Izuchukwu Okosi
There are certain rules within the game of football that the world football governing body Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) would need to change or alter.
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These changes are geared towards making sure that more players either get ample playing time, or are saved from burnouts.
These changes will also ensure the passion that football ignites especially when great and/or significant goals are scored do not appear inconsequential.
Prime Business Africa’s IZUCHUKWU OKOSI takes a look at the rules that FIFA need to amend for the greater good of the game and for the entertainment value.
1. Yellow Cards For Jersey Removal
1. The yellow cards issued to players who remove their jerseys while celebrating scored goals have been widely condemned by large sections of football faithful who feel that it should be scrapped as it plays down the importance or beauty of such goals.
The emotions run high when teams score goals that perhaps saves them from defeat or relegation.
When players are punished because they removed their jerseys in excitement, it plays down on the entertainment value.
A more appropriate penalty for the shirt removal should be additional time of 5 (five) minutes being added to what should have been the expected added time.
Conversely, a player should be booked and also fined (in addition to the ‘extra’ 5 minutes explained above) if they create public nuisance by completely undressing before the crowd or pull down their shorts to reveal the names of a brand that isn’t the sponsors of the tournament/competition they are taking part in.
Example, a game ends in 90 minutes and three minutes was supposed to be added but because a player had removed their jersey before full time, the game ends in 98 minutes rather than 93 minutes.
2. Squad List Increase
The final squad list of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was increased from 23 players to 26 players (the added numbers are optional) as the tournament was played at a time when players were at the risks of burnouts.
The number, 26, should be maintained for future FIFA and continental tournaments.
Aside the fears of burnouts (this has somewhat been reduced by the increased number of Substitutes which is now five from the previous three), it gives more deserving players the chance to make a team to a major tournament as the places have been increased.
At the club level, Prime Business Africa believes the team should have 28 players with eight slots going to the academy products/homegrown talents in the first team.
The 20 places has to be taken by mostly foreign and experienced players in the team.
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3. Match Duration For Youth, Women’s Teams
The U-17 FIFA World Cup matches as well as the women’s tournaments are played in 90 minutes just as the men’s version.
The slight time reduction for these categories of teams should be considered as they are about young people and of the weaker vessels.
Women particularly have medical and biological challenges which could impact on their well-being if not well managed.
The 1993 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Japan where Nigeria won its second title at the cadet level was played for 80 minutes per match.
During knockout stages of tournaments involving these categories, winners should be decided by penalty kicks after regulation time instead of the extra times as we have witnessed.
This should be the consideration of FIFA for the greater good game of the game especially on the health front.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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