Soccer: Da Rules

My latest attempt to tell the soccer world how to play its game is inspired by the Colombia-Japan travesty.  Clearly the penalty for a goal stopping handball in the penalty foul needed to be severe, but I expect that the one awarded (red card at three minute mark plus a penalty kick) was worth at least three goals - and that's ridiculous.  The stupidest rules in soccer are the penalty kick, the red card, and the one on one soccer game to resolve ties.  I propose to ditch all three.  Also, soccer has way too many fouls and way too variable penalties for fouls.

In the case of a foul like the Colombian handball foul, simply copy basketball's goal-tending rule and award the point.  If you really need to sit down a player, do it for a prescribed time, as in hockey. Say ten minutes in the penalty box for a severe foul like the Colombian foul.  Other fouls by the defense in the penalty box should get 5 minutes plus a corner kick.  All other fouls would get time in penalty box plus a free kick from the touchline, perhaps twenty-five meters from the defensive endline - or at any rate, close enough to create a modest scoring threat.

And about those draws: play seven on seven soccer for a short period, and if that doesn't do it, five on five.

I expect FIFA to act on these promptly!

UPDATE:  While I'm at it, why not replace the stupid group and knockout system with a Swiss- system tournament.

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