New Off-side proposal

[FGR Stroud]

Ex-referee Keith Hackett proposes radical change to offside rule (msn.com)

Keith Hackett, former referee and head Referee Official has made a radical [ and very sensible] suggestion that off side should be from the 18 yard line and not half way.
It would guarantee more goals per game.
I like the idea.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Why do we need more goals per game? To appeal to Americans?

 

[Laker]

Yeah I’m not in favour of this either. It would change the whole nature of the game which is actually fine as it is. 0-0 draws are part of the game which most proper football fans understand - it’s not like football has a lack of fans so needs to become more entertaining to appeal to a wider fanbase with rule changes like this.

Out of the problems with offside at the moment (particularly in the top flight), there being offsides between the half way line and the penalty box is not one of them in my opinion.

 

[valefan16]

Next it will be to have the line midway through the half like Subbuteo for it!

May even make less goals per game as teams would be more deeper to deal with the threat of a player standing on the 18 yard line when they are attacking!

 

[Chris FGR]

I would change the law so if you're offside, you're offside. If you're not interfering with play what are you doing on the pitch.

 

[shoddycollins]

I would change the law so if you're offside, you're offside. If you're not interfering with play what are you doing on the pitch.

to paraphrase Bill Shankly

 

[shoddycollins]

I've never felt that we don't get enough goals, has Mr Hackett been basing his opinions on watching exclusively Grimsby matches?

The reason why the offside rule was introduced in the first place was to encourage teams to press out and play a more expansive type of football. Remove it from the game and the game will just become a long-ball slug-fest with a number of attackers and corresponding defenders camped on the 18 yard line at all times.

Sure some teams will try and stick to a philosophy but everyone will be forced to react to this by playing with a deeper, more static defensive line. If you're really serious about doing that, have a good sweeper-keeper and your opponent is only putting one player in your half you could try and defend that way but then all your opponent needs to do is put a second player in your half and you have to drop another defender back and every defender you have to drop back leaves you fewer players to pass it around in the opposition half and you just get forced to focus on defending long balls.

 

[Casey]

Anglo-Italian cup rule from the '70s

I thought it was Bill Nicholson who came out with the line about "if they aren't interfering with play....etc" but I cant be bothered to check. Whoever; it's a valid point.

Casey

 

[Si Robin]

to paraphrase Bill Shankly

I thought it was Danny Blanchflower

EDIT - A quick Google search attributes it to Shankly and Brian Clough.

 

[dedwardp]

Anglo-Italian cup rule from the '70s

I thought it was Bill Nicholson who came out with the line about "if they aren't interfering with play....etc" but I cant be bothered to check. Whoever; it's a valid point.

Casey

This was also used as a rule in the Watney Cup in the same era. We beat West Brom in the 1971 final.

 

[chipmunx]

Why do we need more goals per game? To appeal to Americans?

didn't the American's have a similar rule in the past? or was it just the stupid 1 on 1 shoot out like in Ice Hockey that they tried?

 

[chipmunx]

This was also used as a rule in the Watney Cup in the same era. We beat West Brom in the 1971 final.

did the winners get free beer?

 

[Trapdoor]

The problem is, it removes a huge amount of defensive team skill from the game. Watching a back 4 or 5 step up in perfect unison to get the offside decision is pure art and really separates the average defences from top class defences.
Of course there is nothing more frustrating than watching some gormless wing back play a striker on while the 2 CBs have stepped up.

At the higher levels of the game this proposal simply wouldnt work because players like Harry Kane just dont care if they are 25 yards out or 18 yards out. They will bury it if they get the shooting opportunity.

 

[Luke Imp]

There's always someone, somewhere wanting to tweak a rule every season and I don't know why they can't leave it alone.

Some make sense - no opposition barging a defensive wall, for example, and them type of changes are very black and white. Likewise being able to play out from inside the 18 yard box this season, but whenever they try and improve a law like offside or handball it makes it worse.