This piece was written in March 2019. It was intended to be run in the Prescot Cables matchday programme for the game nearest to April 1st that year. Unfortunately, it never got published! I like it - especially the names!
Fundamental changes proposed to football
The Walloper has gained exclusive access to a report to be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the European Football Association on Monday next, 1st April 2019. The Meeting will consider proposals to update and standardise the dimensions of the field of play, some fundamental changes to the structure of football and a new European Cup competition.
Duration of a match and substitutions
All matches will be played for 100 minutes, split into 4 equal periods of 25 minutes. Teams will change ends at the start of each period of play.
Up to 10 player interchanges from a pool of 5 substitutes will be allowed. Interchanges will be permitted without a break in the play and administered by the fourth official. No interchanges (substitutions) will be permitted during the 4th quarter.
UEFA’s Head of Rules, Lopo Frail explained that the rule changes are intended to speed up the game and avoid time-wasting and unnecessary stoppages.
The field of play
Pitches will be laid out to metric, rather than imperial measurements. This will mean that some of the on-field dimensions will alter. The 18 yard line of the “Penalty Box” will now be 20 metres from the goal line, and the “Goal Area” will now be marked at 5 metres. The Penalty Spot would be altered from 12 yards to 10 metres from the goal line. The Penalty Arc (the “D”) would, therefore, be rendered redundant and will be removed.
The Goalframes, themselves, will also be rebuilt to metric standards. Thus, the width of the goal will be altered from 8 yards to 10 metres and the height of the crossbar adjusted from 8 feet to 3 metres. Commenting on the changes, UEFA Spokesman, Olaf Orpil said, “The larger dimensions of the goal are likely to result in more goals being scored and will increase excitement for spectators.”
The Walloper understands that the changes will be introduced across UEFA affiliated countries from next season. All UEFA competitions will be played under the amended rules and individual Football Associations will phase in the changes to their domestic competitions.
In England, Mr Olli Froap the F.A.’s Director of Football has confirmed that the changes will apply to leagues at Step 4 and below from the start of 2019/20, with the Premier League, EFL and steps 1 – 3 adopting the changes the following season.
A new European competition
The teams finishing in the top two positions of each of the UEFA Champions League qualifying groups will progress to the knock-out stages, as now, whilst the teams finishing in third position of each of the eight groups will continue to be placed in the UEFA Europa League.
The eight teams finishing at the bottom of the Champions League qualifying groups will now be entered into a new tournament, to be officially known as the Coupe de Premier Avril (or COPA UEFA).
Commenting on the changes, the Irish FA’s representative, Mr Con Apriluno, said, “This is a good move, and will ensure that the weaker teams will continue to have an interest in European competition.” However, the German sports minister, Frau Avril Fühl, takes a different view, saying, “This new competition merely rewards failure”.
Overall, the proposed changes have not met with universal approval. Writing in L’Equipe, the French sports newspaper, Ralf Pooli said, “These changes are very foolish, as befits the date of the Meeting”.
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