponent. Should the referee award a direct free kick or play on as the defender plays the ball?

4. An attacker took a shot at goal. The ball, however deflected from a defender who tried to stop the kick, to his team-mate who was already standing in an offside position when the shot was taken. An indirect free kick should be given for offside or allow the play to go on?

5. From a free kick near the penalty area, the ball rebound off the goalkeeper forward. An attacker who was not offside follow up the kick and kicked the ball towards goal. However his team-mate who was in an offside position ran towards the ball that was about to enter goal, touched and connected it into goal. Should a goal be awarded or a free kick against the player who was offside?

6. An attacker and a defender fell on the ground off the goal line while the ball was still in play in the penalty area. The defender striked the attacker while they were on the ground. The referee stopped play. He sent off the defender for violent conduct. He should restart play with a penalty kick, an indirect free kick or a dropped ball?

Making Mistakes in the Dying Minutes

Going through the Wataniya Dhivehi Leagues’ reports by the referees’ assessors, the statistic shows that most of the incidents occurred during the last quarter of the match. Red card incidents not sanction appropriately, yellow cards shown simultaneously in a short span of time - having to give a few cautions to have the game under control, incidents occurred with the referee not giving the correct decisions, players are cautioned for dissent, whistle to penalise fouls when a goal scoring chance or a good attacking move existed, offside incidents missed or incorrectly judged by the assistant referees – to name a few.
Have you ever thought of the reasons why these things happen? In your self-assessment (if any) do you ever wonder what causes or spurs the incidents to happen? Some may still be pondering and wondering why! Let me highlight a few possibilities that you may want to take into consideration in order to have a better preparation for the future matches.
Certain serious or even trifle fouls in the early part of the match were not treated with care and assertiveness. "When you do not put out the small fire early, it will become out of control in the end". A verbal or a stern warning may help to reduce the anger or abrassion. Dissent or verbal abuses not checked properly by stern warning or the showing of yellow card early may eventually leads to many occasions of players not respecting the decisions and verbally or publicly abusing the match official. Certain bad attitude by players should be seen as a threat to the game and if the referee allows the culprit to increase his terror in the field, it will leads to more problems.
Lack of concentration may occurs when a referee begin to feel complacent – happy and contented with his decisions or performance or with a large score-line margin. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going but if the referee is not ready or fail to anticipate the “unexpeceted”, they will be left stunted when incident beyond his control occurs and will be seen to be undecided in their decisions. There is the saying, “ when everything seems to be going on well, there will be something that you will overlook”. When the referee gets tired at the last quarter of the match or was exposed to series of dissent, appeal or confrontation by players which makes him get tensed up, this it the time where he will tend to make mistake or lack concentration, not seeing things that he is supposed to have seen (in front of him), not taking the correct or appropriate or strong actions, missing fouls or the assistant’s flag and other incidents that may be small or large but will be detrimental to his performance or influences the confidence of players, team officials or even the crowd to his decisions. In 50-50 situations, do not make decisions that would bring about problems to the match - a goal kick is better than a corner kick, throw in to the losing side or the defender and etc. Many assessors do advise the referees to be more careful especially during the dying minutes of the match. Move nearer to gain the confidence of the players and to on the incidents when it occur. This will help him to regain his own confidence and thus his performance.

Amendments to FIFA Laws of the Game (2009-2010)

Law 1 - Field of Play
Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules of the competition.
The color of artificial surfaces must be green.
Where artificial surfaces are used in either competition matches between representative teams of member associations affiliate to FIFA or international club competition matches, the surface must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Concept for Football Turf or the International Artificial Turf Standard, unless special dispensation is given by FIFA.

Law 11 - Offside
When an offside offence occurs, the referee awards an indirect free kick to be taken from the position of the offending player when the ball was last played to him by one of his team-mates.
Any defending player leaving the field of play for any reason without the referee's permission shall be considered to be on his own goal line or touch line for the purposes of offside until the next stoppage in play. If the player leaves the field of play deliberately, he must be cautioned when the ball is next out of play.

Interpretation:
1. A defending player cannot put an opponent into an offside position by moving or stepping out of the field of play.
2. The defender shall be considered to be the field when offside judgement is made.
3. The defending player who leaves the field of play deliberately shall be cautioned for unsporting behavior.

Procedures to determine the Winner of a Match or Home-And-Away
Kick from the Penalty Mark

If at the end of a match and before the kicks start to be taken from the penalty mark, one team has a greater number of players than its opponents, it must reduce its number to equate with that of its opponents and the team captain must inform the referee of the name and number of each player excluded. Any player thus excluded may not participate in kicks from the penalty mark.

Interpretation:
1. Player excluded may not take part in the kicks.
2. The team who has not completed its permitted number of substitution can still replaced the goalkeeper who is injured during the kicks.

Technical Area
- only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions from the technical area.

Interpretation:
1. One person can convey tactical instruction at a time.
2. The person conveying tactical instruction may stand in the technical area and need not return his position after giving instructions.
3. Any one person can stand at a time.

Referees must stop the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured.

Changes to the Laws of the Game are binding for MAs as from 1 July 2009. MA may delay the introduction if its current season has not ended.

Interpretation by: Amir Sharifuddin Wong (FAM Referees Director)