Football is an environment where it is very difficult to change habits that are already well in place. It is played 11 against 11, without Germany winning at the end, as in the past. Meetings sometimes lack dynamism in addition to a schedule that no longer encourages them to prepare properly. Here are some ideas to give some enthusiasm back to football.
The Nations League, the Euro with 24 teams, the World Cup with 48, the Club World Cup with 32, the European Cup with 36 clubs each. Fifa and UEFA are responsible for a highly criticized calendar in the world of football. Before imagining anything, it should be remembered that it is the individual Federations which must adapt to what the European football body and the supreme body are proposing.
The competitions which pay the most, or which generate the most income, are those which dictate the world of football. The federations are free to keep their championship system with 18 or 20 teams. Recently, Gerard Piqué proposed that the exercises be increased to 16 formations. And why not? “For the sake of football, I think it could be much better to have fewer matches, but more premium and more exclusive experiences, believes the 2010 world champion. It would be easier to entertain the public and players would have fewer matches. » This would allow clubs to escape the famous match-recovery-match cycle in which they are stuck.
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10 against 10 football?
The schedule isn't the only thing that can change. The NBA has changed its rules to transform its sport, which is different from what it is done in Europe. Rugby has also made adjustments to provide more safety for players and rhythm. Football is played the same way as it was 100 years ago. The only notable developments are the end of goalkeepers handling the ball on back passes and players being able to receive a six-yarder inside their penalty area.
Isn't that too little for the number 1 sport in the world? Michel Platini proposed, in a podcast published on RMCto play at 10, given the physical dimension taken by athletes today. “Maybe we should remove a player, play with 10. Football was played with 11 in 1900, but in 1900, the players ran less than today, they were less strong, they would slower. »
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Foot throw, end of draws, arm raised
Let's be crazy. What if the referee raised his arm during sometimes endless phases of possession to tell the player that he must shoot in the next few seconds, as is the case in handball? This would encourage risk-taking rather than controlling the ball around the area.
Touches could take on another dimension by playing on the foot, pushing defenders to clear straight ahead. On the other hand, this would increase the number of aerial duels. The last rule would concern draws in the league. Rather than ending with a share of points, a penalty session to decide between the teams would give a completely different ranking. The big names could lose points. A championship title or a continuation would perhaps be decided on a penalty shootout…
