Reinventing Football: Fans Share Their Ideas
After consulting players, pundits, and referees on potential changes to reinvent football, we opened the discussion to fans.
We invited supporters to envision a scenario where they could overhaul the rulebook and start afresh.
This topic sparked extensive debate on our live page and social media, generating thousands of messages from our audience suggesting the one change they would implement.
Here are the top five points of contention, along with insights from former Premier League referee Chris Foy and BBC Sport's football issues correspondent Dale Johnson.
Ditch Marginal Offsides - Make It Clear and Obvious
The offside rule emerged as a hotly debated subject, with fans either advocating for adjustments or calling for its complete removal. Former Premier League referee Anthony Taylor suggested that "scrapping offside might be the answer," sharing that one of the best tournaments he officiated had no offside rule, resulting in an abundance of goals.
Fans expressed frustration with the 'delaying the flag' directive, which instructs officials to keep their flags down if they perceive an immediate scoring opportunity.
Fan Opinions:
Matt: "Eliminate the offside flag being raised 20 minutes after a player is offside. It wastes time and could lead to injuries. Just raise the flag when they are offside."
Sal: "I would change the offside rule to require 'daylight' between the last defender and the attacker for an offside call to be valid."
Charlie: "I would remove offside altogether. Hockey successfully eliminated it years ago, and I believe it would lead to more goals, which fans want to see."
Chris: "I would like to revise the offside law so that you can only be offside beyond the 18-yard line, which would open up the play."
Chris Foy's Insight: "Assistant refereeing is an art, and they are trained to keep the flag down in clear attacking situations, though it can be frustrating at times. With semi-automated technology, we can achieve accurate offside judgments."
Dale Johnson's Perspective: "The 'daylight offside' concept has been discussed since Arsene Wenger proposed it in 2020, but it has not undergone full trials due to concerns about its impact on game tactics. Providing more advantage to attackers doesn't guarantee more goals; it could lead to increased defensive play. I would be surprised if this change occurs."
Stop the Clock and Reduce Time-Wasting
While goalkeepers who hold the ball for over eight seconds face penalties, time-wasting in other areas remains an issue. This season, the average ball-in-play time is just 55 minutes and 5 seconds, a decline of 114 seconds from last season.
Fan Opinions:
Anthony: "When stoppages or injuries occur, stop the clock as they do in rugby. This way, the match concludes at the 90th minute, eliminating debates over added time."
Gary: "Change the game to 60 minutes with a stop clock when the ball is out of play, similar to basketball. Most games currently have less than 50 minutes of actual play, which would eliminate time-wasting instantly."
Tony: "The clock should stop every time the ball goes out of play, and the referee should blow the whistle to pause the game."
Alex: "Adopt rugby's approach by stopping the clock for injuries and VAR checks. If you’re losing, you want more injury time; if you’re winning, you want less. Just stop the clock to eliminate uncertainty at the end of the game."
Chris Foy's Insight: "Time is always a significant topic in football. An independent timekeeper, like in basketball, could be introduced. The referee could call time off and on when play resumes, allowing fans to see the countdown clock, which would undoubtedly enhance excitement."
Dale Johnson's Perspective: "One issue with a stopped clock is that unless you’re in a stadium with a scoreboard, fans would be unaware of how much time is left. However, more time is being lost to stoppages like goal-kicks, throw-ins, and corner-kicks, all of which are at their highest this season. Thus, action is necessary."
Ban the Cheats - Punish Dissent and Simulation
Current rules allow referees to instruct players against approaching them and to issue yellow cards for disrespectful behavior. However, many fans feel these rules are not enforced adequately. Former Liverpool and Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy proposed that anyone caught cheating or diving should result in a penalty for the opposing team, while ex-Blackburn and Celtic forward Chris Sutton suggested upgrading simulation from a yellow card to a red card and a three-game ban to "ban the cheats."
Fan Opinions:
Christopher: "Using abusive language towards the referee should result in an immediate red card and a four-match ban."
Jeff: "Any attempt to simulate a foul should receive an instant yellow card, with VAR monitoring the situation. Holding or pulling clothing should also be penalized, as both actions violate the spirit of the game."
Dave: "Implement cards for any form of simulation. Too many players deceive the referee for an advantage, particularly those who go down clutching their face or head when they were never touched."
David: "A red card for simulation is long overdue; how long have fans been calling for this?"
Chris Foy's Insight: "Dissent remains a problem at all levels of football. During my refereeing career, it was no different. Open acts of dissent should be addressed. The introduction of sin-bins at grassroots football in 2019 has been a positive step for managing dissent. Referees cannot tackle this issue alone; everyone must work to protect the integrity of the game."
Change Handball Rule
Referees currently have a range of criteria for penalizing handball, aimed at providing a clearer and more consistent definition. However, this has led to an increase in penalties due to the expanded reasons for awarding them. Former England captain Alan Shearer criticized the confusing terminology and called for a simpler approach: "Is it deliberate handball or not?" It's evident that fans share his sentiment.
Fan Opinions:
Mike: "Reinstate the old, sensible 'ball to hand' rule as accidental handball. It should be straightforward."