Cybereagles

Football reforms: Scrapping 45-minute half to be debated at Ifab


By Mandeep Sanghera

Under one of the suggested new rule changes, Xabi Alonso's goal in the 2005 Champions League final would not be allowed - as it was scored from a penalty rebound

A proposal to scrap 45-minute halves is to be looked at by football's lawmakers to deter time-wasting.

Instead, there could be two periods of 30 minutes with the clock stopped whenever the ball goes out of play.

Lawmaking body the International Football Association Board (Ifab) says matches only see about 60 minutes of "effective playing time" out of 90.

The idea is one of several put forward in a new strategy document designed to address football's "negativities".

Another proposal would see players not being allowed to follow up and score if a penalty is saved - if the spot-kick "is not successful", play would stop and a goal-kick awarded.

Other ideas include a stadium clock linked to a referee's watch and a new rule allowing players to effectively pass to themselves or dribble the ball when taking a free-kick.

This is where it gets interesting. One of the proposals would allow being able to dribble straight from a free-kick to "encourage attacking play as the player who is fouled can stop the ball and then immediately continue their dribble/attacking move". Other measures include:
passing to yourself at a free-kick, corner and goal-kick
a stadium clock which stops and starts along with the referee's watch
allowing the goal-kick to be taken even if the ball is moving
a goal-kick being taken on the same side that the ball went out on
a "clearer and more consistent definition" of handball
a player who scores a goal or stops a goal with his hands gets a red card
a keeper who handles a backpass or throw-in from a team-mate concedes a penalty
the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line
referees can only blow for half-time or full-time when the ball goes out of play
a penalty kick is either scored or missed/saved and players cannot follow up to score to stop encroachment into the penalty area
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/gossip

tfco wrote:

in essence, let's adopt this

the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line

tfco wrote:

in essence, let's adopt this

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Enugu II wrote:

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Actually, I love several of the proposed rule changes and it will reduce the rubbish players do on the field to waste time or find ways to cheat their way to victory.

anointed wrote:
the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line

Rawlings wrote:

anointed wrote:
the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line

This rule should be applied retroactively

Enugu II wrote:

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Actually, I love several of the proposed rule changes and it will reduce the rubbish players do on the field to waste time or find ways to cheat their way to victory.

sarkin doya wrote:

Enugu II wrote:

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Actually, I love several of the proposed rule changes and it will reduce the rubbish players do on the field to waste time or find ways to cheat their way to victory.

I don't know about this. For example, the business of stopping the clock each time the ball goes out. I call this the Americanization of soccer. Reminds me of basketball in the NBA and American Football in the NFL. In soccer when they want to waste time, they take the ball to the corner flag or play it around the back. Stopping the clock does not address most of these issues. The nice thing with different sports is the different rules. Trying to optimize these rules does not necessarily mean the sport is progressing.

theYemster wrote:

sarkin doya wrote:

Enugu II wrote:

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Actually, I love several of the proposed rule changes and it will reduce the rubbish players do on the field to waste time or find ways to cheat their way to victory.

I don't know about this. For example, the business of stopping the clock each time the ball goes out. I call this the Americanization of soccer. Reminds me of basketball in the NBA and American Football in the NFL. In soccer when they want to waste time, they take the ball to the corner flag or play it around the back. Stopping the clock does not address most of these issues. The nice thing with different sports is the different rules. Trying to optimize these rules does not necessarily mean the sport is progressing.

Nothing wrong with taking the ball to the corner flag to run down the clock. Technically the ball is live and the other team has a chance to try and get the ball unlike when players feign injury and lie on the ground making it a dead ball she's the click is still running (albeit added later in injury time).

mcal wrote:...stopping the clock? hmm, the yanks are back, next they will suggest no more heading the ball

danfo driver wrote:

tfco wrote:

in essence, let's adopt this

I remember this atrocity.

Enugu II wrote:

Odas wrote:Some of the proposed rules makes no sense. They better be careful before they destroy the game.

Actually, I love several of the proposed rule changes and it will reduce the rubbish players do on the field to waste time or find ways to cheat their way to victory.