Blatter could scrap offside rule

Football supremo could emulate hockey example

Last updated: 4th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Blatter could scrap offside rule

Blatter: Makes offside enquiries

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Fifa president Sepp Blatter has quizzed the sport of hockey on the benefits of scrapping their offside rule, amid talk that football could follow suit.

Offside decisions are often the most debated issues in football, but that could amazingly become a thing of the past if hockey's example is replicated.

The sport abolished the offside rule once and for all in 1998, a move that made for a more exciting and attractive game for spectators.

Now Hockey president Leandro Negre has confirmed he held informal talks with Blatter on how his game went about implementing the radical change.

Negre believes Blatter was keen on learning about how the sport was affected, although he stopped short of providing him with his final opinion.

Questions

"He asked me a lot of questions about it and how successful it was," explained Negre.

"Although he never offered an opinion, so it was difficult to judge what football might do.

"But he did seem very interested in how we had implemented it."

Comments (43)

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Si Foley says...

Liam Scandrett -Can't say it better than that. Sepp Blatter needs to be replaced along with Platini.

Posted 00:16 8th March 2010

Philip Boulton says...

I do not think the off-side rule should be taken out of the game altogether just in the 18 yard area extend the line across the full width of the pitch and that is the off-side area and at the same time have three penalty spots in the goalkeepers area for fowls that are not in front of goal but a chance of scoring might have arisen. Oh and we do need goalline video judgement. The ref that gave Everton that penalty should,ve gone to Specsavers good on Myhill for the save how could Yakubu have scored from where he fell over.

Posted 20:33 7th March 2010

F.l. Salomon (Chelsea fan) says...

I don't agree with eliminating the off-side rule for many of the reasons mentioned here, but I agree with opening more of the field up - create an off-side line between the top of the penalty box and the center line. Far enough out to discourage Route 1, but stop defenses from defending so high up the pitch and give strikers more room to operate.

Posted 17:52 7th March 2010

Arron Self (Norwich City fan) says...

No offside rule? Is this man actually crazy? So, instead of having a 'beautiful' game, it would turn into route one! Good for teams like Bolton, what about Man Utd, Arsenal, Norwich who continue to set the footballing standards with beautiful, crisp passing football! Get him out! Fool!

Posted 15:20 4th March 2010

Peter Clarke (Sunderland fan) says...

Due to the pace of the game, the offside rule is too difficult to enforce. TV replays show that too many goals are wrongly disallowed and far too many are allowed e.g. Peter Crouch last night, when they should not stand. The answer is not the abolition of the offside rule, it is the use of video technology at all important games.

Posted 14:00 4th March 2010

Zulfiqar Ali (Arsenal fan) says...

Hailing from a nation where hockey has been played at the highest level and won many accolades, I know what scraping the offside rule has done to the game. We see more goals; no matter who is playing attack is the name of the game, its end to end stuff; no more boring nil/nil draws; very fast paced on your heels stuff; more space on the pitch; players can play in different positions. On the contrary it means not much skill to show; set pieces are more important than creating chances; midfield has more defensive role to play; long long balls and more long balls. In the end just see where hockey is even after changing this rule....so an abolute NO to this.

Posted 13:02 4th March 2010

Liam Scandrett says...

Why do we continue to put up with this idiot? I have never and will never meet anyone who agrees with what he says. He knows nothing about real football and it is a travesty he holds the most powerful position in world football. This is OUR game. Let's take it back. Next time there is a vote, can somebody PLEASE put themselves forward? Jeff Stelling, I'm looking at you.

Posted 12:40 4th March 2010

Max Ruddle (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Is this man mad? Scrapping the offside rule would result in the game looking like a group of kids in a park! To play with the offside rule requires skill, any fool can sit in the 18 yard box and wait for someone to hoof it up to them! Surely a more realistic and sensible answer surrounding the many controversies of the offside rule would be camera replays as used in rugby. It would take about 5 seconds to determine if someone is offside, less than the time it takes for a ball-boy to retrieve the ball! Why is such an idiot in charge of such a great game?

Posted 12:21 4th March 2010

Brendon Pillay says...

Ludicrous if you ask me !!! Hockey is played on a small pitch where the off side rule does not have much of an impact. Think of the mayhem it will bring about in football. We''l have "campers" in the penalty area just waiting for the ball to be hoofed to them ... MAD !!!

Posted 11:53 4th March 2010

John Bostock says...

I think that a line between the half-way line and the 18 yard box would be a first option, players could not be off side between these two lines. That would spread the game out but not to the extent of teams playing long balls up. Some times when goal kicks are being taken you can see all the out field players congested around the half way line, this would put a stop to it

Posted 11:27 4th March 2010

Kenny Smith (Scunthorpe United fan) says...

Jamie, are you on a wind-up. It would destroy the build up play of the game. The game has evolved, so what's the point of going backwards? This bloke just has to keep trying to ruin the game doesn't he.

Posted 20:54 3rd March 2010

Stephen Harper (Sheffield United fan) says...

Far be it to agree with a Leeds United fan but I think Ashley is spot on leave the game alone

Posted 16:00 3rd March 2010

Toni Greenwood (Blackpool fan) says...

i think the easiest and best way for offside would be to have a line level with the penalty area and you can only be offside within the area. also does away with the active/inactive controversy!! just my opinion of course but believe it workable and easy to implement.

Posted 14:48 3rd March 2010

Mark Stevens (West Ham United fan) says...

I've always thought the offside rule was worth revisiting as they have made it so difficult to interpret now. I don't know about scrapping it, but surely it could be tried in a minor tournament/league to see what effect it had.

Posted 14:24 3rd March 2010

Joe Davies (Leicester City fan) says...

As a non football fan who watches while his son has it on the TV what about taking the 18 yardbox across the field left to right an no offside between the 18 yardbox and the halfway line. Only offside in side the 18 yardbox you would have a line on the ground to help all the players and the ref and his linesmen to see where people are at all times.

Posted 13:17 3rd March 2010

Tony Mccarthey (Middlesbrough fan) says...

as a referee with 25 years service I would offer an alternative to complete removal of the offside law and only enforce it inside the penalty area this would open up the game but give some protection so that the original intent to stop "goal line scroungers" lurking near to the goal keeper is afforded whilst opening up vast areas of the field of play to more open football thus leading to more goal opportunities and excitement to the watching supporters

Posted 13:12 3rd March 2010

Chris Game (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

The offside rule is one of those things in football which is such a source of arguments. Personally it might be best to scrap it for a year and see if the game is more exciting. But maybe in the top games they should implement a review system...as in tennis if u win ur review u keep it if not thats 1 gone. The biggest problem in football really is the total inconsistancy of referees...and linesman too scared to make a proper decision.

Posted 11:50 3rd March 2010

. Cole (Liverpool fan) says...

This is a joke! This will make the game almost farcical.

Posted 09:41 3rd March 2010

Tamer Abouzeid (Arsenal fan) says...

I think many people dislike the thought just because it is a change, which is to be expected. These are the people who say we like it as it is. The same people who would still be playing matches with 2 substitutions and 2-point wins. Not all change is bad. Instead, we should have a discussion about it. There are positives and negatives. I think a move like this will create far more space on the pitch, because when a team is attacking you cannot have all your defenders push up to the halfway line, since you might have a lone striker just waiting in the offside zone. More space isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Posted 21:33 2nd March 2010

Tom Colohue (Fleetwood Town fan) says...

Blatter has lost the plot! The controversy of offside decisions makes for some of the most passionate discussions in the game, to abolish it would be madness, It'd be like the Alan Titchmarsh show without a crooning competition, not necessarily needed but it keeps the status quo. If this comes into play I'm going to hit the Southern comfort and lemonade hard.

Posted 19:52 2nd March 2010
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