Number 5 was tried in the early years of MLS and didn't work due to a lack of communication between the refs and the scoreboard operators. Number 9 was proposed years ago as a "penalty goal" but it was decided to give a PK and send off the offending player. The earliest I saw that enforced was in the Palace 3-2 Wimbledon match in 1991 reffed by David Elleray. Afterwards he said he was personally in favour of the penalty goal concept. Sending off for deliberate hand ball for a "goal" (HoG) is new but should have been enforced in 1986.

Divorced...And LOVING it!
VJRAM Rev.
CPFC since Boxing Day 1989 CPFC 2-2 CFC
Gregg Berhalter, US International & USMNT Head Coach
Jill Ellis, England International & Retired USWNT Head Coach
Trevor Francis, International PRAT

I quite like football. Wish they would stop f*cking about with it.

Edited by Littlebogreek (22 Jun 2017 4.24pm)

1. 30 minute halves with clock stops when the ball is dead.
I saw a stat once that said the ball is in play, on average, for 60-something minutes. So this is about the same amount of play if they stop the clock for all dead balls and give 60 mins as opposed to letting it run and give 90. It adds certainty, eliminates time wasting and should have very little impact on the flow of the game - other than to get rid of the flurry of injury time, ponderous substitutions.

2. Penalty kicks either score or not with no scoring from the rebound (like a penalty shoot out)
I don't like this. The penalty is a free kick, so the ball should stay live. Making the ball dead after a save just benefits the offending team.

3. Penalty shoot outs change the order from ABAB to ABBA.
Meh

4. passing to yourself at a free-kick, corner and goal-kick
Yes! This is the "Wilf" rule, so he can get up after being hauled down cynically, take a free kick to himself and continue on his merry way. For corners, it forces the defense, who would otherwise have a man extra in the middle, to go out and cover the potential dribble from the corner.

5. a stadium clock which stops and starts along with the referee's watch
A must if they do #1.

6. allowing the goal-kick to be taken even if the ball is moving
If they do #4, then the keeper is just starting a dribble so what's the harm.

7.a goal-kick being taken on the same side that the ball went out on
Doesn't matter much either way if they implement #4 and #1.

8. a "clearer and more consistent definition" of handball
Please! Basically, if a player isn't trying not to handball (e.g. hands clasped behind his back), then it should be handball.

9. a player who scores a goal or stops a goal with his hands gets a red card
Stopping a goal is already a red, so this just evens the punishment for an offense that carries equal potential to f*** with the result.

10.a keeper who handles a backpass or throw-in from a team-mate concedes a penalty
WTF? This is far too punitive. Of course, I don't even think that all fouls in the penalty area should be penalties and that some fouls outside the area should be penalties.

11. the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line
Penalty goals...interesting. If the refs were more competent, I'd be more confident about this one. I still think the penalty kick - and a card - is an appropriate punishment.

12. referees can only blow for half-time or full-time when the ball goes out of play
Not a fan of this one, but it makes sense if they introduce the hard clock from #1.

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

It wouldn't really, as the time the ball is in play for about the same either way.

Edited by Ray in Houston (26 Jun 2017 8.58pm)

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

if they switch to ABBA will it be Winner Takes it all?

Paua oouaarancì Irà chiyeah Ishé galé ma ba oo ah

Plenty of penalties aren't cycnical fouls though, I can see the logic in saying that if you've given a team a free shot at goal for an accidental trip then that is it.

However, the other side of the coin is that referees would HAVE to make sure that keepers stay on their line properly for that one shot.

Employee of the month is a good example of how someone can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.