I've been thinking about this for a while now, and it seems like an obvious conclusion. England and the other home nations pull out (or are pushed out) from Fifa, and launch "British football" as a breakaway sport, similar to rugby league. The Premier League would be all-British, and would still be the richest league in the world. But foreign players who join the league would be "switching codes", like rugby players do when they switch from league to union. There would still be international football against foreign teams, but it would be "exhibition matches" similar to the hybrid Gaelic-Aussie rules. Some rules off the top of my head: - Goal line technology - Straight red card for diving or any other foreign nonsense - Restrictions on number of foreign players, and foreign managers - Possession should lead to a shot on goal after no more than 5 passes - 4-4-2 as the default formation, similar to default formations in rugby - Number of set pieces to be the decisive factor in drawn cup games. No clever routines allowed, it must be a cross into the box - Mandatory wingers, with a percentage of goal attempts having to come from crosses and headers - Creative players must "put a shift in" or risk suspension. The "hole position" is outlawed, so creative players must fit into the rigid 4-4-2 structure. - Teams with a dedication to long ball football play all their home games on Tuesday or Wednesday night, preferably in winter - Coaching badges and youth academies to be scrapped - The Home Nations international tournament to return, with team selection decided by a text-vote in tabloid newspapers. I'm expecting this thread to die a death and not get any responses. But the reason I'm posting it is because sometimes it seems like English/British football is practically a separate sport anyway. So I thought I'd throw it out there....
This is a prepostorous idea for manyb reasons, but just a couple of things I'd like to mention. First thing that would happen is our top players leave for European clubs so they can play Champions League. Even middle rank players will leave if they got offers, so straight away we will be left with mediocre players. The great strength of football is its global appeal. Go to any Rugby League/Union board and you will see with hilarious regularity posts on how to expand their sport (usually posts that start with "Been thuinking about this ...."). The win by Greece in Euro 2004 shows what can be done if you compensate a lack of skill with iron discipline and organisation - that gives us hope that we can sneak a win. The biggest sports tv aufiences in this country are when England play in World CUp/Euros, even though we know we are up against it. How on earth would playing the same 4 teams every year in a sub standard league compensate. The World CUp triumphs and disappointments are a real part of our culture , and are worth preserving.
Don't take it too seriously, most of it was sarcastic. Although I wouldn't rule out England leaving Fifa at some point.
