INTRODUCTION
I love the beautiful game, but over the last couple of decades, that love affair has grown… complicated. It is clear that there is enormous room for improving the game of football, not only in the way it is played on the pitch, but also how it is governed and managed off it. I believe that if at least some of the changes I recommend in this article were implemented, the world of football for the players, clubs, and most importantly – the fans – would be vastly improved.
As such, I present to you the “25 Things I Would Fix About the Beautiful Game”:
PART ONE
THE RULES
Our first set of changes revolves around the rules of the game. Most of the rules that govern play on the pitch have been around for decades, but as the sport evolves, the rules should evolve and adapt to the new realities of the sport; new strategies; how the game is played; most importantly, how the rules enhance the fan’s appreciation and enjoyment of the beautiful game.
1 – Technology
Technology has been present in football since… day one. It is present in the types of fields the sport is played on; the footwear one wears to play it; the protective equipment one uses. As the game evolves, so must the technology used. I believe that most technological advances that reduce unfair advantages should play a role in the sport, as long as they do not compromise health and safety.
Goal line technology is the hottest debate in the world of FIFA at the moment. Some argue that it dehumanizes the sport, and removes the enjoyment of debating referee mistakes. I say we should use this technology as an aid to referees, so that critical decisions (which can sometimes have million-dollar repercussions) are accurate and fair, but most important of all, objective.
I’d go a step further and apply that same technology to the offside rule. You’ve got a sensor in the ball; why not put one on each player’s jersey as well? The most common and controversial call in football could be virtually eliminated; a computer algorithm detects the forward is behind the last defender when the ball is played, the referee assistant’s flag buzzes, he lifts it. The right call every time means folks can go back to doing what they’re on the field to do – play football.
Yes, I understand that technology is out of the reach of some of the lower-level professional leagues. The alternative is… what you have now: human error, drama, and debate.
2 – Substitutions
Nothing annoys me more than a strategically-timed substitution on the 93rd minute of a match with 4 minutes of added time! Why does play have to stop altogether?
All substitutions should go through the fourth referee! There’s no need to stop play; a player is ready to go in, the fourth referee is informed, he raises his placard indicating the player to come off in his stead. He informs the match referee through his communications gear, whom at the next deadball situation will point to the sideline so players are aware a substitution is about to occur. Play moves on immediately, and if the player who is supposed to come off decides to delay it, oh well! The fourth referee ensures the exchange happens properly, and that’s it.
No more time wasted in this space means injury time should be for… injuries. More on that later.
3 – Delay of game
You see this in every match: the referee whistles for a foul, and the player responsible (or one of his teammates) grabs the ball, then throws it to a teammate, who then throws it away from his opponent. Perhaps you see this during a throw-in situation; the player’s team kicks the ball out of play, and he still grabs the ball as if convinced the call should go his way.
Other instances of what we call time-wasting have been addressed by the football rule-makers, and instructions issued to officials on how to appropriately punish offenders; examples include yellow cards for excessive goal-celebrating, long delays by goalkeepers on goal kick situations, or failure to yield proper distance on a free kick. Honestly, these pale in comparison to the delay tactics I described in the first paragraph.
Here’s the new rule. It’s simple: if the referee whistles, that means play is stopped. If the decision is not in your favor (be it a foul, throw-in, offside, no matter) and you touch the ball, the referee will issue you a yellow card. That’s it. How long do you think it would take for players to learn the concept? Perhaps three or four matches of playing down a couple of players? I guarantee you managers would change their approach to tactics and player instructions should a rule like this actually be enforced.
Just imagine the time you could save, every match! This time savings could be used for perhaps a dozen additional plays, every match. This is a winner, folks.
4 – Simulation
A recent study by Dr. Daryl Rosenbaum at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center indicates that incidents of fake injury at football matches are frequent, occurring at a rate of over 11 per match, resulting in seven minutes of game stoppage per contest. He said questionable injuries are more likely to be associated with contact and referee sanctions than definite injuries.
Eleven times per match, on average, the referee stops play, and everyone on the field awaits for the player to “recover” or be assisted by medical staff.
Officials have instructions to punish offenders with yellow cards, but this approach couldn’t be more ineffective. First, no referee can clearly determine every instance of simulation, no matter how good he is. Secondly, a yellow card will never discourage a diver from doing it again in the future. Sure, he may not do it again in the same match, but chances are he’ll be at it again in the following fixture. The world of football knows all the major divers; take Dani Alves of Barcelona or Angel Di Maria of Real Madrid as two examples of the best in the business of deception.
Officials from each country’s football federations should be reviewing every minute of every match played to ensure clear instances of simulation are dealt with appropriately.
I would recommend a two-match automatic suspension at minimum, and longer suspensions (and fines to both player and club) for instances of simulation that have the potential of influencing a match result. Yes, I understand this would open up the question of how to make that determination. I say keep it simple: if a simulation results in a false penalty or the opposing team’s player is erroneously red-carded, for instance, then these should be considered as match-result-influencing.
It may not be the best solution, but I guarantee you it’s an initiative that would aggressively curtail this embarrassing, shameful behavior that goes against the very foundation of the beautiful game.
5 – Violent conduct
Football is a contact sport. There will always be instances of violent conduct and bad injuries resulting from such conduct, no matter how heavy the punishment. I believe FIFA actually addresses violent conduct punishment well. I say well, because I believe there are loopholes and room for improvement in this space.
Most football federations charge players with violent conduct after video review, and on average, players found guilty are suspended two or three matches. However, if a referee witnesses the violent conduct and issues a yellow card, then in most countries, the matter is deemed to have been dealt with by the match referee and the card is deemed as appropriate punishment. As I’ve said earlier, even the best referees in the world can fail to see how violent a foul may actually be, and seldom can they infer malicious intent – the game is just too fast.
Every questionable play should be reviewed by these governing bodies, and all should be dealt with appropriately and severely at all times. No one wants to go to a football match where the top stars are injured; suspending those that keep our beautiful game artists away from their craft should be eradicated from the sport.
And so it begins…
Proceed to Part Two – The Regulations
SERIES GUIDE:
Part One – The Rules
Part Two – The Regulations
Part Three – The Competitions
Part Four – The Administration
Part Five – The Finances