If YOU could change the Rules of Football?

[ceefoo]

We all love football. If not then: What the hell are you doing here?

The greatest sport in the world has gone through many changes throughout its history. Most notably: Substitutions, Offsides, Back-passes and the Two-footed tackle have contributed to radical changes since the first rule book was written by The Football Association in 1863. Some, that have improved the game, and some that aren't ideal. So as it is off-season, it got me thinking... :eusa_think:

If you could change anything about football. What would it be?

I haven't included ticket prices as it's something I'm sure we all agree on and I'm focusing on the game itself rather than the administrative aspect.

There are no limits on the your number of votes. And if you support some of the proposals, but only under certain conditions, tell us what they are? e.g. You may want to make the goals bigger, but only by a foot higher.

Additions to poll sentences:

Q4. e.g. 30 minutes (playing time) each half.
Q7. or set maximum period.
Q8. regardless of where the offense occurred.
Q11. (Could reduce the number of players per side)
Q12. A Penalty IS a goal scoring opportunity.

OR something other. Tell us what?

 

[ceefoo]

The poll now has multiple choice answers. Sorry for the inconvenience guys.

Thanks Flavia and XaviMessiGirl.

 

[Flavia]

I voted for:
Video replays for officials. Referrals for clarification.
Challenge system for "incorrect" decisions. Set number of challenges each team, per match.
Retrospective punishment. A citing panel for post match disciplinary.
Foul-count. Amber Card, to reduce tactical fouls. (e.g. 15 mins Sinbin for persitant minor fouls)
Players guilty of directly injuring an opponent should be banned for as long as victim is out.

 

[raskolnikov]

Yeah I pick the away goals in extra time and video replays.

Anyone prefer the old golden goal system over the current extra time by the way?

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

Video replays/challenges - I know there are arguments against such technology in football & I can understand them, but refs seem to have gotten worse over the years & something needs to be done. It can also help get rid of potential ref bias or matchfixing involving refs.

Retroactive punishment - hell yes. Also works the other way, getting rid of a card or ban if they were judged to not have committed a harsh enough offense. This already kind of exists I guess, because you can appeal the length of a ban for example but it should be more prevalent.

No away goals in extra time - I'm on the fence about this but I voted it anyway, because I wouldn't mind seeing it gone. On the one hand it gives the team that plays away second an advantage because they get 120 minutes to score an away goal. But on the other hand the home team gets 120 min to score at home. So it depends on whether or not you think that evens out. Personally I lean a little more towards the away team having a bit more of an advantage with this current system.

Also, this wasn't an option in the poll but I think they should allow an extra substitution per team in the case of extra time, to prevent too much exhaustion. There are some players that are just not cut to play 120 min & this would give them a chance to be subbed out.

And then of course I have plenty to say about administrative/financial things but like you said this isn't the thread for that so I won't include these things.

 

[AvocadoCake]

A freekick awarded from the D (edge of box), if a player is adjudged to have dived or time-wasted.

YES! It's about time teams are punished when their players cheat, not just the players themselves. Just watch how coaches start telling the players to not cheat.

Penalty awarded for shirt pull in the box. Even if it means giving 10 in a match.

Thing is, this won't lead to 10 in a match, it will stop the shirt pulling. Maybe at the start we'll see more penalties, but you think John Terry will keep pulling on shirts after he gives away 2 penalties and gets 2 yellows for shirt pulling in the first 45 minutes after this rule is made? I don't.

 

[Semi-Neutral]

Thing is, this won't lead to 10 in a match, it will stop the shirt pulling. Maybe at the start we'll see more penalties, but you think John Terry will keep pulling on shirts after he gives away 2 penalties and gets 2 yellows for shirt pulling in the first 45 minutes after this rule is made? I don't.

...

I think that's the point...

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

Punishing diving like that would be a good thing but what if the ref gets it wrong, it could potentially just be another way for a team to get screwed over by the ref. I would be in favor of it though if something else like the video replay was also put in place.

 

[BerkeleyBernie]

I'd like to see some kind of "team foul" cumulative system like in basketball. Too easy for cynical tactics to stop free-flowing games, which tends to reward weaker teams. Should result in more open games.

Retrospective review, especially to discipline dirty play off-the-ball. Same reason as above.

While not eliminating penalty shootouts, could make them more skill-based by giving the keepers more of a chance to block other than a lucky guess. Have the spot further back. Move spot closer after 5-5 (to present location).

 

[Faceless]

Video replays definitely needs to be accepted then people can stop complaining about unfairness

 

[Wouterinho]

I went for the retrospective punishment. It's already being used in Belgium and it should be implemented all over the world imo.

 

[Banana-Rama]

i would increase the number of players in a team to 12, and get rid of the offside trap, more goals and entertainment, also when a red card is shown to a player the manager of the opposition team gets to choose which player has to leave the field, it would make players more careful to avoid red cards...

 

[XaviMessiGirl]

i would increase the number of players in a team to 12, and get rid of the offside trap, more goals and entertainment, also when a red card is shown to a player the manager of the opposition team gets to choose which player has to leave the field, it would make players more careful to avoid red cards...

What's the reasoning behind putting an extra player on the pitch? And personally I could never get behind the opposing team getting to choose who gets sent off, as it punishes people who didn't do anything wrong.

 

[Banana-Rama]

What's the reasoning behind putting an extra player on the pitch? And personally I could never get behind the opposing team getting to choose who gets sent off, as it punishes people who didn't do anything wrong.

football is a team sport, a red card punishes the team not the individual, players would be forced to take greater responsibility if they knew one of there team-mates and the teams best player could go off instead of themselves, as for the extra man, i just think it would make football more entertaining and would open numerous new tactical possibilities, it would be the end of teams playing one up front and packing midfield...

 

[Semi-Neutral]

it would be the end of teams playing one up front and packing midfield...

Why?

And the red card thing you proposed might work if the referees were always right in handing out reds, but if they're wrong, it could screw over the other team even more.