Silly Rules

[E&E Rich]

Further to the thread on opinions, I referred to an article in our programme that I had just written. And here it is.

 

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Our recent postponement on a slightly cold evening against Molesey, based entirely on one person’s decision got me thinking about what things could be done to improve the game that we all love.

 

Although we do love the game, there are an infinite amount of conversations taking place all the time about ways in which it could be changed. So I thought it was my turn to come up with a few suggestions. Here goes!

1. The Moving Ball
   

 

How many times has a flowing move been stopped for a foul, but as the team attempts to take the free kick quickly, the opposition shout “moving ball” and the referee invariably stops play once again?

 

Why does the ball have to be still? Sure, if you want to have a shot at goal or cross it in then fine, but if you want to take it quickly, why can’t it be moving? It’s meant to be your advantage, you should have a choice.

1. The Goal Kick
   

 

Ever since I was a youngster, keepers were told which side they had to take a goal kick by the referee. FIFA naively decided to allow a keeper to choose which side it could be taken “in an attempt to speed the game up”. So why is it that the only time a keeper changes sides with the ball is now to slow the game down?

 

The referee still signals which side a corner is to be taken, so why can’t he do the same with a goal kick? This is the rule I hate most of all. It’s so pointless.

1. Assistant Referees
   

 

Instead of embracing goal line technology, FIFA have decided to employ two extra Assistants in an attempt to see whether the ball has crossed the line. The intention is also for them to get a better view of infringements inside the penalty area. However, if something occurs in the box, you get the idea that the new Assistant is waiting for the old Assistant to flag for something, but the old Assistant is waiting for some confirmation from the new Assistant. As a result, less actually gets noticed. Also, where are these extra officials meant to come from anyway? I thought we were short of officials. Remove them and bring in goal line technology. Quickly!

1. Diving
   

 

Every now and then this one raises its head. It is usually in a big game and everyone talks about it as if the offending person should be penalised to within an inch of their lives. This is not realistic. Whilst diving is a nasty part of our game and the offender should be punished, spitting or other forms of violent conduct are far worse and it is important not to lose sight of this when dishing out the length of penalties after the game.

 

To eradicate the issue of diving, I would put together a Retrospective Diving Panel. They would be formed from a group of ex-professional players (no, not Paul Merson!) and a referee or two, with a remit to look at any incidents of misconduct and apply a uniform penalty afterwards. A “dive” could then be judged in more detail from half a dozen camera angles and if the player is found guilty then they get a simple one match ban.

 

You could technically extend this to cover other offences, but to do so would erode the referee’s authority to the point where he has little. That can’t be allowed to happen, but a bit of help is good. If this was carried out in all football league games and major competitions, it would die out, because the player will know that they can’t get away with it anymore and although this particular issue is less of a problem at our level currently, it can’t hurt.

 

Some may say that a player might still have won a penalty and you can’t take that away, but this would help significantly, especially if you adopted my next suggestion too.

1. Challenges
   

 

This currently happens in the United States and it works there. Again, as with option 4 this could only happen at the top level for now, but a list of things would be drawn up that you could appeal against, for example, a handball, a foul, the award or non-award of a penalty, a booking or sending off etc. Then you allow the Manager two challenges in a match. He could only challenge before play has restarted and the referee would go over to a video area to decide if his decision was right.

 

If the referee overturns his decision, and he should only do so when evidence is clear, then the Manager wins their challenge and they are enabled to keep it for later in the game. If he loses it, then obviously he loses that challenge and after losing two he cannot challenge any more.

 

This is fully functional in the NFL these days and whilst it is a more stop-start game than the one we all love, people hate injustice, and this would help.

1. Timing
   

 

I feel that this should be controlled by a stadium clock and taken away from the referee’s jurisdiction. This way, everyone could understand what was happening. You wouldn’t get any issues where players are scrapping for the ball in a goal mouth after a goal has been scored, and wasting time could be clearly documented.

1. Involuntary Swearing
   

 

Yes, I know, no one should ever swear at a game, but back in the real world it happens frequently. However, in my opinion there are two types of swearing. 1) A pre-meditated tirade or 2) as a mark of frustration. I believe that officials at this level seem to treat these two offences the same but in reality they compound the situation, and whilst I’m not condoning the offence, I think officials who award a contentious decision, followed by a red card for an expletive outburst immediately afterwards are often making two errors. It’s a passionate game. Let it breathe.

1. Education
   

 

How many times do we see something that you think is wrong, only to find out that it was actually correct? What is “active and “non-active”, for example? Often 30,000 at a game have probably vilified the referee just because THEY didn’t know the rules. The F.A. should make it compulsory that every club issues an F.A. guideline on the rules in their programme at least twice a season, explaining in simple terms what changes have been made to the game and dealing with common misconceptions.

 

This way, understanding why a referee has done, or not done something will make more sense. Sometimes!

 

So there you go. Some of these ideas are a bit radical, while some are just common sense tweaks to our wonderful game. Some of these you may agree with, some you may not, but that’s what makes this game great; it is a game of opinion.

 

I feel that by implementing the above, you would retain the passion in the game, at the same time removing much of the frustration! It also might actually make the referee’s job easier, which in turn might mean he/she gets less stick and we might lose less of them as a result.

 

Have you any other suggestions? Any “pet hates” that frustrate the hell out of you? Just let me know.

[Mewcenary]

Laws.

[E&E Rich]

Whatever!

[Chris Clapham]

Re swearing. What chance have you got teaching kids when Carroll and Gerrard clearly told the ref yesterday to F OFF and nothing was said/done by the ref?

[Smudge]

Chris phone the F.A. and make a complaint about them both.

[Krooner]

Great article and certainly will arouse some decent debate and here is my view on what you hae raised an MY opinion on it so dont kill me for it.

 

Moving Ball - Totally and utterly agree

 

Goal Kick - Agree again.

 

AR's - Get rid of the 2 extra officials and a NO to technology. Cricket only bought technology in to help with stumpings and run outs. Now look !!!! soon as you bring it in all the top w*nkers like Fregie, Wenger et al will demand it be used for everything

 

Diving - Yep to that idea and if a player is found to be clearly diving ban them for 3 games and remove 3 points from the club. Now that would stop it !!!

 

Challenges - No no no as with technology

 

Timing - Like the idea in principle but I dont think it would work. Games will go on for hours and who would run the stadium clock ?

 

Swearing - I think that this is generally accepted but for me very little is done about either in the CCL or the top flight.

 

Education - Yep good idea. Also Level 2 coaches and above should have to qualify as referees as well

 

My extra idea is sort of pinched from Rugby. If a players starts to moan about a decision then the referee can pick the ball up and when he stops he will put it down again. No caution required. If he walks into the penalty area then it is a penalty. If the side who have the free kick wish to move the ball back after is has been walked forward then no problem with that either. that would stop the pointless moaning at officials. And I mean the pointless moaning of decisions that are so correct it is ridiculous. I could mention 3 or 4 from Saturdays game at least and from both sides.

[E&E Rich]

Interested that you are so against the technology aspect. I thought everyone in England wanted it after the last World Cup!

 

Didn't we try something similar to your rugby suggestion a few years back but it was thrown out? I don't recall the reasons why it went though.

 

Just to answer your other point about the clock, it isn't meant to stop every time the ball goes out of play, just on the occasions when a referee would normally stop his watch, and also (as it doesn't seem to happen these days) in between a goal being scored and the game being restarted. Probably operated by the fourth, or maybe a fifth official which would save that person from standing on the goalline doing nothing!

 

I still think you're a bit harsh on the diving though, seeing as that sort of penalty wouldn't happen if someone had their leg broken.

 

By the way, just to clarify, all the points I raised were originally numbered 1 to 8 but for some reason all came out as 1's and it won't let me edit the piece now!

Edited February 27, 2012 by E&E Ed

[Smudge]

Just an idea,is it possible to have 2 way communication between Referees and A.R.s at this level.Think a lot of problems caused could be eradicated if it was introduced.Likewise in Televised games,do as they do in Rugby, the Ref. miked up.

Edited February 27, 2012 by Smudge

[Mewcenary]

Moving ball: Keep as it is, for me. Makes it distinct when play is stopped/ play is restarted which can help avoid arguments. It's not as if it is difficult to get it firmly placed.

 

Goal kick: Keep it as it is. Referees should be in tune with the usual tricks at running down the clock, and this is always an obvious one to hurry the keeper up on!

 

Extra ARs: I've never been a fan and they were brought in so FIFA could be seen to be doing _something_, due to them being so against goal-line technology. I would want to see goal-line technology brought in for matter-of-fact 'Ball over the line?' decisions only.

 

Diving: Anything which penalises cheating further is fine by me! Absolutely name and shame.

 

Challenges: Absolutely not. I only said technology for goal-line decisions as that is a call based on pure fact. Fouls and handball are always a judgement call. It's also unworkable. You mention, 'penalty not given'. But chances are the ball remains in play, and could then go to the opposition who score up the other end. Do you stop play then? Or do you review and thus disallow that goal and give the penalty?! What if someone came in with a two-footed challenge during the period of play which 'should not' have happened?

 

Timing: I like the idea as stated in its refined version, i.e. linked to referee's watch / clear signals given when the clock is stopped. However, what happens if the clock hits zero just as the ball is sailing into the net? Do you wait until the next stoppage? Ok, what if the defence know this and deliberately foul a player to get the game stopped? etc.

 

Swearing: Various decisions can be contentious but it doesn't matter: Launching a tirade at the referee is abuse, end of, and no 'involuntary swearing' get-out should apply. Other sports don't have this problem, so there is no involuntary swearing disease which just hits footballers!

 

Education: Absolutely. Needs to be done at all levels. I had a player complain at the weekend that I wasn't 'allowed' to pull-back an advantage (after 1-2 seconds) because 'this isn't rugby'. Sigh.

 

Good set of ideas there!

[Mewcenary]

Just an idea,is it possible to have 2 way communication between Referees and A.R.s at this level.Think a lot of problems caused could be eradicated if it was introduced.Likewise in Televised games,do as they do in Rugby, the Ref. miked up.

 

It's prohibitively expensive. Those kits run into the _many_ hundreds of pounds. Even a set of the decent buzzer flags, which you will see in use by some referees on the CCFL Prem, cost just shy of £500 !

[Krooner]

Interested that you are so against the technology aspect. I thought everyone in England wanted it after the last World Cup!

 

Didn't we try something similar to your rugby suggestion a few years back but it was thrown out? I don't recall the reasons why it went though.

 

Just to answer your other point about the clock, it isn't meant to stop every time the ball goes out of play, just on the occasions when a referee would normally stop his watch, and also (as it doesn't seem to happen these days) in between a goal being scored and the game being restarted. Probably operated by the fourth, or maybe a fifth official which would save that person from standing on the goalline doing nothing!

 

I still think you're a bit harsh on the diving though, seeing as that sort of penalty wouldn't happen if someone had their leg broken.

 

By the way, just to clarify, all the points I raised were originally numbered 1 to 8 but for some reason all came out as 1's and it won't let me edit the piece now!

 

When we tried it before the officials could only move it 10 yards and the officials HAD to caution. Take away the limit and the caution and away we go.

 

Being a big cricket fan I have just watched techology "only bought in for runouts and stumpings and will never be used for anything else honest" takeover the game and it will happen in football. Once it is there we will be off with all the big clubs who want all the money demanding it or they will all withdraw support for tv deals etc. Mark my words !!!

 

I am happy for clubs to have points taken off anything I was just speaking about diving. Happy for spitting, punching etc to be conisdered too.

[johnstreet]

I like the idea of the moving ball at free-kicks.. looking forward to an attacking player drop-kicking the ball for power 20 yards from goal...!!!

 

(seriously, all good talking points raised..)

[ShiftyOnFire]

I did hear of one interesting thing... I don't know where it was used, but in a football match (especially free kicks involving a wall) the ref would use shaving gel to indicate to the wall how far 10 yards was & any closer movement would be seen!

I think that is a good idea, & in this modern world it could be an advertising opportunity for Gilette, Sure for men, Etc.

[Don't Blame Me]

I did hear of one interesting thing... I don't know where it was used, but in a football match (especially free kicks involving a wall) the ref would use shaving gel to indicate to the wall how far 10 yards was & any closer movement would be seen!

I think that is a good idea, & in this modern world it could be an advertising opportunity for Gilette, Sure for men, Etc.

 

I like this. But it would help if the referee would actually pace 10 yards rather than the one who would pace 8 or 9 at a recent game.

 

Some great talking points. Law ignorance is one of my biggest bugbears. Too much tinkering every season results in the ordinary fan not knowing what day of the week it is. Take goal kicks for example, no need for the ball to be stationary. I didn't know that until I checked after a game back in October. At least I had the grace to apologise to the match official the next time I saw him.

[CW1975]

I did hear of one interesting thing... I don't know where it was used, but in a football match (especially free kicks involving a wall) the ref would use shaving gel to indicate to the wall how far 10 yards was & any closer movement would be seen!

I think that is a good idea, & in this modern world it could be an advertising opportunity for Gilette, Sure for men, Etc.

 

Shifty, this was tested a few years back in South American leagues I believe, not sure it was shaving foam though. It was a spray that disappears after a few seconds. The ref would spray a circle where the ball for a freekick has to be placed within and then paces the ten yards and marks a line where the wall must be standing behind. The refs were generally spot on with there distances.

[CW1975]

I did hear of one interesting thing... I don't know where it was used, but in a football match (especially free kicks involving a wall) the ref would use shaving gel to indicate to the wall how far 10 yards was & any closer movement would be seen!

I think that is a good idea, & in this modern world it could be an advertising opportunity for Gilette, Sure for men, Etc.

 

The power of YouTube!!!

 

[Gluck_ab]

For what they're worth my opinions;

 

1. The moving ball - No change required there. It's either stationary (ok) or not (not ok). Anything in between creates the potential for confusion in terms of how much movement is allowed and players / teams very quickly manipulating the situation to their advantage. It's not difficult to place a ball so it's stationary and still take a quick fee-kick.

 

2.  The goal kick - No change required here. This is down to the refereeing proactively managing instances where he feels the GK is time-wasting.

 

3. ARs - Currently undecided on this one.

 

4. Diving - I don't believe a retrospective panel is the answer. The law is there for a referee to apply if he thinks simulation has occurred. Perhaps though it should also be down to managers and coaches to better educate their players and discourage them from this - after all, prevention is better than a cure.

 

5. Challenges - No. I don't think this is feasible or practical. Remember that, in essence, the game played at Upton Park or the local recreation ground is the same - same laws, same number of players, etc, etc, albeit I recognise the differences between the amateur, semi-professional and professional game. Making significant changes to the game at one end of the spectrum risks divorcing it from the other parts of it.

 

6. Timing - The referee is the sole arbiter (judge) of time and the only advance i'd consider for that is a trial of linking his watch to a stadium clock.

 

7. Involuntary swearing - Fair one though I think most referees do recognise the difference. However, at what point does frustration turn into a tirade against an official? The argument that it's a passionate game is a specious one - many referees will have received tirades from a manager / player who at the end of the game apologises using the excuse 'it's a passionate game' (or words to that effect) to condone this. To me, that's a cop-out!

 

8. Education - I wholeheartedly agree with that. The more wider the laws of the game are known and UNDERSTOOD the better for all involved in it.

[WingMan]

I did hear of one interesting thing... I don't know where it was used, but in a football match (especially free kicks involving a wall) the ref would use shaving gel to indicate to the wall how far 10 yards was & any closer movement would be seen!

I think that is a good idea, & in this modern world it could be an advertising opportunity for Gilette, Sure for men, Etc.

 

Shifty, this was tested a few years back in South American leagues I believe, not sure it was shaving foam though. It was a spray that disappears after a few seconds. The ref would spray a circle where the ball for a freekick has to be placed within and then paces the ten yards and marks a line where the wall must be standing behind. The refs were generally spot on with there distances.

 

This is actually still in force, while watching a game last week I saw the referee having some form of can attached to his hip. It suprised me that as soon as a free kick given in an attacking third that if a freekick was not taken quickly he would run over to the spot and mark it and then when his 10 was marked out he marked the spot again. It is an effective way to eliminate any form of encroachment straight away as its all clear to see.

[Gluck_ab]

This can be managed correctly by the referee with the means available to him currently: his whistle, voice and body language and application of the law. It's not that difficult to accurately pace out 10 yards (9.15 metres) and there are a number of ways to manage encroachment or the ball being moved forward to gain proximity to the goal. Using some 'kidology' you could always walk out 11 paces in the knowledge that players in the wall will try and creep forwards to reduce the distance anyway!

[E&E Rich]

It may not be difficult to pace out ten yards but it appears to be for some people. Some quite clearly stride out ten paces while others shuffle along almost apologetically.

 

You are right that a proactive referee could sort much of these issues but as the game gets faster and faster it gets harder for him so "little technicalities" will get ignored for fear of being labelled fussy and pedantic..

 

I'm very interested in your view about the goal kick. Seeing as the laws currently permit a keeper to take the kick on either side then I don't see how an official can determine that they are time wasting. Certainly in the time since the rule has come in I've never seen anyone get even a warning. I just see no reason why the ref can't signal the side for the kick in exactly the same way that he does for a corner. It's a stupid rule that wasn't required in the first place.