Should 45 minute halves be scrapped

[AndyT]

Me too.

That's a perfect scenario and also the final whistle when the ball goes out of play.

Top suggestions, both.

 

[FarmdogSUFC]

It's really not - it's based on years worth of stats showing the average time the ball is in play.

I think overall I come down against the proposal - '90 minutes' is so ingrained in football culture and history and I'd not want to lose that. I'd be open though to there being a minimum amount of time that the ball has to be in play (30 minutes) in a half so you've still got your 90 minute matches and time wasting is still rendered pointless.

I'd couple that with another suggested rule change which is the game only being able to end when the ball goes out of play.

Now this is a good idea!

 

[Uncle Leo]

Curious about these two...



Why on earth would you want to shorten goal celebrations? We can punish purposeful delay tactics of course, but would we really want a basketball style approach where the players just do a quick high-five and crack on with game. For me, that just rips the heart out of it..



Laughable why? If a player in full flow is cut down, why so laughable that he'd get to restart in the same way? From an entertainment perspective, it adds far more than it takes away. More excitement, more challenges to face at free kicks, undoubtedly more goals. Works in Rugby. Could work in football.

Apparently it works well in hockey. Can't say I ever watch the sport but read something today saying it has been going for around seven years now and has definitely been an improvement.

It would cut down on dissent too. Say Gareth Bale is bombing towards the goal and Mascherano fouls him. Mascherano hasn't got the time to whinge and moan at the ref because Bale may just get right up and start running again - no waiting ages for a wall to be set, ref to signal the restart, etc.

With you 100% on goal celebrations too. Part of what makes football the best sport is the high currency of the scoring play. So when a goal does go in, everyone has every right to go mental. If a player wants to rip his shirt off, let him.

On 90 minutes being cut down to 60, that feels drastic to me for the cultural reasons mentioned by Beefy, but a smarter way of dealing with the game clock would be appreciated.

 

[Beefy]

The NFL cracked down on celebrations a few years ago and are rolling back on it now.

 

[Uncle Leo]

The NFL cracked down on celebrations a few years ago and are rolling back on it now.

Yeah, many of those were just silly. I remember a guy getting a penalty flag for doing a knee skid at one of the Wembley games. He was merely paying homage to a classic 'soccer' celebration yet his team were penalised 10 yards. Pathetic.

 

[kaymac]

Just wondering.....if a player wanted to to take a quick kick free-kick (to himself) would he have to inform the referee of his intention and how would the 10 yard/metre distance law then apply (or wouldn't it) ?

 

[kaymac]

Yeah, many of those were just silly. I remember a guy getting a penalty flag for doing a knee skid at one of the Wembley games. He was merely paying homage to a classic 'soccer' celebration yet his team were penalised 10 yards. Pathetic.

NHL celebrations are usually quite short, a quick mobbing of the goalscorer and then re-start the game.

 

[Beefy]

Yeah, many of those were just silly. I remember a guy getting a penalty flag for doing a knee skid at one of the Wembley games. He was merely paying homage to a classic 'soccer' celebration yet his team were penalised 10 yards. Pathetic.

The one that annoyed me last year was Beckham & Shepard being flagged for celebrating with Victor Cruz after he scored a game winning TD in his first game back away at their rivals the Cowboys after two years out injured. No Fun League.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Just wondering.....if a player wanted to to take a quick kick free-kick (to himself) would he have to inform the referee of his intention and how would the 10 yard/metre distance law then apply (or wouldn't it) ?

Good question because it could work two ways:

1) Player can just touch the ball with his hand on the ground "to place it", then run off on his own.

2) Player waits for the referee to signal the restart before deciding to pass it, run with it, or shoot at the goal. Similar to the Rugby penalty (even if not quite identical since in Rugby the player will have to indicate if he is to kick a penalty).

I think the first would be too significant a change to the current game, but I'm a big fan of the latter.