DON'T NOD THE TURNIP BACK TO YOUR KEEPER

It is always reassuring and encouraging to know that my daily indulgence (not a euphemism) is being considered seriously and indeed replied to. So thanks to Steve Turner, especially, who raised several issues associated with "Just a quickie", yesterday's blog,

IFAB laws of the game, he tells me, states that the referee has "power" (don't let them think that!!) to discipline a player from the pre-match inspection onwards (Law 13.3!!). So that sorts that one out.

What about at the end of the match? I wouldn't mind betting that once the first pint of Bradfield Brewery's Yorkshire Blonde is pulled in the bar, it's game over!
I'm waiting for Steve to have another trawl through the Laws to clarify!! Good lad.

He clearly thinks a lot about the game (actually he does because I have seen him working with the local club's U14s). He added that he had not witnessed any player kicking the ball anywhere but "backwards" from the kick off (or re-start as refs would have it). This is a new thing, we all know that, but not a requirement so the idyllic Crazy Gang slog into the far corner of the opposition half, direct from the KO, is still possible, but does not seem to have any credence in the modern game as tip-tap, tiki taka seems to keep the statisticians' open mouthed  and content.

The "long ball game" is all very topical since in the last few minutes I have heard of the death of Graham Taylor, one of the great exponents of POMO, (i.e. gaining the Position Of Maximum Opportunity), a soccer tactic of long standing but made famous by him in the 1980s.
I shall dwell more on this tomorrow once I get used to the idea of old Turnip Head not being with us any more. It is very sad. Have a read of this:-
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/pomo.html

On a more cheery note, Steve also made me aware of another unusual LAW.
Now I have to make sure that this is what he meant.
If a player flicks the ball up on to his head and nods it back to his goalkeeper (i.e. keeping possession), assuming the goalie catches the ball and holds it, then this is gaining an unfair advantage and a yellow card should be shown to the goalie (not the header?) and (I guess) an indirect free-kick given to the attackers at the point of catching! The header of the ball may presume he is just "passing back" but not with his feet and the goalie could easily not use his hands......but if he does.....bingo.

What happens when the keeper catches a ball sent from the opposition, bounces it on the ground (let's say ONCE) and picks it up and then......??? (Lew? remember George Ellis at Gothia...duh!) Even more challenging is "what is a bounce?".

Answers on a post card.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/01/12/graham-taylor-former-england-aston-villa-manager-dies-aged-72/