Football (Soccer) Rule Changes Needed to Improve the World Game
78Ways to Improve the game for Teams, Players, Fans
Now that the final games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup are to be played
it is time to review how the world game could be improved through a
number of rule changes. Soccer is indeed a world game with 300,000
soccer clubs worldwide, comprised of 240 million players, 30 million of
which are women. Let's make it better for players, teams and fans!
- A penalty goal should be awarded for a deliberate hand-ball on the line that stops a goal. It is ridiculous that a player can deliberately block a goal and that a penalty is awarded. When it is clear that the goal would have been scored, the offending player should be sent off and a goal awarded immediately. The referee already has to decide whether the hand-ball was deliberate - this should be extended to whether a goal would have been scored using the video review as outlined below.
- Video reviews by a third referee should be introduced. This applies for most other international sports. It could be limited to 3 per team per half, but it is needed because of the obvious refereeing errors that occurred in the world cup. This could be extended to offside decisions immediately before a goal was scored which is easy to review on a video, but very hard for the assitant referee to decide under the current rule.
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- Increase the width of the goals by one meter (3.28 feet). This would increase the number of goal scored and increase the number of long range shots which is what the fans want and would provide for fairer outcomes. The counter arguments are: that the goal is already a good size and most goal keepers can't stop a good high powered shot. Further having a bigger goal would mean that the goal keeper would have no chance of saving the penalty shots, and the wider goals would fundamentally change how the game is played. However one extra meter is only a 12% increase. Something has to be done to increase the number of goals scored for the fans and to provide fairer results where the best team wins. This would also reduce the number of draws, especially 0-0 draws which are boring after 90 minutes and 20 minutes extra time. Many current games are boring and the outcome can be a lottery depending on a single 'lucky' goal. The outcomes need to be fairer.
- Players given a 'yellow-card' should leave the field for 10 minutes, with the existing penalties still applied. This would reduce the number of blatant fouls that are marring the game. Players can deliberately block a player shooting for goal or deliberately aim to injure a key player without an immediate penalty if they are not sent off.
- The penalty shoot-out is grossly unfair and while 'entertaining' many fans are left angry and frustrated by it. There are several options for resolving draws:
- Count of corner kicks - but this would dramatically change the game as teams would go for corners rather than goals.
- Golden goal during the 10 minutes of extra time each way - but this could make teams focus on defence.
- After the first two periods of 10 minutes of extra time - with no golden goal rule, a series of 10 minutes are allowed with the gold goal rule applied, and with 2 players from each side asked to leave the field at the start of each period. This would mean that the outcome was determined by skill and the better team would win. It would be exciting for the fans and much fairer.
- Players should be encouraged to wear body-hugging shirts to stop the obvious shirt-tugging that mars the game and is difficult to police. Referees should be tougher on players grabbing and blocking players during free kicks and corners.
Glad to hear of any other suggestions or comments - note: I played the game for 15 years and have been a fan for 50 years.
For other articles on Soccer see:
Soccer Head Injuries in Children | Brain Damage from Heading
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Instead of widening the goals, the game could be played with a smaller ball (e.g. size 4 instead of a normal size 5). In addition, considering how athletic the players are nowadays, playing with a total of 10 instead of 11 would create an opportunity for skillful players to show their skills and potentially increase the number of goals.
Other potential improvements (Similar to basketball) :
The game could be played with stopwatch, every time the ball is not in play, stop the watch (The game should either be 60min without break or 2 halves 30 minutes each.)
The player who commits a foul should raise his hand just like in basketball, failing to do so should result in a yellow card.
You need to pass the half line in less than certain number of seconds if you have the possession.
Very nice discourse you have provided . Fantastic is all I can say
Get rid of the wall. Make it a direct kick. Also, allow more substitution. Increase subs to 6. You can also do like the college system and allow unlimited subs in the 2nd half. You have to keep the quality of the game high from start to finish. Too often you watch games and by the 60th minutes some guys are walking. Also, there have to be some examination of the offsides rule. If I take a shot and it deflects off an opponent and reaches one of my teammates who is ahead of the play, this should not be offsides because the ball was deflected off an opponent. The game need some tweeking.
Great suggestions, I don't watch the game very much any more for EXACTLY all the reasons outlined in this very well thought out 'suggestions page'. Of course the goals should be bigger, this is so obvious. If the rules were changed as suggested here, a former regular supporter of soccer would return.
Damion 19 months ago
Mostly great suggestions. I don't think widening the goals is necessary. However, I WOULD like to see an elimination of the offside rule from the large goalie box forward. I see nothing fun or interesting about the strategy teams use to catch players off sides down there. The only thing negative would be if it actually causes defenders to congest the goal area REDUCING the number of goals (I just don't know enough, but perhaps that's true). And I would go beyond just video review of goal scoring. I would create a video ref that could call fouls even a minute or two after their commission. If players KNOW they will be called for fouling even if the refs aren't looking they are much less likely to play dirty. It would take some adjustment but it would improve the game dramatically.