Soccer timing - the clock

[Shinna_Minna_Ma]

Why, in soccer, does the clock count up from 0 instead of down from 45 (or 90)?

[Wolverine]

The best answer has to do with stoppage time that the refs add to the game. The game clock is unofficial; the only official time is with the refs on the field. When the clock reaches 45 min., it is only a guess for when the half will be over. While the referees mostly add time for substitutions, injuries, and other official things, they also influence the time if they think one of the teams is purposefully eating up time with such methods as faking small injuries (small enough that they normally don’t count toward the stoppage time) or continually kicking the ball out of bounds.

[polar_bear]

Because there is no fixed ‘final whistle’. It is up to the ref to let the game go on for a few minutes depending on goals, injuries and substitutions. The last 10 (?) years or so we actually get told how many minutes will be added by the 4th official, but it is still up to the referee. Also, a ref will mostly wait till an attack has ended before blowing the final whistle, so you might get a few seconds more if you get a last minute corner kick or something like that.

[nudgenudge]

@Wolverine

The best answer has to do with stoppage time that the refs add to the game. The game clock is unofficial; the only official time is with the refs on the field. When the clock reaches 45 min., it is only a guess for when the half will be over. While the referees mostly add time for substitutions, injuries, and other official things, they also influence the time if they think one of the teams is purposefully eating up time with such methods as faking small injuries (small enough that they normally don’t count toward the stoppage time) or continually kicking the ball out of bounds.

We’d need to check with an actual referee, but I’m not sure they have quite as much leeway as this. I’m pretty sure they can’t add time for one team kicking the ball out of play repeatedly, for example, unless there is some unusual delay in the ball being returned. Hitting the ball into touch is a legitimate tactic, and one that causes some disadavantage to the team that does it. It’s not really used for time-wasting, anyway.
My understanding is that referees have definite guidelines about hom much time to add for what, such as thirty seconds for substitutions.

[polar_bear]

@nudgenudge

We’d need to check with an actual referee, but I’m not sure they have quite as much leeway as this. I’m pretty sure they can’t add time for one team kicking the ball out of play repeatedly, for example, unless there is some unusual delay in the ball being returned. Hitting the ball into touch is a legitimate tactic, and one that causes some disadavantage to the team that does it. It’s not really used for time-wasting, anyway.
My understanding is that referees have definite guidelines about hom much time to add for what, such as thirty seconds for substitutions.

At some point some ‘official numbers’ were given for goals and substitutions, but or the rest it is still up to the ref. If players lay around injured, the ref can add as much time as he wants. If a goalkeeper for instance, needs medical attention you can have 10 min of injury time easily (you can’t just ask him to leave the field for treatment).