I get this 9 or 10 times a season from a player who is patently NOT a referee, but probably stood on the centre spot once for his son's Under 9s game. The latest was from a goalkeeper who took exception when I warned him about taking too long to fly kick the ball.
His logic was confused when he approached me at half time to explain the Laws of the Game.
There may be a 6 second rule, but it only counts from when I start preparing to take the kick, he explained.
I sighed inwardly, biting my tongue.
"Tell you what keeper," I said. "Humour me. Make it 6 seconds from when you pick the ball up to when you kick it. Just to make me happy."
"OK ref," he said cheerily and wandered off for his half-time smoke.
Over the last few years I've met several goalkeepers who have informed that the six second law no longer applies.
Now, it appears, goalies think they can basically take as long as they like to re-start play.
Players do get annoyed when their team is losing and they see a goalie ambling slowly back to get the ball.
A ref can't really stop his watch every time the 'keeper takes 15 seconds longer then he should to get the ball, but he should really only get one warning that he's taking too long to take drop outs. Then it's an indirect free kick in a dangerous position, for which his team will not thank him.
One tip - give the goalie his warning from a long way away so that everyone knows he's on a warning.
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