# Soccer rules questions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 20, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420 "2010-09-20T15:59:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/21 "2010-09-23T01:55:15Z")
> [@Hoopy\_Frood](#): > > > [@Yookeroo](#): > > > > Should the ref even being showing a red card to a coach? > > Yes. The ref has discretion to throw any person on the sidelines out. That’s not what I asked. I know the ref can throw people out. I was under the impression that they weren’t to show the card to the coach (or anyone on the sideline that wasn’t a player). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/22 "2010-09-23T05:58:11Z")
They don’t normally _need_ to do it, but when the coach is interfering with the game, why shouldn’t they? I’ve seen instances of the coach forcefully grabbing a player, should the referee treat that coach like some precious snowflake rather than go “no bullying! OUT! _red card_”? The coach knows the rules, or should. You’re making me think of people who got a ticket for jaywalking into incomming traffic and who were terribly surprised because “but traffic cops can’t give tickets to pedestrians!” Yes they can, but most pedestrians don’t manage to be stupid enough to get one. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/23 "2010-09-23T18:02:49Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > That’s not what I asked. I know the ref can throw people out. I was under the impression that they weren’t to show the card to the coach (or anyone on the sideline that wasn’t a player). You’re right that, as a matter of form, FIFA refs are told to use cards only for players. Others, such as coaches, should just be asked to leave. I don’t think that was always the case, though, and some competitive bodies may allow for it (some high school competitions have really strange rules). Otherwise, some refs just do what they want to do. ---
**Author:** ![cmosdes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cmosdes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmosdes)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/24 "2010-09-23T21:16:06Z")
> [@PopeJewish](#): > > The basic idea is that if the ball bounces out of bounds first then it probably never entered play, so it’s basically just a do-over. I believe if it enters play (crosses the line) then leaves play before bouncing it would be considered a dead ball and the throw in would go to the other team. I don’t think this is true, though. If I take the ball and throw it from the touchline, across the touchline and then across the goal line without it touching the ground (or anything else), it would result in either a goal kick or corner kick. But then again, I’m the one who originally thought hitting the ground before the touchline would be okay, too. ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/25 "2010-09-23T23:16:32Z")
> [@cmosdes](#): > > > [@PopeJewish](#): > > > > The basic idea is that if the ball bounces out of bounds first then it probably never entered play, so it’s basically just a do-over. I believe if it enters play (crosses the line) then leaves play before bouncing it would be considered a dead ball and the throw in would go to the other team. > > I don’t think this is true, though. If I take the ball and throw it from the touchline, across the touchline and then across the goal line without it touching the ground (or anything else), it would result in either a goal kick or corner kick. But then again, I’m the one who originally thought hitting the ground before the touchline would be okay, too. no you’re correct, it would be a goal kick. I was talking about throwing the ball from the touch (side) line, crosses over the line into play, then back out of play across the same touch line (due to wind or whatever) it would be a throw in for the other team, whereas if it doesn’t cross the touch line at all and just bounces out of bounds without ever having gone into play it’s just a do-over. If it enters play the ball is live, so if it then crosses the end line it’ll be a goal/corner kick. My point was simply that the above scenario, where it crosses into then back out of play over the same line is pretty unlikely, so it’s usually just assumed it never entered play. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/26 "2010-09-24T02:15:22Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > They don’t normally _need_ to do it, but when the coach is interfering with the game, why shouldn’t they? I’ve seen instances of the coach forcefully grabbing a player, should the referee treat that coach like some precious snowflake rather than go “no bullying! OUT! \*red card”? So saying “no bullying! OUT!” without a card is precious snowflake treatment, but flashing a red piece of plastic will work? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2010, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/27 "2010-09-24T08:33:32Z")
The red piece of plastic is what makes it official and makes the third step (calling the cops/security to remove the coach) possible. The first step is asking nicely. Sort of like the difference between a cop telling you “your rear light isn’t working properly, that’s a $15 fine” and the same cop writing a ticket. The piece of paper is what makes the difference between “warning” and “fine”. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/28 "2010-09-26T02:47:53Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > The red piece of plastic is what makes it official and makes the third step (calling the cops/security to remove the coach) possible. The first step is asking nicely. Oh, I bet refs would have no problem calling the cops without showing the magic piece of plastic. ---
**Author:** ![RadicalPi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/radicalpi/32/9806_2.png) [@RadicalPi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadicalPi)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420/29 "2010-09-28T06:11:50Z")
Warning PDF: [http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame\_2010\_11\_e.pdf](http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf) Page 34, Law 12. Anyway, it’s fairly adamant that only someone who is or could be playing can get the cards. Probably a technicality, since there’s no “box” on the score sheet for cards for coaches. But the scorekeeper would probably mark it down somewhere. So that’s the offical rule. Your milage may vary and all that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/soccer-rules-questions/554420.md?page=1)