Football rule changes

[This Time Next Year]

We all know that the rules of football change very little year on year, especially when compared t other sports like Hockey and American Football that seem far more pro-active in trying out new rules (and changing them back if they don't work).

The rule changes are often inspired by one of two things - How to make the game safer, or how to make the game better for the watching public, which usually means more flow and less interruptions.

Inspired by what has been most annoying for me to see as a fan during the world cup, a few rule changes have occurred to me.

1) Rolling substitutions. - My number one bug bear in games is watching teams try and milk out the last few minutes with utterly pointless substitutions. The players will bimble off the pitch, and seem to have started a new habit of shaking hands with everyone on their way off just for good measure. This is firstly pointless, as the time SHOULD be adding on to account for this, and secondly very frustrating for the fan at home to watch. Rolling subs would be quite a change to the game, but by not stopping the game to make subs, and to allow players to rotate, not only will there be less stoppage for subs, the quality should improve as fitness of the team can be managaed and maintained throughout. (It will also stop kids sulking when being subbed off, as you can always go back on later)

2) Not retreating - Players not immediately retreating 10 yards from the ball (or clearing the penalty area), should be punished. In hockey the punishment should be a yellow card (and 5 minutes in the sin bin), a booking seems reasonable for this. It was embarrassing watching the Colombians postpone Kane's penalty (and Tunisia did the same), I honestly expected the ref to start saying.. "Right, I'm going to start counting, when I get to zero anyone left in the penalty area will be put on the naughty step (or booked)...5...4...3..."

3) Hand ball - And now for what will be the most controversial suggestion... If the ball hits the hand, it's a foul. No ball to hand nonsense, get your hand out the way. Hockey players have had to dance their feet out of the way of the ball for years, footballers can do the same. No argument then, especially with VAR nowadays.

Thoughts?

Any rule tweaks you'd like to see?

[Locky_McLockface]

Yep, wrestling players to the ground (as opposed to tripping them up), instant red card.

Arguing with referee, 10 yard move forward (a la rugby).

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I actually think rules have changed quite a bit in the last 30 odd yrs. Goalie steps, offside, kick offs, subs, added time, Video, 3rd ref etc.
Also I think the refs already have the tools to deal with all the disrespect they get but they don't use them.
Anyhoo, the one thing I would like to see is retroactive executions for diving, fakery and crying about yer alleged gunshot wound.

[Pompey Penguin]

On the first point, I have said for ages that there should be no substitutions in the last 5 minutes of the first half or last 10 minutes of the second (or last 5 minutes of either half of extra time). OK, there would be the occasional injustice of a genuine injury, but I think that would be a reasonable price to eliminate an awful lot of time wasting that just ruins what should be the most exciting part of many games (professional football is after all an entertainment).

[Lost in Transportation]

Stop the debate about deliberate handball by administering temporary paralysing injections into players arms.

Stop the holding of shirts by requiring players to wear mittens.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Stop the debate about deliberate handball by administering temporary paralysing injections into players arms.

Stop the holding of shirts by requiring players to wear mittens.

I like the mittens. Wonder why players don't spray some sort of sticky stuff on their shirts so defenders hands get stuck like Velcro.
I think NFL wide receivers might use a slick substance so hands cant grip.