Random footie

[Gingerfinch]

I can see a few sneaky adverts popping in, if and when the stopwatch is paused.

[Durhamfootman]

I can see a few sneaky adverts popping in, if and when the stopwatch is paused.

well.... now you're just being cynical

they would never do that

ever y time

[Durhamfootman]

Awful proposals, having a stop clock for minor things ruins the fluidity of the game. What's not to say a player will deliberately feign injury under the coaches orders to pause time and ring in tactical changes?

has Dean Richards suddenly moved into football management?

[sussexpob]

I ask this simple question....For those against the idea, how do you combat what is quickly becoming a successful tactic to waste time from minute 0 in a football game?

We have Durham's "play 45 minutes, stop the clock" argument. I am pretty sure this would have quite a huge impact on the skill factor of football, as games would essentially be 30 minutes longer, and would become a test of physical endurance then skill. The last thing we want to see is 11 Ethiopian long distance runners scoring 15 goals against an uber skillful Argentinian side, for the sole reason they are fitter. Nor do we want to see the end of matches fizzle out like many extra time battles, with most players too busy cramped up to move, and those that can still run at half pace. I know what comes next "well rugby does it"..... which it doesnt, because the clock only stops for injuries and the like. Rugby is a shorter game, but Id have to guess, has just as much "dead time" in scrums, all kicks at goal can take one minute and must happen at least 10-15 a game?)... loads of wasted time in rugby. And this is a cricket board... cricket is what, 90% dead time? What sport that is popular doesnt have dead time?

The simple fact is, football teams can cheat very easily. One only has to look at the Mourinho v Cameiro issue to see that, even when a manager of a team disagrees with his player rolling around pretending to be injured, if he criticizes a doctor for not answering the call he ends up paying her an out of court settlement for 3 million quid. Referees are not doctors and will always stop play for an injury. He cant tell, even if he suspects, if a player is faking it. And he has a duty of care to make sure the player is given medical attention asap. And who's to say the ball isnt too wet for a thrower to put back into play. Whos to say such and such player doesnt really need time to tie their laces, or needs a new shin pad, or whatever. The problem is, teams like West Brom's Pulis literally have mastered the art of time wasting. They do everything, at all opportunities. Score early (like v Southampton a couple of years ago), get the towel out for every throw, have the keeper remark the ball everytime or change the side he kicks from, etc etc. What does a ref do? Send a player off for drying a ball or tying their laces? Send a player off for potentially really hurting themselves? Time all the stoppages then get asked why he played 44 minutes injury time? Of course not.

SO in the end, its a pretty good compromise. Taking the stats you are simply condensing the football down to what you expect to get if no one is time wasting.... just that they cant time waste.

Far from ripping off fans, its doing the opposite...... its a suggestion that intends to give the fans an intensive game that is not blighted by cheating, or with noncing around.

[Durhamfootman]

well just make it a half hour game, then, cut out all that dead half time nonsense

I'm sure the fans will be drooling at the prospect of all that super dooper, extra intensity for their 50 quid that only a 30 minute match can bring

or make the matches so short that there isn't enough time for the Newcastle fans to leave early when things don't go their way next season

I see no reason why 45 mins each way with a stop clock wouldn't work. Hard in the lower leagues where the game is solely about running your nuts off, but easy at Barcelona where the play is so slow and pitty patty, that players are rumoured to thinking about taking a cup of tea onto the pitch with them next season........... best china too!

Rugby League hardly stops at all and their players manage to keep going, even with other players thumping them into the ground every few minutes (80 mins obviously)

Footballers will be fine...... they'll still take their time wasting tea breaks to catch their breath... just that it will no longer help to rob the fans of their money's worth

[braveneutral]

I'm with Durham on this.

[yuppie]

Jose now charged with tax fraud in Spain.

Maybe its time to charge is super agent as well. Though Wolves wont be to happy with that.

[Alviro Patterson]

Awful proposals, having a stop clock for minor things ruins the fluidity of the game. What's not to say a player will deliberately feign injury under the coaches orders to pause time and ring in tactical changes?

has Dean Richards suddenly moved into football management?

Are we talking about the fomer Wolves, Southampton and Spurs centre back?

[Durhamfootman]

no

former Leicester and England number 8

who as a coach thought it was a good idea to get one of his players to bite on a 'blood' capsule so that he could make a 'blood substitution' rather than a player replacement

[Durhamfootman]

re this......

Awful proposals, having a stop clock for minor things ruins the fluidity of the game. What's not to say a player will deliberately feign injury under the coaches orders to pause time and ring in tactical changes?

[andy]

That Ajax player who collapsed, has now suffered from permanent and serious brain damage... feel for the lad and his family, such sad news.

[sussexpob]

That Ajax player who collapsed, has now suffered from permanent and serious brain damage... feel for the lad and his family, such sad news.

Yep. Horrible story. All the hope, expectation, dedication... snuffed out in a literal heartbeat.

It was a nice touch that the Ajax fans came to the house to sing songs and support the family. The red flare minutes silence was particularly poignant.

The news report I seen decided to show the incident, which was not really sensitive at all. Players and manager look shell shocked, as they did on the news turning up to his house in tears.

Nothing more to say really... horrible.

[yuppie]

Arsenal win the charity sheild on penalties. First trophy of the season sorted.

No sign of Costa anywhere for Chealski. Going to be much harder for Chealski to win the league this year. Distraction of the champions league will have an impact.

[budgetmeansbudget]

Wenger can't stop winning trophies, two in three months!

[yuppie]

Give him a new contract.