30-minute halves of football?!

[Joe Jones]

From BBC Sport:

A proposal to scrap 45-minute halves is to be looked at by football's lawmakers to deter time-wasting.

Instead, there could be two periods of 30 minutes with the clock stopped whenever the ball goes out of play.

Lawmaking body the International Football Association Board (Ifab) says matches only see about 60 minutes of "effective playing time" out of 90.

The idea is one of several put forward in a new strategy document designed to address football's "negativities".

Another proposal would see players not being allowed to follow up and score if a penalty is saved - if the spot-kick "is not successful", play would stop and a goal-kick awarded.

Other ideas include a stadium clock linked to a referee's watch and a new rule allowing players to effectively pass to themselves or dribble the ball when taking a free-kick.

• Read the full strategy document here

Any thoughts on these proposals?

[DangerousSausage]

I'm not sure. If what they're saying about the ball only being in play for 60 minutes per match is correct, matches wouldn't actually be any shorter - we would just know EXACTLY how much time has been played. Just think about how much time we currently lose when setting up free kicks etc. In rugby, where they do this, they know exactly how much time has to be played, whereas we're reliant on the referee's instinct. While I can see why this makes sense in many ways, however, I just feel like a football match being 90 minutes long is one of those sacred things that shouldn't be altered.

I quite like it when a penalty is saved but a goal is scored on the rebound (depending on who's scoring it obviously!). Such conflicting emotions in the space of a few seconds. Leave it be please.

[Chris]

Why do people feel the need to overcomplicate things in order to solve the most simplest issues?

Referees can cut out time wasting and what they can't should simply be accepted as part of the game. So, diving, dirty play - match officials should clamp down on. Newport style wasting time near the corner flag? A part of the game.

[liampie]

why does it need to change? this is a really stupid suggestion.

[TheCalFoster]

Keep football the way it is.. It's the beautiful game..

[Fozzy]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no and thinking about it for a minute, gives me the answer of NO!

[Super_Danny_Allsopp]

For me, there doesn't seem to be any valid justification. No from me. 

[4everapie]

If they want to stop time wasting, let players have treatment while play still goes on, that'll stop them play acting and having your team down to 10 men.

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[Northants Pie]

I actually agree in some part to this, there should have been a formula for additional time a long time ago that takes the onus away from interpretation. The difficulty for me comes with just how much time the ball can spend out of play due to the nature of the game, whereas in rugby the ball goes out far less and the chance of it going out is also far less. 

Allowing medical persons onto the pitch without stopping play should have been introduced years ago, again there is a small caveat to that, if its within the 18 yard box then the game should have to stop.

Leave penalties well alone and the sin bin idea seems a far fairer way of punishment given the frankly ridiculous things refs give yellow cards out for these days

[DangerousSausage]

6 minutes ago, Northants Pie said:

I actually agree in some part to this, there should have been a formula for additional time a long time ago that takes the onus away from interpretation. The difficulty for me comes with just how much time the ball can spend out of play due to the nature of the game, whereas in rugby the ball goes out far less and the chance of it going out is also far less. 

Allowing medical persons onto the pitch without stopping play should have been introduced years ago, again there is a small caveat to that, if its within the 18 yard box then the game should have to stop.

Leave penalties well alone and the sin bin idea seems a far fairer way of punishment given the frankly ridiculous things refs give yellow cards out for these days

I've see somewhere that the ball is currently in play for 55 minutes per match on average, so the proposal would actually give us more football and matches would actually take roughly as long. I'm not sure I'd like to move away from the 90 minutes but I can't deny it's pragmatic.

One danger is that it could actually slow games down. I can see free kicks and the rest of it taking longer, as the clock isn't ticking anyway. Once the clock has been stopped, you can fit all kinds of things in - video referees taking ages to look at an incident from all angles before reaching a decision, advert breaks ... with the current 90 minutes this isn't possible was the clock is ticking down. That's my issue with it.

[Northants Pie]

4 hours ago, DangerousSausage said:

I've see somewhere that the ball is currently in play for 55 minutes per match on average, so the proposal would actually give us more football and matches would actually take roughly as long. I'm not sure I'd like to move away from the 90 minutes but I can't deny it's pragmatic.

One danger is that it could actually slow games down. I can see free kicks and the rest of it taking longer, as the clock isn't ticking anyway. Once the clock has been stopped, you can fit all kinds of things in - video referees taking ages to look at an incident from all angles before reaching a decision, advert breaks ... with the current 90 minutes this isn't possible was the clock is ticking down. That's my issue with it.

I agree, for me the solution is somewhere inbetween 30 minutes halves and where we are now. The clock should auto stop for all goal kicks, free kicks & penalties, the review process can happen much quicker than it does for other sports, the review process should only be consulted for penalties and possible sending off offences, otherwise we become cricket, slow and boring. As for the ball just running out of play lets not slow it down just for the sake of it.

I do feel though that like all suggestions they are done for the money men who really pull the strings....