If YOU could change the Rules of Football?

Semi-Neutral said:

5-6-1

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thats 12 outfield players, i think you mean 4-6-1, i cannot see teams playing 6 in midfield, thats overkill, it would be too crowded in the middle...

I was joking but isn't that what they're trying to do?

First of all, for me most annoying rule/punishment is a yellow card for taking the jersey off when celebrating the goal. This rule doesn't have anything to do with football itself, but is attempt to control advisement policy. (I think).

Another problem is that, this rule is to harsh, especially when we compare it with other yellow card offences. (For example, Villa's braking a leg. Was that a yellow card foul?) It can easily happened that referee miss to show yellow card for such foul, but they never forget to show card for jersey off.

If Iniesta had a yellow card earlier in WC final, we wouldn't have never seen his (now historic) undershirt message.

Independant time-keeper. Stop the clock each time there is a stoppage in play

Also, more important, do away with Penalty Shootout. My recommendation: Elimination mode (sort of) that starts with extra time combined with Golden Goal : ET is basically open-ended, but every two minutes or so, one player from each team has to leave the pitch till one team scores and wins. The minimum number of players would be 4 vs 4 though, so it wouldn't come down to keeper vs keeper or something like that.

Adnan said:

First of all, for me most annoying rule/punishment is a yellow card for taking the jersey off when celebrating the goal. This rule doesn't have anything to do with football itself, but is attempt to control advisement policy. (I think).

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Yeah, they call it "excessive celebrating" but I have a feeling that it's so all the photos taken during the celebration show the shirt sponsor. I mean you even see yellows for just lifting up your shirt to show a message so it's not that taking off your shirt wastes too much time. Also, you see some players run into the stands to celebrate (which takes longer than taking off/putting on your shirt, or shorts if you're Vucinic) & a lot of the time they get nothing. So "excessive celebrating" excuse is bull.


Besides, who needs shirts anyway

Adnan said:

First of all, for me most annoying rule/punishment is a yellow card for taking the jersey off when celebrating the goal. This rule doesn't have anything to do with football itself, but is attempt to control advisement policy. (I think).

Another problem is that, this rule is to harsh, especially when we compare it with other yellow card offences. (For example, Villa's braking a leg. Was that a yellow card foul?) It can easily happened that referee miss to show yellow card for such foul, but they never forget to show card for jersey off.

If Iniesta had a yellow card earlier in WC final, we wouldn't have never seen his (now historic) undershirt message.

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IIRC, this rule was introduced as a result of a game involving Diego Forlan, when he was at Manchester United. When he signed, there was a lot of anticipation to perform but he got off to a slow start (understatement) and he couldn't hit a cows backside with a banjo for what seemed like forever.
Anyway, when the moment finally arrived and he eventually found the onion-bag, he was understandably quite jubilant and decided to celebrate by removing his jersey. In doing so he managed to get it turned inside out and tangled up and he took AGES to put it back on, which meant that the referee had to significantly delay the restart until he was properly dressed. I believe that was the final straw for FIFA and they decided enough was enough and imposed the yellow card punishment.

Funny thing is; It still doesn't stop players from taking their shirts off.

@ceefoo, @xavimessigirl:

I remember Forlan in that game. But, as much as I remember, Forlan needed to go out of the play, to put his jersey on again, while referee continued with the game. (And it would be more fair thing to do than a yellow card). So, I can't really believe that Forlan was the trigger for this rule to be introduced.

As you mentioned it, there's more "excessive" way to celebrate the goal then taking the jersey off. Like celebrating with supporters, choreographed celebrations, or dancing (like Thiago and Alves for example )

I still think the real reason is advertisement control (what ever they say). I remember Messi and Villa had to pay money for showing message on there undershirts, but I am not sure if Alexis was punished for showing his (te amo mama) shirt.

So, maybe fair punishment would be, to take a player 2min. out of the game, for celebrating goal this way (something like a handball rule). Or, 5 "excessive celebrations", 1 game ban (as stupid as it sounds). And, if there's an evidence of advertising, post match punishment could be introduced. But definitely it shouldn't influenced the game it self, for such a silly "offences". (While at the same time players are getting same punishment or less for much harder offences).

In my view, this unnecessary rule, if not canceled altogether, it should be heavily modified.

Which brings me to my another troubled rule.

After all substitutions are made, if player got fouled and injured, the team has to play the rest of the game with a player less. This seems as such disadvantage, while player who committed foul, continue to play. Sometimes couch force the injured player to play, making a player risk his health even more.

This rule should be looked into more carefully. How to remove this (dis)advantages? By taking 1 player out from opponent team? Or to allow 4th substitution? I am aware of possible new problems, for example, players faking injuries etc. But, anyway, something should be done with this.

And my last rules issue. "The away goal rule".

It's obvious even at knock out draw that the 2nd game at home is advantage. Teams adjust there strategies according to this rule. So, obviously, something is wrong here. One team has an advantage even before game is played.

But, if rule is there to stay, (although I think it should be change entirely), one thing should be changed for sure. And that is to cancel the rule at extra time.
Games are played 2x90min, and since there's no possibility of extra time in the first game, in the second game, (in the case of extra time), game should start with 0-0 score (same as the penalty shootout rule). Without possibility of away goal advantage.

(In this way, I see extra time as, let say, sort of a third game.)

Adnan said:

Which brings me to my another troubled rule.

After all substitutions are made, if player got fouled and injured, the team has to play the rest of the game with a player less. This seems as such disadvantage, while player who committed foul, continue to play. Sometimes couch force the injured player to play, making a player risk his health even more.

This rule should be looked into more carefully. How to remove this (dis)advantages? By taking 1 player out from opponent team? Or to allow 4th substitution? I am aware of possible new problems, for example, players faking injuries etc. But, anyway, something should be done with this.

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If you allow a substitution or a player from the opposite side needing to go out you will definitely have teams faking an injury to get an advantage

raskolnikov said:

If you allow a substitution or a player from the opposite side needing to go out you will definitely have teams faking an injury to get an advantage

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Yes. I am aware of possible misusing of that rule. But, my original problem still remains. What about a team which has to play part of the game without injured player? That's why I think this rule should be looked more closely. I've been thinking of this rule for some time now, and I couldn't think of fair measure for the advanced team (in this case).

Nevertheless, I've seen it to many times, team loosing advantage only because opposition has a butcher who gets away with yellow card by sidelining a player. It is like a buying a red card for opposition player with a cheap yellow card (in some cases not even that much). If a player knows, by injuring another player would sideline him/her too, they will probably take that into consideration.

Btw. many rules get misused, for example, "missing next match/yellow card" rule, and I don't see FIFA/UEFA being concerned with it at all. Financial punishments are useless, since big clubs probably pay more money for wine and cheese in VIP areas.
Missing 3 or 4 matches, if proven that this rule was misused, would be more appropriate.

re: Bookings for removing jersey

Adnan said:

In my view, this unnecessary rule, if not canceled altogether, it should be heavily modified.

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My solution would be to not allow the offending player to re-enter the field until after kick-off when there is a stoppage in play. It would mean that the game is not held up, and the team that has just scored would have a disadvantage of temporarily having to play with a man less. Coaches would soon clamp down on it.

Adnan said:

After all substitutions are made, if player got fouled and injured, the team has to play the rest of the game with a player less. This seems as such disadvantage, while player who committed foul, continue to play. Sometimes couch force the injured player to play, making a player risk his health even more.

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It's something that I also think is very unfair, but as you mentioned, would be very hard to rectify without dishonest coaches/players abusing it.

Example 1. El Clasico: Messi makes a tackle on Arbeloa (unlikely I know but stay with me here), and the ref calls a foul. Arbeloa pretends to be injured and goes off on a stretcher. He signals that he cannot continue, so the ref removes Messi for the remainder of the game. Barca lose their best player, and Real Madrid lose their "worst".

Example 2. Teams would use it as a way to bring on fresher players when they have used all their subs by getting them to pretend they are hurt when they get fouled.

One of my 3 biggest annoyances with football is when a player is sent off for a foul in the penalty area which stops a goal-scoring opportunity.

This rule, IMO, was brought in to try to stop the professional foul where a last defender brings down a player who would have been through on goal for a goal-scoring opportunity. Here, a free kick from where the foul is committed is not enough, because the attacking team may have scored. Hence the sending off.

BUT, if it takes place inside the penalty area, the punishment IS a penalty, a goal-scoring opportunity. The defending team should not be punished twice by having the player sent off also

Secondly, i hate to see Gks STILL jumping forward when facing a pernalty kick. The new rule states that they can move across the goal-line but not advance off it. The number of times a GK jumps forward then dives and saves the penalty is still high. The linesman on the goal-line - who is put there specifically to watch the keeper doesnt advance (as well as the ball crossing the line) - IS NOT doing his job.

Thirdly, the defenders holding/pulling shirts/blocking off runs when facing a corner. Refs should stamp all over this. Teams will soon realise when scores are 5-4, 6-6 etc with 8 or 9 penalties a game that this practice is NOT ON! Fans pay to see goal mouth action/goals...not 2 grown men wrestling each other - there's the WWE for that!

Just my opinion.

ceefoo said:

Example 1. El Clasico: Messi makes a tackle on Arbeloa (unlikely I know but stay with me here), and the ref calls a foul. Arbeloa pretends to be injured and goes off on a stretcher. He signals that he cannot continue, so the ref removes Messi for the remainder of the game. Barca lose their best player, and Real Madrid lose their "worst".

Example 2. Teams would use it as a way to bring on fresher players when they have used all their subs by getting them to pretend they are hurt when they get fouled.

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Funny. I wanted to use the same example with the same players. Arbeloa really lost respect. Hahaha. But, let's say, Arbeloa tackles Messi by first touching the ball and knowing that Messi could end up injured. He does it anyway, because he knows LM would be out of the game. In this scenario, I see a "red card" for Messi and nothing for Arbeloa. And this happens a lot in today's games.

So, what would be possible fair solution for this problem? Or do you think that sidelining opposition player, who can't be replaced, is sort of ok (as the rule stand as it is). For example, if keeper can't continue, they have to find replacement for him in the team on the pitch. Because of necessity they had to find a solution.

It's a hard one to resolve. I would like to hear more ideas how this rule could be changed. 4th sub or taking "foulie" out of the game (obviously) aren't good solutions.

0n0mat0p0eia said:

Thirdly, the defenders holding/pulling shirts/blocking off runs when facing a corner. Refs should stamp all over this. Teams will soon realise when scores are 5-4, 6-6 etc with 8 or 9 penalties a game that this practice is NOT ON! Fans pay to see goal mouth action/goals...not 2 grown men wrestling each other - there's the WWE for that!

Just my opinion.

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@0n0mat0p0eia:

I never understood it how those rules are implemented. In such a jam in the keepers area, most of the time I question referees ability to judge fairly. Especially because they tempt to give far more "attacking fouls" rather than a penalty.

Maybe no player (except the keeper) should be allowed in 5 meters area during corner kicks or free kicks, before the ball was touched. (Similar to the penalty rule).