INFORMATION ON SOCCER SHOES

INFORMATION ON SOCCER SHOES

Soccer shoes come with varying sizes of cleats on the bottom of the shoe for different playing conditions. These variations allow players to get better traction on the playing surface.

There are 3 main types of outdoor soccer shoes.

• FG (firm gound) style contains a good array of cleats around the edges of the footwear and a few in the middle area for good foot support. These type of soccer shoes are the most commonly worn and they work well for most field surfaces.

You can't go wrong with a pair of firm ground soccer shoes.

• SG (soft ground) style has the least amount of cleats on the bottom of the footwear and only a bare minimum in the middle for foot support. The general purpose of these soccer shoes are for playing on slick surfaces (i.e. mud, rain)

The reason there are so few cleats/studs is so that mud and grass won't get trapped on the bottom of the footwear and make the soccer shoes become heavy.

• HG (hard ground) style contains the most cleats of soccer footwear. These soccer cleats are shorter and give the best foot support of the three outdoor soccer shoes. They are often called turfs and are primarily used for some artificial playing surfaces.

Many referees prefer to use the HG style of soccer shoes.

A good majority of youth soccer players own two pairs of soccer shoes. One pair is the indoor and the other is usually a firm ground shoe. The reason for the FG style is because it gives the best overall rating for traction and foot support.

10 SOCCER SHOE TIPS

1. If you are just looking for a single pair of soccer shoes, then look at getting FG style of footwear or soccer cleats.

2. Cleats should have a firm fit, with less than a finger's width of space between the toes and the tip of the soccer shoes. Older and more serious players want the closest fitting shoes to their foot size for better control and touch on the ball.

3. If you purchase a soccer shoe with quality kangaroo leather, remember that it will stretch after it is worn and will mold to the shape of the feet.

4. Don't purchase larger soccer cleats thinking they will last for years for youth soccer players. The extra room in the tips of the shoes will probably cause blisters.

5. Look to purchase your soccer shoes well in advance of the season. Give them time to be worked into the shape of your foot.

6. Soccer specialty stores are usually well stocked before the season starts. Look at catalog and online retailers for specials before settling on the local sporting good store.

7. Most catalog and online retailers carry the best quality soccer shoes available.

8. Soccer cleats for both boys and girls are labeled as Youth size. Teenage girls should look at the female versions (Womens sized) before selecting a Men's sized shoe even though they carry the widest range of selections.

9. If your purchasing for kids that only play in recreational leagues and might only participate in one tournament a year, then save your money and buy a synthetic upper soccer shoe. These cleats are usually less expensive and are perfect for young children.

10. Take care of your soccer footwear. To keep the quality kangaroo leathered soccer shoes soft and long-lasting, stuff when not using to help them maintain their shape. Let shoes dry naturally and do not use artificial heat.

SOCCER FIELD SIZE

SOCCER FIELD SIZE

• FIFA's "Laws of the Game" are published annually and are the official rules. For current rules and field sizes, go to "Laws of the Game" at www.fifa.com or check with your soccer association. The official field size can range from 50 to 100 yards wide by 100 to 130 yards long. However, the rules allow field sizes to be reduced for women, players with disabilities and for players under 16 and over 35 years of age. Field sizes used by youth leagues vary greatly.

• Recreational Players Will Have More Fun & Learn More on a Smaller Field.One of the worst mistakes a recreational league can make is to have teams playing on oversized fields. The reason is simple: on a smaller field the players will have more touches & more fun. The field size should be proportionate to the player size, and recreational teams should play on smaller fields than select teams. If a field is too large, recreational players will spend most of their time running & will be worn out by half-time. When players are tired & playing on an overly large field, it is easy for the game to degenerate to "Boom-ball". It is also more difficult to teach tactics & team play, such as support, on an overly large field. Smaller fields are much better suited to players who are average athletes, are slower, or lacking stamina, as are 50% to 75% of all recreational players. How large should the field be? If an adult over-30 novice recreational team plays on a 60-yard x 100-yard field (most play on this size or smaller because it is more fun), then youth recreational teams should play on proportionately sized fields. The size of youth fields should be based on the size of the step and the length of the kick of each age group relative to adults. For example, if a 12-year old's step is about 80% that of an adult, then the field size should be 80% of the adult size, or about 50-yards x 80-yards. Dimensions for recreational teams might be as below:

Age (% Adult Size) U-14 (100%) U-12 (80%) U-10 (70%) U-8 (50%) U-6 (25%)

Field Size (in yards) 60 x 100 50 x 80 40 x 70* 25 x 50* 15 x 30 If you can't properly size the fields, err on the side of fields that are undersized, not oversized. It will be more fun, the players will learn more about soccer, & fewer will drop out at age 11 or 12. * Note: If your league plays "small sided", these dimensions may be even smaller. "Small sided" is highly recommended until U-12. My U-12 team, for example, had great fun and improved a great deal when scrimmaging 3 or 4 per side on a 15 x 25 field. The action is non-stop, everyone gets a lot of touches on the ball, quick, short passes are encouraged & there are many transitions from offense to defense. See "Small Sided" in the Dictionary. Click this link to access a field diagram.

SOCCER FIELD DIAGRAM

SOCCER FIELD DIAGRAM!

NOTES :

1. The Penalty Box includes the Goal Box


2. Areas include the lines that define them (e.g., the ball is not out of bounds until it totally crosses the line; and the ball must totally cross the line between the goal posts to score).


3. See "Center Circle" and "Field Size" definition in the Dictionary

"SPREAD THE FIELD" GOAL KICK SET UP
(Showing Kicker's 1st, 2nd & 3rd Choices)

1. Diagram is one-half of a 50' x 100' field


2. The Goalkeeper is shown taking the kick


3. "X" is the player's position (If the kicker can kick farther, move the MF's & F's back)
   

1. Start with ball in middle of Goal Box line so the other team must defend both sides
2. Ideally, use the Goalkeeper to kick or a kicker who can pass with his right or left foot
3. Sweeper (SW) always follows the kick (i.e., follows the ball)
4. The receiver should let the ball clear the Penalty Box before touching it. If he doesn't, the referee is supposed to require the kick be taken over, but there is no penalty unless the receiver repeatedly breaks the rule. (Defenders must stay out of the Penalty Box until the ball clears the Penalty Box).
5. If the kick is to the left (or right), everyone shifts that way & the FB & MF farthest from the ball shift to the front of the goal to protect in case the ball is lost
6. 1st preference is a pass to the sideto LFB or RFB (left fullback or right fullback)
7. 2nd preference is a pass to the RMF or LMF
8. 3rd preference is a long kick over the CMF or to open space toward the side line
9. If the pass isor, then take the ball out to the side line & pass it down the side line to the next player. Try to keep it out of the center on your end of the field.
10. If the pass is to the CFB or CMF, they should quickly send a long ball out to the RF or LF (do not dribble in the center close to our goal)
    

SOCCER CARDS

SOCCER CARDS INFORMATION!

There are 2 colors of "cards" which the referee will hold up to indicate serious fouls or behavior which won't be tolerated. He carries these cards in his shirt pocket, so if he reaches for his pocket it's a bad sign for the player who committed the foul. These cards are about the size of a playing card and one is yellow and the other is red. When a card is to be given (it isn't actually given to the offending player, it is actually just shown to him and to everyone else) the referee will stop the game, call the player over, hold up the card and write the player's name in his notebook. This is called "booking" the player and when it happens the player has been "booked", (e.g., "she was booked"). Any time a Yellow or Red Card is shown, a "direct" or "indirect kick" will also be awarded.

• Yellow Card - Indicates a formal "caution" for any of the following 7 offenses:
  "unsporting behavior" - this includes hard fouls; holding an opponent or deliberately handling the ball for the purpose of preventing an opponent from gaining possession of the ball; faking an injury; saying things that are designed to confuse or distract an opponent; harassment (such as jumping around, shouting or making gestures to intentionally distract an opponent; jumping in front of a corner kick, free kick or throw-in; worrying the goalkeeper or trying to prevent him from putting the ball into play; & adopting a threatening posture), gaining an unfair advantage by leaning on, climbing on the back of, or holding a teammate or the goal; blatant cases of holding and pulling an opposing player or his uniform; any action designed to deceive the Referee; and behavior which in the Referee's judgment is unsporting or causes an unfair advantage,
  
  dissent by word or actions,
  
  persistently breaking the rules,
  
  delaying the restart of play,
  
  defenders failing to stay the proper distance away from the kicker on a corner kick, free kick or throw-in (see "Corner Kick" & "Free Kick"),
  
  entering or re-entering the field without the referee's permission
  
  deliberately leaving the field without the referees permission

• Red Card - A player must be shown a Red Card and "sent off" (i.e., made to leave the field) for the 7 offenses listed below.

A player shown a "Red Card" & sent off may not be replaced during that game (i.e., his team must play a player "short" for the rest of the game; however, in some leagues a player may be replaced if he is ejected for receiving a second Yellow Card). The 7 offenses for which a player must be shown a Red Card and sent off are:
serious foul play (includes any use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball. Examples include a dangerous slide tackle from behind, or an "over the top tackle" in which a player raises his foot so the cleats could hit a player, or a two footed tackle that takes down the opponent. FIFA has broadened this definition by saying that "Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play. For current rules visit www.fifa.com, Laws of the Game. The above quote is from Questions and Answers, Additional Instructions for Referees). The rules now include "Decision 4", which says: "A tackle, which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play".

violent conduct,

spitting at anyone,

deliberately touching the ball with a hand in order to prevent a goal or to deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity (such as to prevent a "Breakaway".... this does not apply to the goalkeeper within his own Penalty Box)

fouling an opponent to prevent an obvious goal scoring opportunity (e.g., holding to stop a breakaway),

using offensive, insulting or threatening language and/or gestures,

or receiving a second yellow card in one game.

SOCCER FOULS

SOCCER FOULS

• There are 2 kinds of fouls, Direct Kick Fouls & Indirect Kick Fouls. (Rules are called "Laws Of The Game" and are changed each year.
• Direct Kick Fouls - For which the other team receives a "direct free kick" (meaning a goal can be scored by kicking the ball straight into the goal) or a "penalty kick" ("PK") if the foul occurs within the Penalty Box (Note: It doesn't matter whether the ball was in the Penalty Box or not; what matters is where the foul was committed). There are 10 direct kick fouls. The rules say that the referee should call a foul for numbers 1 thru 6 if he believes they are committed in a manner he considers "careless, reckless or using excessive force":
  
• kicking or attempting to kick an opponent. Accidentally kicking an opponent while tackling the ball is not a foul unless it was careless, reckless, or there was excessive force. If a player slide tackles from the front, it will be considered at least "dangerous play" (which is an indirect kick foul), or kicking, or tripping, or "unsporting behavior", even if the ball is contacted, since it would at the least be reckless or dangerous. (See "Cards, Red Card, Serious Foul Play")
• tripping or attempting to trip an opponent (if careless, reckless or using excessive force)
  
• charging into an opponent (the goalkeeper can also be called for this if his action is careless, reckless or uses excessive force),
  
• striking or attempting to strike an opponent (if careless, reckless or using excessive force),
• pushing an opponent, including the goalkeeper (if careless, reckless or using excessive force),
• jumping at an opponent in a careless or reckless manner or using excessive force (this includes jumping for a header if an opponent is carelessly or recklessly bumped, and jumping at the goalkeeper),
• blatant holding or pulling (including holding clothing, using any part of the body to hold an opponent & "Sandwiching"),
• spitting at an opponent, even if it doesn't hit the opponent (this is grounds for a Red Card),
• making contact with an opponent before touching the ball when tackling an opponent to gain possession of the ball (Note: it is always a foul if the tackler contacts the ballhandler before touching the ball. However, it can still be a direct kick foul if the ball is touched first but the tackler was "careless, reckless, or used excessive force" and was judged to have kicked, tripped, charged or jumped at the ballhandler. Or, if the Referee believes the tackler played in a "dangerous manner", an indirect kick can be awarded),
• deliberately handling the ball (a "hand ball" should not be called if a player is instinctively trying to protect himself from injury or if the ball hits the hand while it is in a

• natural position near the players side and has not been moved toward the ball. See "Hand Ball" for more details; this does not apply to the goalkeeper inside his own penalty area.),
  

SOCCER RULES

SOCCER RULES

Soccer rules (rules of soccer), rules for soccer, soccer rules and regulations, the rules of soccer and soccer rules for kids.

Rules of soccer, rules for soccer, youth soccer rules, the soccer offside rule and soccer age rules are explained.

The official soccer rules are often difficult to understand. Following are simplified soccer rules and links to the complete soccer rules. The official soccer rules are often modified for recreational, youth and indoor soccer leagues. SoccerHelp has helped make these rules easier to understand.

Who makes the rules?

The official soccer rules are called the "Laws of the Game" and are revised annually (usually in July) by FIFA (pronounced "FEE' fuh"), the world soccer governing body, but youth organizations usually adjust the rules to fit children. Typical adjustments are field sizes, game lengths, number of players per team, the number and frequency of substitutions, "offside" is sometimes not called, and slide tackling is sometimes not allowed. Field sizes, ball sizes, length of games & rules vary by age group. The FIFA rules do not require separate teams for girls and boys, but many soccer clubs and associations have separate leagues for boys and girls. Discuss the rule variations with an official of your league. You can find the "Laws of the Game" at www.fifa.com (on the FIFA Home Page enter "Laws" in the search feature).

Why is it necessary to simplify and interpret the rules?

In brief, the "Laws of the Game" are not simple and can be difficult to understand. The official FIFA rules have 17 sections and the rule book is about 70 pages long. There are also an additional 44 pages titled "Questions and Answers". In addition, how to interpret the rules is discussed in referee clinics, special memos, videos for referees, and a guidebook for soccer officials that is over 300 pages long. There is also the problem that the rules use many soccer terms that are not defined in the rules (we try to define all of these terms in the SoccerHelp Dictionary) and there are quirks, such as the fact that terms which are commonly used such as "Hand Ball", "obstruction", and "Linesmen" are not defined in the official rules. Another confusing aspect of the rules is the way "Fouls" are defined; basically, they are defined not only as "Fouls" but also in the rules regarding "Cards". For this reason, to understand "Fouls" you must also read "Cards". One of the biggest problems is that the official rules don't have a good index and there aren't good cross-links to related topics. At SoccerHelp we have tried to solve these problems by simplifying the rules and providing easy to use the links so you can go from one topic to another. In some cases, such as for "offside", we have even provided a simplified explanation and a more detailed definition.

SOCCER NEWS

SOCCER NEWS

• Great footballers don’t always make great managers September 30th, 2009

Three famous football names have came under intense speculation in the last few weeks and months. Ipswich boss Roy Keane, Argentina coach Diego Maradona and Tranmere boss John Barnes were all undoubtedly great footballers but all three are struggling with very different managerial challenges.
Different challenges but same struggle
They may be worlds apart in their current positions but in the 1980’s John Barnes and Diego Maradona were footballing superstars. Maradona is also considered as one of the greatest footballers to have ever graced a football field. Barnes was considered one of best footballers of his generation, despite his form for England not being as consistent as his form for Liverpool. Roy Keane was key to Manchester United’s rise to the top English football in the nineties. Yet despite these achievements the three former greats find themselves in exactly the same position. That position is struggling to do their respective jobs.
Barnes struggles after summer of mass exodus
John Barnes has the most difficult job out of the three working on a shoestring budget. His cause wasn’t helped by the fact that he lost lots of key players during the summer. Those players leaving included veteran goalkeeper Danny Coyne who had previously assured the former England boss that he would sign a new contract. Instead he joined Championship side Middlesbrough on a free transfer at the end of his contract.
Things have improved for the enigmatic former Liverpool star in the last two games with his side claiming a 0-0 draw at the weekend and beating fellow strugglers Wycombe 1-0 last night. Even with these results Barnes is still under pressure.
He will have to prove to the fans that he has got what it takes to turned things around. However most Tranmere fans are still sceptical about his ability to manage a football club. There is also the opinion that he only got the job because he is a big name and his presence at the club will attract fans. Unfortunately for the Whites its did the opposite as the team have struggled all season.
Lots of ambition but no substance so far at Ipswich
Roy Keane was Alex Ferguson’s midfield general at Manchester United. The driving force behind some of United’s greatest triumphs during the nineties. It always looked likely that with his superb leadership skills and will to win that he would be a manager after he retired from playing. He did a good job in his first job as a boss with Sunderland, well for the first season anyway. He took the Mackems from the bottom end of the Championship to promotion to the Premier League.
The following season he spent a large amount of money to try and compete in the top flight. By early December his side were 18th in the Premier League and he was heavily criticised. He decided he had enough and resigned on the 4th December. It was reported that his decision was made because of differences with club chairman Niall Quinn and shareholder Ellis Short.
Keane wasn’t out of football for long though as he took over at Ipswich Town on 23rd April 2009. The season was nearly over and Keane started to get to know his players. He hasn’t got the same resources that he had at Sunderland but he is still expected to lead the club to promotion.
He shown great ambition by saying he wants his side to challenge for promotion this season. Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys they are currently bottom of the table and Keane has received the dreaded vote of confidence from Ipswich chief executive Simon Clegg.
The board are completely behind the former United ace but for how long for if they continue to struggle at the bottom end of the league. In my humble opinion Keane will make a good manager in the future and all these situations can only make him stronger as a manager.
The legend who can’t be criticised
Diego Armando Maradona is an Argentinian football legend. In some places he is almost a god to his people. Criticising the former Napoli hero is almost blasphemy in his home country and in Naples. However since taking over as Argentina head coach there has been murmurings of discontent over his performance and ability to manage one of the worlds best footballing nations.
He may have a passion for his country that is hard to match but it seems he lacks the necessary motivational skills to manage his country. His country are struggling in their World Cup qualifying group and could miss the finals next June. He has however reminded journalists that in 1985 they nearly failed to make the tournament and a year later in Mexico they became World Champions. For Argentina and their fans its a difficult situation as the Argentinian FA are unlikely to sack the legend and his pride will not allow him to quit.
If Argentina do qualify and make a big impact at South Africa 2010 then Maradona will be a even bigger figure back in his homeland, if that’s possible of course. If the unlikely happens and they don’t qualify for the World Cup next season then Diego could very well be edged towards the exit door.
These three are cautionary tales that big name players cant just be thrown in to a job just because of their reputations or who they are. In the case of Maradona its a matter of heart ruling the head at the Argentina FA and maybe now some of those officials may regret appointing the little man.

• FIFA have gone totally mad

September 30th, 2009

It is officially true, FIFA have gone totally mad. The FIFA medical chief, Michael D’Hooghe, has said Referees should show more red cards to help curb violent play.
Riches
He also went on to make a link between violent play and the financial riches on offer to players. He produced a DVD of some of football’s worst tackles in recent years to show the delegates at the FIFA medical congress.
“We see more violent fouls over the whole world, as games gain in financial importance. Some of the fouls send shivers down your spine. We see more violent fouls over the whole world. The referees have the key. They are the only ones who can impose an immediate sanction. They do not do it often enough and there is a lack of uniformity.”
He also criticised the actions of managers and coaches, who he believes may be ’hyping’ the players up too much.
“The stakes are so high I question the role of some coaches. In what frame of mind do they send out their players?”
The type of cases that D’Hooghe is talking about are thankfully fairly rare. In the 2002 World Cup twelve players received facial injuries as a result of use of the elbow. FIFA instructed referees to clamp down on it and they did. If a player deliberately uses his elbow, he is sent-off.
Injuries
It is within the domestic leagues that the most high-profile injuries occur due to foul play. In August, Standard Liege’s Axel Witsel broke both bones in the right leg of Polish international defender Marcin Wasilewski in a match against Anderlecht in Belgium.
Wasilewski has begun legal proceedings for damages, while Witsel was banned until late November.
If you have seen that tackle, you will know what an absolute horror show it was. However, the player had been banned for a lengthy spell and legal proceedings are going on, so the matter has been dealt with.
Notorious
In England, the most notorious case was in February 2008, when Birmingham’s Martin Taylor fouled Arsenal’s Eduardo causing a broken leg and ankle dislocation. Taylor was red carded and banned for three games. The matter was dealt with.
D’Hooghe has written to Fifa’s referees committee chief, Angel Villar, to express his concerns.
Of course D’Hooghe is right to condemn violent play but he is surely over-reacting to what is anly a minor problem. Anyone who is old enough to remember football from the 1970s will know that the game is a million times less violent now than it was then. There is simply no comparison.
Tackles
In those days there were fist fights on and off the ball, head butts, and some truly dreadful career threatening tackles, particularly from behind. All of those things were rarely punished by more than a telling off from the referee. It was a different game and to suggest that the modern day game is too violent is to ignore the history of the game and the excellent progress that has been made.
As long as referees continue to award red cards for violent play and the authorities back the referee with appropriate bans, then I see absolutely no problem within our game.
Thank you for your observations Mr D’Hooghe but you have exaggerated a problem that largely doesn’t exist. Not very helpful.

• Ronaldo says will be ready for Portuguese call

October 5th, 2009

Cristiano Ronaldo said Monday he was ready to answer the call for Portugal in Saturday’s crucial World Cup qualifier at home to Hungary after missing Real Madrid’s first Liga loss of the season at Seville with an ankle injury.

“I have recovered well. We’ll see how things go but I think I’ll be fine come Saturday,” Ronaldo said on arriving at Obidos, where the squad are preparing for a match which will go some way to deciding if they can snatch a playoff place after a poor showing in Group One.

The Portuguese currently stand third – five points behind leaders Denmark and two adrift of Sweden, while Hungary are level on points with Carlos Queiroz’s side, rendering a win imperative ahead of an expected three easy points in their final game against Malta.

The Swedes have a tough encounter away to the Danes on Saturday.

“These are decisive matches which we must win,” observed Ronaldo, who said that team spirit was “fantastic” despite his country’s irregular showing to date.

But he warned: “If we don’t believe we can do it (qualify) then it’s not worth showing up for the national side.”

Ronaldo insisted that the Hungarians were there for the taking.

“They are a physically strong team, but if Portugal play normally they will – and must – win.”