http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889 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. Read the full strategy document here Where have these proposals come from? The ideas have been put forward to Ifab by stakeholders in the game to tackle "on-field issues" and form part of what it calls its "Play Fair strategy", which has three aims of: improving player behaviour and increasing respect increasing playing time increasing fairness and attractiveness Part of the problem the new document highlights is that a 90-minute match has fewer than 60 minutes of playing time because of stoppages and time-wasting. Which plans need no law changes? The document has put forward a number of radical ideas for discussion, but suggests some proposals can be implemented immediately without the need for law changes. Most of these apply to trying to combat time-wasting. The document says match officials should be stricter on the rule which allows keepers to hold the ball for six seconds and be more stringent when calculating additional time. Additionally, it suggests match officials stop their watch: from a penalty being awarded to the spot-kick being taken from a goal being scored until the match resumes from the kick-off from asking an injured player if he requires treatment to play restarting from the referee showing a yellow or red card to play resuming from the signal of a substitution to play restarting from a referee starting to pace a free-kick to when it is taken Which plans are ready for testing? Some of the proposals are already being tested. The idea of only allowing captains to speak to referees - to prevent match officials being mobbed - will be trialled at this summer's Confederations Cup, which starts on Saturday. Another proposal involves changing the order of kick-taking in penalty shoot-outs, known as 'ABBA'. It is similar to a tie-break in tennis, with team A taking the first kick, then team B taking two, then team A taking two. That is a change from the traditional 'team A, team B, team A, team B' pattern. New suggestions also include players who are being substituted leaving at the closest part of the touchline to them instead of at the halfway line. Which ideas are up for discussion? 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 Who has come up with these proposals? Ifab is made up of Fifa and the four British home football associations - of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - and is responsible for making the final decision on law changes. Former English referee David Elleray is Ifab's technical director and has overseen the document. "Referees, players, coaches and fans all agree that improving player behaviour and respect for all participants and especially match officials, increasing playing time and the game's fairness and attractiveness must be football's main priority," he said. The next stage would involve the ideas being discussed at various meetings before decisions are taken on whether to develop them further or discard them.
The ball in play clock is a simple solution to time wasting rubbish in a game. Ref doesn't have to worry about the time, just ref the game. He could also call 'delay of game' if teams are deliberately slowing down restarts etc as a tactical move.
Enough of the tinkering already. I still scream 'He's had more than 4 steps, ref!' when some ****ing keeper goes walkabout. And don't get me started on the off-side rule. 2 players between the furtherest forward player and the goal line, my arse. They should never have changed it from 3. Not interfering with play? Not interfering with play! What's he doing on the ****ing pitch then? Rules changers? ****s, to a man.
Four 15 minute quarters with timeouts for drinks and snacks, cheerleaders, a ****ing big organ playing that **** ice hockey music, clowns allowed during play if its getting a bit boring and a Joker to be played to make the next "Goal Attack Touchdown" worth double. GTF. Leave it alone. If you want to watch a **** game go watch Rugby League.
Bloody hell no. We'd end up with this. Might as well get rid of the ball. And the players. And the comfy cushions. FFS.
They are hell bent on ruining a decent game. I started in the early 60's and todays game is not recognisable. They want to improve player behaviour and respect then make them watch a rugby game and if that doesn't work make them play rugby. The newish offside / he's not interfering with play rule is bollocks. The old rule was fine. Agree with stopping the clock for substitutions and serious injuries but other minor medical treatments should be administered on the field by team medics whilst play carries on. Only team captains can talk to the ref to clarify a decision. A sin bin card goes to anyone disrespecting the refs decision ( 5 mins of playing time ) Any player from the offending team that walks towards the ball, within a ten yard radius, after a free kick has been given will receive a 5 minute sin bin. Retrospective punishment for diving. Could go on but I'm just living in the past. When shin pads covered your shin. When football boots were boots and not carpet slippers. A football was something to be "wellied" not float around like a beach ball. Diving was something you did in the swimming pool and you would run through a brick wall to play for your team. Time for my medication, goodnight all. PS how the hell are grass roots football going to progress with all these supposed changes.
I've got loads of good ideas to put forward to IFAB (should actually read UNOTFAB). Instead of the usual tedious green grass pitches with white lines, they could introduce colours and perhaps have pictures or patterns painted on the pitch. Perhaps instead of corner flags we could have animals and penalty areas be arranged as allotments or flower gardens. The possibilities are endless. And so exciting! Soccer would be revolutionised .
If they want to go the stadium clock stopping and starting route then why are they saying it only stops when it goes out of play? They may as well go the whole hog and say it starts only when the ball is put in active play, being kicked/headed.
i'd go with stopping the clock whenever the ball is out of play, for whatever reason, but then make sure the lazy effers play 45 minute of ball-in-play time.
But it's simpler just to keep it all with the person who manages the stadium clock, then the referee can concentrate on all the other decisions. I'm surprised video replay appeals aren't mentioned.
Not April the 1st is it???? Those rules changes are all absolute horses cocks of ideas. File under B. (the Bin).
They also said corners and free kicks could just be knocked into space for the taker to get a better angle. All hideous ideas.
I have been suggesting 30 minutes per half for a long time with the clock only on when the ball is in play referees may only add about five minutes per match but they dont add on time for free kicks, corners and throw ins to be taken the referee doesn't have to be the person keeping the time come on, it's an improvement to the game, so lets do it I'm a radical!
When the 45 minute half was introduced it was precisely to allow approx an hour of effective play. That 45 is meant to encompass everything- injuries, subs, timewasting - the lot. I know why they did it, but the introduction of injury time in the first place went against this.
If the clock was stopped and only 60 mins of actual play occurred then the ****s who leave at 85 minutes currently would still be present at the final whistle. I'm not having it ! Not sure that makes sense tbh
