FOOTBALL THE ARCHAIC GAME : ROOTED IN TIME
(By Ajit Nair : Strictly Personal Views)
Most
games evolve with time – to keep in sync with the changing circumstances of
modernity – and the last 20 years have seen the greatest changes that humanity has
ever seen. Sports too have changed immeasurably – changes in equipment, in
stadia, in surfaces, in the efficiency and reach of TV coverage, in commercialization,
in the fitness and resolve of sportsmen and the high stakes involved, with the consequent
competitiveness. But the greatest change has been in the modern
generation’s attitude to life – and to
sports. The last generation was used to an easy-paced, but skillful and
aesthetic way of playing a game. The younger generation wants an instant fix to
everything – they want speed, strength and a quick result. Some games re-invented
themselves to remain relevant, others merely changed their format or rules.
Cricket
was about to die of old age, but a blood transfusion of One Dayers to Tests
saved the day, and pandered to the impatience of modernity. 20-20 came in even
before the One Dayers reached adulthood and proved to be an instant success. In
Billiards, old-timers made thousand point breaks – today each game finishes at
150 – to counter the challenge of colourful and fast-paced Snooker – and
Snooker itself has introduced a 6 ball variant. Hockey changed umpteen rules,
some to break the hegemony of India/Pakistan and to suit the
Europeans/Australians and some to speed up the game – but all for the better. Squash,
Badminton and Table Tennis changed their scoring formats and rode the crest of
the wave. Some games were free flowing and fast-paced to start with, and had to
make minimal changes – Basketball (3 pointers, triple free throws etc) and
Tennis (line call challenges, tie-breaks) amongst others. And most Games
enthusiastically embraced Technology.
But
the most popular game of them all – Football – remains rooted in obstinate and
arrogant anachronism. Footer is such an entertaining and exciting global
obsession, that its popularity has survived its archaic resistance to change. Everybody
can and does play it and everybody loves to watch it. As Liverpool FC manager
Bill Shankly famously said “Football is not a matter of life and death – it is
far more serious than that….” The Footballing mania may well survive its
restrictive and out-dated rules and regulations – but who knows when the modern
youth just switches off. FIFA and King Sepp must think proactively – the
writing is not yet on the wall, but it doesn’t take much time to fetch the
chalk. The youth of today are demanding, but not too forgiving. Changes are
required not just to entertain, but also to remove arbitrary and patently
unfair decisions, to reward the better, more skillful and hard-working team, the
more talented player – on the day, and to remove cynical gamesmanship. And
finally, to use the benefits of technology to improve the quality of refereeing.
In this World Cup, goal-line technology is being used, but video referrals and
the full gamut of available technology is not. They must be used, without
slowing the game down too much.
My take on what is wrong and what
needs to be done, if Football is to remain the King of Sports.
Red cards/Yellow cards.
The biggest Anachronism. Both Cards have completely unintended
consequences. Invariably, Yellow Cards are too mild and Red Cards are too
harsh. And the worst thing is that the time at which they are given has a
huge impact on the game. A Yellow Card early in the game has no immediate
effect, but puts the player on tenterhooks for the rest of the game, while a
Yellow Card near the end has almost no immediate effect (only long-term). A Red
Card at the beginning kills the game and a Red Card for the same offence near
the end has very little effect. Two Yellow Cards for two ‘not too serious’
fouls – equals the Draconian Red Card !!! And both illogically carry their
effect onto the next game as well. A Red Card – and you miss the next game. A
Yellow in two successive games and you miss the third.
Both Yellow and
Red Cards must have an immediate effect and it should be even
at any stage of the game and always commensurate to the gravity of the offence.
Today, there are many different fouls of differing gravity, but only three
types of penalties – Free Kicks, a Penalty and the two Cards.
My
solution – an immediate three or five minute send-off for a Yellow Card and a
10 minute (or 15/20/30 – at the discretion of the Referee) send-off for a Red
Card. And NO carry-forward at all.
Off-sides. Off-sides
have their origin in the late 18th Century in English Public Schools.
They’re archaic in the 21st. They’re completely incomprehensionable
to the average watcher and barely comprehensionable to the informed laymen
(like me). Many an off-side decision in this WC has been patently wrong,
denying what looked like a sure-shot goal. On 30 June 2014, I was astounded to
hear a Legend of the Game, Robbie Fowler say “I’m not sure about the off-side
Rule, but I think that should have been a Goal” (France –Nigeria). Laying the
off-side trap is fraught with danger – suppose the linesman gets it wrong ? And
beating the off-side trap has become a artificial and technical expertise,
unnatural to the beautiful game. Absolutely no reason for them.
I say
– abolish the Off-side Rule, Hockey has already done that. Let the poacher wait
in ambush !! It will add a delicious element of surprise….
Back passes, Back
passes, especially to the goal-keeper, seriously detract from the flow and
beauty of Football. To some extent, FIFA recognised that 20 odd years ago and
banned Goalies from handling a ball that was back-passed by the foot (as
opposed to the head or body). But the bane of back-passes continue. It slows
down the game and leads to audience fatigue.
Back
passes to the Penalty area must be banned. In addition, back-passes from ahead
of the Centre-line to behind it must also be banned (like in Basketball).
Throw-ins/Free Kicks. A
throw-in is an unnecessary and artificial expertise, which slows down the game.
Instead
of throw-ins, have a kick in, to be quickly taken by the closest player
(instead of waiting for the ‘so-called’ expert to arrive – and his speed of arrival
depends on whether his Team is ahead or behind !!). And both for Free Kicks and
for the Kick-in the player must be allowed to carry the ball, instead of
looking for a pass (again, like in Hockey).
Time of play/Injury time. The
clock keeps ticking when the Referee calls a foul. Why? Then extra time is
given to compensate the delays. Then players delay during extra time and the Referee
has to re-calculate.
Why
not stop the clock every time the play is held up and blare a bugle, when time
ends – at exactly 45/90 minutes (like in Basketball)………….Time to be kept by the
Time-keeper, and not by the Referee.
Replacements/Substitutions. The
Replacements/substitutions rule has remained unchanged for Decades. Three substitutions
per match. We see slow Football and tired legs near the end of every match,
especially during extra-time. And if a player is injured after the
substitutions are made ? What then ? Play a man short ? Patently unfair. Hockey
has a rolling substitution rule, which is so wonderful (also Basketball). Fast
paced action till the very end.
My
take on it - Substitute all you want – to keep each player fresh. And to give
every player a chance. And to cater for minor injuries, which necessitate a
rest or treatment for a few minutes. It will also give great strategic legroom
to the Coach (Imagine : Van Persie starts; the Dutch two goals up in 20 minutes
– withdrawn for a defensive player. The enemy equalizes, Van Persie back…..and
so on). Games will oscillate between all-out attack and balanced defence.
Challenges. Any challenge, especially from the rear
where the ball is not targeted, only the man, must invite immediate retribution
– in the form of a send-off (for a limited duration). It will act as a huge
deterrent and prevent unnecessary injuries. Any callous, professional foul must
come to the attention of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee (like the Suarez
‘bite’). Remember Andoni Goikoetxea, "The Butcher from Bilbao",
whose vicious tackling nearly ended the career of the sublime Maradona ?
Video Referrals. The
reluctance to use available technology is just not understood by a lot of us.
Similar to the Goal-line technology being used for the first time, back-line
and sideline technology can be used. In addition, each Team can be given two (or
three) referrals per Half, to challenge the Referee’s call. And the dialogue
between the on-field Referee and the video Referee can be telecast, along with
the video footage being seen by the latter. In Hockey, this has generated great
interest, with the audience virtually participating ! Wrong decisions are the
bane of modern Football and leads to huge on-field animosity. Hard to blame the
Referee – he gets a split-second to make a game changing decision.
Penalty. The
Penalty kick is too serious a matter to be left to the on–the–spot discretion
and judgement of the on-field Referee. In this World Cup, the mistakes in
awarding (or in NOT awarding) a
Penalty have been numerous, and the fate of a Country has been wrongly decided,
leading to National despondency. (Even Robben’s last minute Penalty award
against Mexico has been contested by many experts – like Robbie Fowler, after
watching many replays). Before awarding a Penalty, a video referral must
be made compulsory (and irrespective of a Team’s decision to challenge
it). This could be applied to Red Cards also.
Number of Referees. The
referee is the only one who has to run from one goal–line to the other
continuously, for the full 90 minutes (no substitutions allowed !). The
Football field is large – 100 yards and this must put a huge strain on him.
Even to the point of affecting rational decisions.
Why
not have two Referees (like Hockey – where the Field is smaller) – one for each
Half.
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