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My memory might be at fault here but not so long ago wasn't a law introduced where an opposing player must immediately retreat ten(?) yards from where a free-kick is being taken? If I am right can anybody tell me the last time they saw this rule enforced? Referees seem to be either unaware of it or ignore it so what would happen if the player taking the kick quickly booted it into an enemy player who hadn't retreated? My bet is that in a lower league game the ignorant lower league ref would say the kicker should have politely waited.Originally Posted by 51Magpie
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Yeah, inevitable.
And another thing factoring into that is that the modern spectator has less and less patience, shorter attention spans, and many other things to do with their time. Football will be forced into improving its product or face losing out to other sports or other pastimes.
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There are already rules punishing anyone nobbling opponents. The incentive is there to not go looking for a booking.
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Just to play devil's advocate, do we really need games going on for 110 minutes? (Most of my years watching Notts have been spent imploring the ref to blow for full-time!) Yes, teams time waste, but every single club does it when it suits them - it's just part of the game. And given the athleticism in the modern game, aren't we just going to tire players out quicker and risk more injuries by making them play, say, 20 minutes more per game?
If we were to make fundamental changes to the game, I'd prefer something that encourages teams to score more goals - like with the points system in rugby union where you're awarded more points for the more points you score in a game. That said, I'm fine with the game as it is - especially as we don't need to worry about VAR at our level.
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If young people have shorter attention spans these days and the average age of spectators is increasing, then probably not.
Unless the ref has blown for a foul or to stop play over a clash of heads/a nasty accident, it's very rare that a player is going to be injured badly enough to not be able to get himself off the pitch to get treatment, so I think there needs to be an incentive for players to do just that and a more meaningful forfeit for those that go down pretending or exaggerating.
If a player goes down or stays down of his own accord then he should be immediately stretchered off, receive treatment off the pitch and then not be allowed back on for 5 minutes. If he's genuinely injured then he can be subbed straight away.
With that rule, there would be some injustices, but overall you'd wipe out a lot of the timewasting for the good of the game.
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Oh anticlough, normally one of my favourite posters but your labelling a football match as 'a product' is an Americanisation of the most repulsive type. It's an attitude that brings in yankee and Middle Eastern investment.
A product is something you make with intent towards achieving something that people buy. The entire product is shaped and styled towards an intended conclusion.
Football is an art form that cannot be controlled in that way ... unless the result was planned from the outset.
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I don't share your kneejerk automatic dislike of things 'american', I'll take each case on its merits...
You will know perfectly well what I mean - product in the sense of end result, 'offering', when you pay to watch a 'professional' game of football. Clue is in the 'professional' there. As for 'art form', we don't often see that, but we're doing the best job in years this season.
I know too many people who used to like football but lost interest completely, not because of the 'commercialisation' but because 'the product' wasn't interesting enough for them - too much of the dark arts, not enough art.
All that aside, please continue to think of me as a favourite poster, you'll be about the only one that does
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Based on this article the ball is actually in play for 55 minutes in a 90 minute game. Therefore what should be trialed first and foremost is 30 minute halves. The clock is then stopped each time the ball is out of play. The reality is that the half will end up finishing around the 45 min mark from the time of kick off based on the data.
It's the same as now but different psychologically. The key thing is there would be no benefit in wasting time because the 30 minutes in game play is guaranteed for each halve. No more no less.
The in play game time data is clearly there so it could form the basis of any future trials.
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Ever noticed that refs normally add 1-2 mins in the first half, but always a minimum of 4 in the second. It seems to have little bearing on what has actually happened during the game.
A pet hate of mine is goalkeepers time-wasting throughout a game, but refs always waiting until right at the end to book them. Book them early and give them something to think about.
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Good examples, both correct and proving there is no accurate timekeeping or code to follow - just make it up as you go along
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