Howard Webb has accidentally set off a can of the new vanishing spray, designed to cease defenders at the World Cup encroaching at free-kicks, much to the amusement of his fellow referees.
"You ought to be nice with that," Australian whistler Ben Williams jokes along with his English colleague, a former policeman. "It's like pulling a can of Mace.รข��
"It's the first time I have used it," chuckles Webb as Fifa's team of referees for Brazil 2014 cease their exercise to mockingly applaud him.
The Premier League referee, who issued 14 yellow cards, & reds, in the 2010 World Cup final between Germany & the Netherlands, quickly gets to grip with a new device that is likely to attract as much attention as goal-line know-how in Brazil.
Used for several years in Brazil & Argentina for domestic footy, it was trialled at international level in the coursework of last summer's Under-20 World Cup, & also featured at the Club World Cup last December.
"You spray a circle around the ball & a line ten yards [9.15m] away for the defenders," explains Webb as he demonstrates the way it is meant to be completed moments later.
"It will assist us in getting the players back at a free-kick &, in turn, that gives the attacking team a better opportunity of generating something from that set-piece."
Webb believes that with defenders no longer able to creep closer to free-kick takers, the spray "could lead to more goals from free-kicks" at this World Cup.
That point is underlined as the referees start their session & the first free-kick taken with the defenders standing behind the spray curls in to the top corner. "Just like Pirlo," Webb smiles, in reference to Italian midfielder Andrea.
The 42-year-old official is making his debut with the new spray can, which referees will hook in to a holster on their shorts, but a quantity of his colleagues have used it before, & think it will show popular.
"You ought to be nice with that," Australian whistler Ben Williams jokes along with his English colleague, a former policeman. "It's like pulling a can of Mace.รข��
"It's the first time I have used it," chuckles Webb as Fifa's team of referees for Brazil 2014 cease their exercise to mockingly applaud him.
The Premier League referee, who issued 14 yellow cards, & reds, in the 2010 World Cup final between Germany & the Netherlands, quickly gets to grip with a new device that is likely to attract as much attention as goal-line know-how in Brazil.
Used for several years in Brazil & Argentina for domestic footy, it was trialled at international level in the coursework of last summer's Under-20 World Cup, & also featured at the Club World Cup last December.
"You spray a circle around the ball & a line ten yards [9.15m] away for the defenders," explains Webb as he demonstrates the way it is meant to be completed moments later.
"It will assist us in getting the players back at a free-kick &, in turn, that gives the attacking team a better opportunity of generating something from that set-piece."
Webb believes that with defenders no longer able to creep closer to free-kick takers, the spray "could lead to more goals from free-kicks" at this World Cup.
That point is underlined as the referees start their session & the first free-kick taken with the defenders standing behind the spray curls in to the top corner. "Just like Pirlo," Webb smiles, in reference to Italian midfielder Andrea.
The 42-year-old official is making his debut with the new spray can, which referees will hook in to a holster on their shorts, but a quantity of his colleagues have used it before, & think it will show popular.
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