Vanishing spray

[Guy Profumo]

Qualifies for a "World Cup 'WTF' thread" all of its own.

I mean.

What?!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27782669

(And not as if it's news, either!
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/brazil-world-cup-vanishing-spray-2946360)

[Incandenza]

Vanishing spray

They've used this in the Brazilian league for years, MLS used it recently as well. I think it's a good idea.

Since it disappears after a minute, I have to wonder if some teams will argue and scoot forward, then plead and argue some more while hoping that it disappears before the kick is taken.

[Wouter D]

Vanishing spray

Yes, this is a good idea, and let's all use it from now on.

[Toby Gymshorts]

Vanishing spray

I'm thinking of getting some for when people invade my personal space at work. Or on the train. Or anywhere, really.

[cantagalo]

Vanishing spray

I saw it used in the first Brazilian league game I attended in 2005 but it may go back a bit further than that. When the ref started to wield it, I thought it was some sort of Mace spray to fend off protesting players.

It's an excellent idea which really works. I predict that English football will adopt it for next season.

[ad hoc]

Vanishing spray

I saw it in a Brazilian domestic match in (I think) 2001. So it's been going on for years. Even then i thought it was a great idea and just assumed it would soon be in use all over the world. I have no idea why it still isn't used anywhere else.

[Sam]

Vanishing spray

It's been used in the Argentine league since about 2009.

Incandinho wrote: Since it disappears after a minute, I have to wonder if some teams will argue and scoot forward, then plead and argue some more while hoping that it disappears before the kick is taken.

It doesn't disappear that quickly. It's still visible for a good three or four minutes after the free kick has been taken.

[Wouter D]

Vanishing spray

cantagalo wrote: [...] some sort of Mace spray to fend off protesting players.

It's an excellent idea which really works.

Agreed that this would be a really good idea.

[Guy Profumo]

Vanishing spray

You are all wrong, and this is a nonsense.

As part of training for referees, they are tauught to stand next to the ball when a free kick is taken, and to tell the defenders to move 10 yards away.

(And they know when they've moved 10 yards away because if they don't they're told to buy a tape measure, a couple of poles, stick them in their garden 10 yards apart and stand at one so they know how far it is.)

[imp]

Vanishing spray

Most refs at my level still march out the ten yards, but as Guy says, I was trained to estimate it, to make it look more like you know how far of a distance 10 yards is. Plus, it's not a good idea to turn your back on the ball - players are prone to moving it when you're not looking. I usually pace it out though when free kicks are close to the goal, for the sake of accuracy, but always keep an eye on the ball by either measuring the paces side on or backwards.

The paint should be unnecessary - you already have a tool to enforce retreating ten yards, which is the yellow card. I was linesman the other week at an adult league game - a very good but always potentially explosive Hispanic league in DC (I'd dished out one red and six yellows the previous game, and that was being lenient). The very experienced centre ref yellow-carded two players in the first ten minutes for failing to retreat the full 10 yards. He didn't have any more trouble the rest of the game. I tried it in a U17 game the following week - five minutes in, one player ignored me when I told him to step back another five yards at a free kick. It was the only card I had to give all game.

[Jah Womble]

Vanishing spray

It doesn't disappear that quickly. It's still visible for a good three or four minutes after the free kick has been taken.

They should use that aerosol UHT cream. That stuff disappears in seconds.

[Mumpo]

Vanishing spray

It's disgusting.

[Renart]

Vanishing spray

I guess I'm used to it—MLS and Liga MX and the Argentine league all use it—because it doesn't bother me.

I guess it looks a little goofy, but I don't mind goofiness.

[Sam]

Vanishing spray

imp wrote: Most refs at my level still march out the ten yards, but as Guy says, I was trained to estimate it, to make it look more like you know how far of a distance 10 yards is. Plus, it's not a good idea to turn your back on the ball - players are prone to moving it when you're not looking. I usually pace it out though when free kicks are close to the goal, for the sake of accuracy, but always keep an eye on the ball by either measuring the paces side on or backwards.

The paint should be unnecessary - you already have a tool to enforce retreating ten yards, which is the yellow card.

This was basically what Horacio Elizondo said to me when I interviewed him, so it's not just at your level, imp (not that I want to denigrate 'your level', of course). He sees it as a pretty aesthetic measure and not much more, as long as the ref does his job properly - which of course most refs in Argentina since he retired don't do.

[imp]

Vanishing spray

Me and Horacio, man - we know it.

[tracteurgarcon]

Vanishing spray

Is this going to lead to players wearing green boots with a white line across the toes so that they can encroach at free kicks without the referee being able to tell?

[Jah Womble]

Vanishing spray

It's disgusting.

UHT? It is, but I don't imagine the spray used last night tastes much better.

[Mumpo]

Vanishing spray

As the African representative said to the Qatari hooker.