New offside rule: Dermot Gallagher backs change for new season Last Updated: 03/08/15 2:59pm
Match officials have a new offside rule to interpret this season
Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher thinks the altered offside rule will be easier to understand in practice.
In recent seasons, players have been allowed to occupy offside positions without necessarily being penalised depending on whether they were thought to be actively involved in play or not.
Now they will be punished if they clearly attempt to play a ball close to them when their actions have an impact on an opponent’s ability to play the ball.
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At first glance, the reworking of the rule appears confusing but Gallagher, a Premier League referee for 15 years until he retired in 2007, thinks it makes the game more straightforward.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "A player has got to make an obvious action and clearly impact on their opponent’s ability to clear the ball.
"I actually think it will simplify it. When you see the season unfold on Saturday, you’ll think that it’s one thing on paper and another in practice.
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The new offside rule takes effect from the start of the 2015/16 season
"Don’t forget the managers and coaches have had referees visiting them throughout pre-season to go through clips and it won’t be a shock to them.
"When this was issued in the summer, referees took this into their games so hopefully they will be as up to speed as the players."
Gallagher talked through a number of scenarios from last season to highlight how the rule might change which decisions are reached, including these three goals...
GOAL: Juan Mata (Manchester United) v Stoke City, 02/12/14
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is marginally offside when Manchester United&[HASHTAG]#039[/HASHTAG];s Juan Mata takes a free kick against Stoke">Marcos Rojo is marginally offside when Manchester United's Juan Mata takes a free kick against Stoke
THE SCENARIO: United have a free kick on the right which Mata takes and it swings in towards goal. At the point the ball is played, Marcos Rojo is in an offside position and he attempts to head the cross in but misses. Nobody else connects with the ball and Mata’s effort goes straight in, with a goal awarded.
THIS SEASON’S DECISION: Goal is disallowed.
GALLAGHER SAYS: Rojo has jumped for the ball and clearly gone to head it. He is clearly offside when the free kick is taken and the keeper can’t make his move until Rojo has either headed the ball or missed it. He is deemed to have had an impact on the goalkeeper, so that goal would be disallowed. Even though he doesn’t touch it, he has a chance to touch it. If that ball went 20 feet over his head, he wouldn’t be deemed offside because he would have no chance of playing it.
GOAL: Harry Kane (Tottenham) v Burnley, 20/12/14
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