We’ve all followed football for most of our lives. There are rules and we all know them. But the more we change those rules, the less the game resembles the game we all love …. the game that our parents and grandparents enjoyed. I believe they should not be overly messed with.
Goal-line technology was a no-brainer. Three points for a win was also a good move as it encourages more attacking football. The offside rule has been altered in a way that benefits the game. It seems to me that everything is in place. The use of substitutes improves the game. Yellow and red cards work well.
Football is unique. It is not rugby or hockey. We have never needed sin-bins that are part of those football codes. I really do not see the necessity. I would hate to see football lose its unique identity by copying other football codes. The current rules work. The only thing that requires improving is the officiating.
Having said that, I’m beginning to think that the VAR is a waste of time. Literally. If VAR continues to make the same mistakes it is there to prevent, and wastes a considerable amount of time whilst doing it, what’s the point of it. The game has to flow.
I don’t understand why is has all suddenly become so complicated. Simply put …. officials need to consistently enforce the rules that are already in place.
And then we will enjoy the game as we always have, and as previous generations enjoyed it.
Just my ‘old-school’ thoughts.
Geof , what do you mean when you said the offside rule has been altered in a way that benefits the game ?
Are you on about changing the rule so that if you are not interfering you are not offside ?
It’s clear to me that most of the problems we are on about are caused by the officials incompetence .
Just think of all the efforts made in the past decade or so that weren’t there for the the first hundred and twenty years , when football was a proper game , to help the poor little lambs run a football match .
Being paid full time to run a football match .
Having pampering sessions , and automatic acceptance to a cosy club .
The fourth official .
Linesmen being reincarnated as referees assistants ,
The two goons that stood behind the goal in European games .
The introduction of yellow and red cards .
The microphone and headset they wear .
Fuck me , if that goes wrong now , they have to stop the game !
The bleeper on a linesman’s flag to warn them that the linesman has seen a transgression .
And now this ridiculous Video Assistant which takes away any credibility they may have had .
All this and they still can’t run a game properly, and we have to have programmes on television to debate the use , or misuse , of all the above .
From the Officials perspective it is all so very poor .
Non of the above are available to the Sunday League ref , or the semi pro Saturday leagues or indeed most of the lower table professional leagues .
These are the places where everyone knows the Laws , runs the game properly , or to the best of their incredible ability, without all the paraphernalia and circus prancing , then go off to a cold shower and concrete floored changing room .
And do we get headlines in the papers and on tv about their incompetence and managers ranting and raving about them and the injustices?
Someone I knew for a long a long time once said “ it’s a funny old game “
The officials we have now are doing their utmost to take that fun out of the game .
And succeeding .
Sorry if I’ve gone “off piste “ again , 54
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