Rules We Want Implemented in Football

Football. Arguably the most popular sport in the world, yet also the most underdeveloped in terms of modernising the game and improving rules. Every other sport in the world has amended it's rules to fit with the times and brought in technology to improve it's accuracy when applying these rules. 

What has football done? Only recently has it started to bring in goal line technology, which we've been crying out for for years, and yes I'm still not fully over that Lampard 'goal' against Germany... In the last couple of months, we've seen some technology come into football, but it's not nearly enough. 

The only rule I can think of that has been changed recently is to pass it backwards from kick-off and not forward. How is this a rule we needed changing??? I don't think I spoke to anyone who has ever said "you know what really needs changing and is holding football back, that stupid pass it forward from kick off law."

So, with this in mind, I have put together a small list of rules and regulations I would like implemented into the 'beautiful game'. 

Don't kick the ball out when someone is injured

Kicking the ball out when someone is injured. Why is this needed? For any sort of injury, like in rugby, a physio should just be allowed to come on and treat the player as play continues around them. Why should play stop? Why should one team have a possible attack stopped? What winds me up more with this is when players get furious at the opposition for not kicking the ball out. No where in the rules does it say they have to, so they should be in no way inclined to do it. Bring on a physio to treat the player. If it's that serious, they can deal with it at the next break-down.

Stop the clock when the ball goes out
...For a significant amount of time. The game would be so much simpler if we just stopped the clock when the ball has gone out of play. It would stop players slowly walking over to take a corner to waste time, as time would have stopped. Same with goal kicks or players being substituted. None of this working out how much stoppage time to add; when the block hits 90, game is done. 

Moaning at the ref

Yellow card no matter what. That will stop it within a couple of weeks. No matter if you're swearing at the ref or not, it's a yellow card. You surround the ref, yellow card. He's not going to change his decision so why try and tell him to do so. The ref doesn't go charging up to a striker who has missed a glaring one-on-one chance and scream in his face about how he has made mistake. Players and refs are human alike. Yellow card if you're caught moaning at the ref.

Sin bin
Another thing to stop foul play would be a 10 minute sin-bin for a yellow card. Imagine how quick the whole "he took one for the team" would stop if that was the punishment for it. It's a much bigger sanction for a player and a team than a simple yellow card, which basically means nothing unless another one appears.

Relax on celebrations

Why should players be stopped from celebrating what could be a crucial goal in a game, or personally a very special goal? I feel as long as the celebration isn't provocative or insulting, let players have fun with the celebration. The NFL have just taken a more relaxed stance on celebrations and people are looking forward to seeing how players react after scoring a touchdown. Football should be given the same freedom.

Foul Throws
All this is is getting the ball back into play. That's it's only purpose. Some teams have developed it into a strong attacking element with the likes of Rory Delap managing huge corner-esc throws into the box. But why are there such strict rules on how you get the ball back in? As long as players are throwing the ball back in, fine. Let's let play carry on.

Penalty goals

Taking another leaf out of the rugby manual, penalty goals on chances that are more than likely to end in a goal, until an infringement from the opposition. And sometimes that's all you need. I think I could see this used more for when a goalkeeper takes a player out who is just going round them. Unless it's a dangerous or aggressive challenge, allow the keeper to remain on the pitch, but just give a penalty goal to the opposition. I don't think you'd hear any complaints if that one was brought in.

Stop talking about intentional fouls/handballs
It is literally impossible to tell if something is intentional or not, so stop talking about it. This was brought up a lot at the weekend after Mane was sent off for a high-footed challenge on Manchester City keeper Ederson. He clearly had no intention of harming the keeper, his eyes were on the ball the entire time. But the Liverpool man caught the keeper in the face with his studs. Dangerous challenge = red card.
With both these kinds of tackles and handballs, I feel there should just be a blanket rule for both, intentional or not. Hits your hand, it's a handball. The referee can then determine if that hand has moved towards the ball for further punishment. Your foot is high and makes contact with an opponent, red card. It doesn't, yellow card. Simple. 

Technology and challenges

Football needs technology. FIFA have continued to keep this stance that it wants to remain as close to grass roots as possible, but the higher up the ladder you climb, the more important getting key decisions right is. And technology is the best way of implementing a more accurate and consistent decision making system.
Some people will argue that it will break up play and slow down the game. Well, why don't you wait until the ball goes out of play to make a decision? And then if there is a decision to make, you go back to it. No decision, you carry on. Each team is able to have one challenge in each half, and if you get that challenge right, you keep it. But a ref can refer to the video ref, a man in a van outside or in a studio at the FA, at any point, as long as the ball is out of play. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES HOW SIMPLE THIS IS???  

I could keep on going, but this will turn into a dissertation. What rules and regulations would you want to bring in? Comment and share.

You can read my other blogs at ScriptEye and I Can't Write Words here.