FIFA’s latest idea

[gandhisflipflop]

According to Munro Deportivo, fifa are reportedly trying out a new system for football.

- 2 x 30 min halves
- clock stops when the ball leaves the pitch
- unlimited subs
- kick ins (to replace throw ins)
- 5 min sun bin for a yellow card.


I don’t know about anyone else but I have had enough with powerful people in football suggesting crack pot ideas and the very fact that there are people in the game that think this is a good idea is frightening. At what point do fans and genuine football people say enough is enough? There seems to be stupid rule changes every year in recent years and not for the better (the keeping the flag down for offsides for example). The can is continued to be being kicked down the road without repercussions from the super league fall out (Real and Barca are yet to pull out) and it has ruined what was once a great product.

[Devils_Advocate]

They all seem reasonable ideas to trial and test but I think they've missed a trick by not removing heading from the game as part of this pilot

[RammyClaret61]

Scrap goalkeepers and let nearest to goal save the ball. 4 points for a goal, 1 point for hitting the bar or post.
Stop the clock on every whistle for at least 30 seconds for an ad break.

[taio]

Unlimited subs would be a disaster

[Rowls]

I'd like there to be an organ rising up from below pitch level at either goal end.

I'd also like to be able to buy nachos at football and drink a cold bud whilst I'm at the match.

[BenWickes]

I think the clock stopping is a good idea. Works well in rugby and we all know how long we have left, not some random extra 6 minutes added for no reason whatsoever.
Sin bin is a good idea too.
Respecting the referee's decision but would be nice too.

[StuffyClaret]

I like the idea of kick-ins. I have often thought that the throw-in, which is meant to offer the team throwing in an advantage has actually in many cases offered the opposite. I remember that for many years, the quality of our own throw-ins were awful and more often than not resulted in the opposing team retaining possession.

[Rileybobs]

I like the idea of kick-ins. I have often thought that the throw-in, which is meant to offer the team throwing in an advantage has actually in many cases offered the opposite. I remember that for many years, the quality of our own throw-ins were awful and more often than not resulted in the opposing team retaining possession.

The problem being the number of throw ins which will be treated as an attacking free kick or corner and the time this will take as teams send their centre backs up into the box.

[taio]

Kick-ins would be a disaster too. Ball just constantly being launched.

[StuffyClaret]

The problem being the number of throw ins which will be treated as an attacking free kick or corner and the time this will take as teams send their centre backs up into the box.

Fair point Rileybobs...Maybe defensive (in own half) throw-ins can be treated as kick-ins. Maybe that is overcomplicating things. It is however, something I have felt to be a reasonable rule change for a long time though.

[bodge]

The phrase that applies here is killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

[martin_p]

I suspect this will come to nothing.

[duncandisorderly]

The problem being the number of throw ins which will be treated as an attacking free kick or corner and the time this will take as teams send their centre backs up into the box.

Mitigated by the proposed 30 minute ball in play halves.

[taio]

Fair point Rileybobs...Maybe defensive (in own half) throw-ins can be treated as kick-ins. Maybe that is overcomplicating things. It is however, something I have felt to be a reasonable rule change for a long time though.

It would be awful. Imagine a team pressing and showing huge attacking intent. The ball goes out of play deep in the opposition's half and they simply have the option of launching it sixty yards to take the pressure off. In that situation the attacking team has earned the right to try to hem the other team in. They shouldn't try to fix something that's isn't broken.

[chekhov]

Another good idea would be opposing players retreating 10 yards at free kicks.
The laws at the moment appear to allow a player to impede the free kick taker by standing right in front of the ball.

[Rileybobs]

Mitigated by the proposed 30 minute ball in play halves.

That only mitigates time lost. I’m talking about the flow of the game which it would have a terrible impact on.

[gandhisflipflop]

How about sticking with the original format that has served football well over many many decades?

[Terrier]

Why is our national game still called football surely soccer
sounds better to the powers that want to take OUR game over!

[Leisure]

They shouldn't try to fix something that's isn't broken.

But isn't that just par for the course. Change gives the illusion of progress whilst creating confusion, inefficiency and demoralisation!

[Colburn_Claret]

Why fix what isn't broken.
FIFA and EUFA have some very strange ideas for changing the game, all based on gaining importance rather than improving the game. Just as the big 6 would welcome things like shorter matches or unlimited subs, in order to concentrale on milking the cow of European competition, the knock on effect on domestic leagues would be just as harmful as the ESL.

[Billy Balfour]

FIFA should bring in smaller balls, and you have to hit them into a hole with a stick thing, maybe have 18 of these holes and your team can take as long as they like. The winning team will be the one who has taken fewer shots to complete the course.

[Milltown1882]

Having paid for the privilege of seeing the ball in play for about 20 minutes at Cardiff away the other year I’m fully on board with the idea of the clock being stopped when the balls out of play.

[Devils_Advocate]

Just leave the experts to it. Game has progressed massively in the last 30 years thanks to the astute changes the governing bodies have introduced so I welcome these trials and look forward to enjoying the ones that test successfully

[Devils_Advocate]

Having paid for the privilege of seeing the ball in play for about 20 minutes at Cardiff away the other year I’m fully on board with the idea of the clock being stopped when the balls out of play.

If what you say is accurate we can look forward to 6 or 7 hour games

[taio]

Just leave the experts to it. Game has progressed massively in the last 30 years thanks to the astute changes the governing bodies have introduced so I welcome these trials and look forward to enjoying the ones that test successfully

Which astute changes are comparable to kick-ins and unlimited subs?

[Devils_Advocate]

Which astute changes are comparable to kick-ins and unlimited subs?

Its a trial, lets wait and see what changes they implement before criticising

[Terrier]

Don't bite

[taio]

Its a trial, lets wait and see what changes they implement before criticising

I'm comfortable with giving an opinion beforehand in response to the opening post - it's sort of what this messageboard is about. But I don't for a moment think unlimited subs and kick-ins will happen because it would be ludicrous.

[Devils_Advocate]

I'm comfortable with giving an opinion beforehand in response to the opening post - it's sort of what this messageboard is about. But I don't for a moment think unlimited subs and kick-ins will happen because it would be ludicrous.

I agree

[tiger76]

Taking them in order.

- 2 x 30 min halves-

Can't see this one happening long term, and it sounds suspiciously like a TV friendly invention.

- clock stops when the ball leaves the pitch-

No issues with this one whatsoever, and many other sports have precisely this system in operation and it functions perfectly well.

- unlimited subs

A big no no to this bonkers idea for me, and this sounds suspiciously like pandering to the bigger clubs with the deeper squads.

- kick ins (to replace throw ins)

This one isn't actually new I don't know when the kick-in rule was changed, but at one time this was allowed in the game.

On balance I'd reject this one, but I'm willing to wait and see what the trials throw up.

- 5 min sun bin for a yellow card.

Excellent suggestion, and once again the sin bin system is used to great effect in other sports.

So the 2 that I can see having legs are the stopped clock, and the sin bin idea, and neither would be that hard to incorporate into the game.

[claret2018]

I’d like them to shake up the domestic cup competitions- lower league teams start with a goal advantage that corresponds to the number of leagues they are below the opposition.

[Rileybobs]

Taking them in order.

- 2 x 30 min halves-

Can't see this one happening long term, and it sounds suspiciously like a TV friendly invention.

- clock stops when the ball leaves the pitch-

No issues with this one whatsoever, and many other sports have precisely this system in operation and it functions perfectly well.

- unlimited subs

A big no no to this bonkers idea for me, and this sounds suspiciously like pandering to the bigger clubs with the deeper squads.

- kick ins (to replace throw ins)

This one isn't actually new I don't know when the kick-in rule was changed, but at one time this was allowed in the game.

On balance I'd reject this one, but I'm willing to wait and see what the trials throw up.

- 5 min sun bin for a yellow card.

Excellent suggestion, and once again the sin bin system is used to great effect in other sports.

So the 2 that I can see having legs are the stopped clock, and the sin bin idea, and neither would be that hard to incorporate into the game.

The issue is that you can’t feasibly bring in a stop clock and retain 45 minutes per half as games would run for much longer. The two proposals only work in tandem with each other.

[Chester Perry]

All those ideas have been bouncing around at FIFA for a very long time

[superdimitri]

I like a few of the rules. Unlimited subs would mean there could be worth in keeping some older players. Works very well in ice hockey where players can play into their 40s. But the real two good uns are sin bins and stopping the clock.

Compared to other sports I find the rules of the current game out of date. Could be a good thing having some change.

[tarkys_ears]

Two 30 min halves and the clock stopping would be a good idea.

It'd still last exactly the same amount of time but clamp down on time wasting/injury feigning cheating.

Rolling subs sounds awesome, send the enforcers on when the oppo are on the attack - but how would cards work, you'd hardly ever be a man down - just take em off for the rest of the game if they came on to literally get booked, maybe a 2 yellow suspension for a game?

A few of the outlying problems with football need sorting out - the kick-in idea is defo a non starter.

[Woodleyclaret]

How about a return to flagging as a player goes offside.Scrap VAR. Penalise shirt pulling with a yellow card
Penalise foul throws with a free kick
Book players who block the taking of free kicks
Ensure there's enough paint in the free kick spray can and actually insist the wall is 10 yards from the kicker
Use a hooter to blow on 45 and 90 mins as in Rugby
Withdraw from UEFA

[Spijed]

I think the best idea is leave it as it is. Although not perfect it still remains the most popular sport after 133 years or so.

Will people be happy for countless advert breaks when the clock stops, as that will be what happens?

Games will ultimately take far longer to finish if TV companies insist on having a short ad break when the ball goes out of play. When money talks they will get their way.

[elwaclaret]

It was a Micky taking advert for Budweiser (I think)… keeps being ‘rebranded’ to try to create a scare in football… like some of those on here are so fond of. I don’t understand misinformation being funny, but others obviously find it hilarious

[tiger76]

I think the best idea is leave it as it is. Although not perfect it still remains the most popular sport after 133 years or so.

Will people be happy for countless advert breaks when the clock stops, as that will be what happens?

Games will ultimately take far longer to finish if TV companies insist on having a short ad break when the ball goes out of play. When money talks they will get their way.

That's my biggest worry. it'll end up like many American sports with constant stoppages for a variety of different things, and it's fine stopping the clock, but if the flow of the game is interrupted every minute or so we'll lose the essence of what makes football special, I know that other sports especially cricket and rugby union have a stop/start nature to them, but that's because of the way they're structured, and fans of those particular sports are used to the various stoppages in play, however by and large football isn't supposed to be a stop/start game, and if we lose what makes football special we'll just further alienate the hardcore fanbase.

I'm not against some of these proposals, if they're being proposed for the right reasons, and not due to outside pressures from broadcasters and others to simply milk the cash cow that football has now become.

For example the back pass rule where the keepers can't now pick up the ball and waste 30 seconds before clearing it is a good rule change designed to keep the game flowing where possible.

Ditto the spray that referees now use to mark the 10 yard line for a free kick, generally this rule is now obeyed, where in the past many teams would try and sneak their wall or defending player closer to the free kick taker.

That's just 2 examples I can recall that have immensely improved the game, and now are accepted as par for the course, so not all rule changes are necessarily bad for the game.

[fatboy47]

All supporters under 70 years old to be given a raffle ticket to be drawn before kick off. 2 winners for each side both play 45 minutes each.

[yTib]

these days when there's a 'foul' anywhere near the box the whole game just shuts down, sometimes for longer than 2 minutes, whilst the play is set up and the referee wags his finger a lot.

kick-ins would just compound this obvious interruption of the game we want to watch.

and i wonder on a scale of 1-10 how entertaining devils advocate finds himself. i'm guessing 11.

[Volvoclaret]

Not radical enough. Make it one touch football and all players wear helmets to mitigate brain damage? sorted.

[Sausage]

In fairness to Devil's Advocate, there have been some astute changes over the years. A few examples:

Introduction of the backpass rule
Offside amended so that level is onside not offside
Changes to the interpretation of the 'interfering' rule in offsides

Although not a change to the rules, the introduction of goal-line technology is also welcome, as is the clampdown on goalkeepers leaving their goal line before a penalty is taken. If there's one thing I'd change next, it'd be banning the faltering run-up when taking a penalty.

[Bosscat]

In fairness to Devil's Advocate, there have been some astute changes over the years. A few examples:

Introduction of the backpass rule
*Offside amended so that level is onside not offside
Changes to the interpretation of the 'interfering' rule in offsides

Although not a change to the rules, the introduction of goal-line technology is also welcome, as is the clampdown on goalkeepers leaving their goal line before a penalty is taken. If there's one thing I'd change next, it'd be banning the faltering run-up when taking a penalty.

*Which VAR is doing its damndest to destroy with the 1mm offside rule aka the 'toenail' or 'Armpit' rule

[Devils_Advocate]

In fairness to Devil's Advocate, there have been some astute changes over the years. A few examples:

Introduction of the backpass rule
Offside amended so that level is onside not offside
Changes to the interpretation of the 'interfering' rule in offsides

Although not a change to the rules, the introduction of goal-line technology is also welcome, as is the clampdown on goalkeepers leaving their goal line before a penalty is taken. If there's one thing I'd change next, it'd be banning the faltering run-up when taking a penalty.

Plus the changes to the rules around tackling which means good skilful players aren't kicked out of the game and defenders have to defend properly and not just kick lumps out of the opposition. The technical standard of football would be nothing like it is today if defenders could get away with what they did in the 70's and 80's

[KRBFC]

I don't know who comes up with this nonsense but they must not watch football. Probably some rich American NBA fan. Kick in instead of a throw in? every throw in turns into a corner kick

[KRBFC]

Imagine yellow card sin bins with Mike Dean as referee, it would quickly turn to 7v6 and stopping the clock when the whistle is blown? the game would never end