Most supporters, and indeed many players, are probably not aware that there are alterations to the Laws of football every single year.  Some of these changes are minor, like those at the beginning of this season; other times they are wide-ranging and as a consequence receive more publicity.  Not everyone is happy about these constant changes. 

Last summer the national Referees' Association passed a resolution to ask the lawmakers to make changes only every four years prior to the World Cup.  Their request will be to no avail, so it might be worth considering what the alterations to the Laws have been trying to achieve over the past ten or fifteen years.

What the changes are for

There have been three main objectives.  The first is to encourage skilful play by legislating against the cloggers.  The Law has been changed - some would say too far - to stop bad tackles.  No longer can players plead that they 'went for the ball'.  The second objective is to make the game more entertaining by preventing some of the boring tactics that teams indulge in, and by ruling against those players who prevent certain goal or the chance of goals by unfair means.  The third aim behind the changes is to stop players cheating and,if anyone believes that players, particularly professional players,don't cheat, then hey are living in cloud cuckoo land.

Trying them out first

What is also perhaps not widely known is that many proposed changes to the Laws of the game are first subjected to an experimental period before they are introduced world-wide.  This is usually carried out on some relatively junior league (or leagues) or minor competition(s) to see how well the change operates.

A change that's well overdue

There is one particular change that referees have been advocating for years and that has been mentioned in this column more than once.  We believe it will speed up the game, stop some of the cheating and at the same time reduce  a lot of the dissent that referees have to cope with today.  This possible alteration has been on trial for the last two years in Jersey, but now Reading FC supporters are going to see it in action for themselves, for the experiment is being extended this season into the Auto Windscreens competition. 

I am of course talking about the '10-yard experiment' which is not too unlike what happens in rugby.  If the players don't immediately retire the required distance at free kicks, the referee will move the kick ten yards nearer their own goal line.  This also covers the situation where players stand and argue with the referee.

Less dissent and gamesmanship

Most dissent occurs immediately a referee makes a decision the players don't like.  Under this rule, if they show their disagreement, they stand a chance that the free kick will be advanced ten yards.  It should also cut out those little touches players indulge in, such as standing in front of the ball to prevent the free kick being taken quickly, and all those delays while the referee tries to coach the wall to retire the full distance.

If the kick is moved into the penalty area, then it will remain either as a direct or an indirect free kick, whatever was originally awarded.  A direct free kick won't turn into a penalty.

Is the yellow card really necessary?

The one disagreement we have as referees with the trial conditions is that we are also required to caution the players concerned.  We don't feel that this is necessary.  The moving of the free kick forward should be punishment enough and, what's more, we believe it will be self-regulatory.  By that I mean the team-mates will resent losing another ten yards, so will be pulling the offender back themselves without admonishment needed from the referee.

Although the Auto Windscreens Shield can hardly be called a major competition, it is being played by professional teams from the Nationwide League.  This gives us the hope that the experiment is being taken seriously by FIFA and the members of the International Football Association Board who make the Laws of football.  We could see the change introduced world-wide within two years.

Dick Sawdon Smith

 

© D Sawdon Smith 1999

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