I don't even care about Italian football and I'm seething with rage at how stupid and disrespectful Donnarumma is. 

1 minute ago, Remodez said:

I don't even care about Italian football and I'm seething with rage at how stupid and disrespectful Donnarumma is. 

I wonder who he's had whispering in his ear? 

My money is on him being lined up to replace Buffon at Juventus. 

37 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

I wonder who he's had whispering in his ear? 

My money is on him being lined up to replace Buffon at Juventus. 

Word is Riaola has an agreement with Madrid for 6m & Milan are only offering 4m, but Riaola wants a £10m escape clause inserted in Donnaruma's contract which can be activated if Milan doesn't qualify for Europe. The whole situation is ridiculous, and football will be better off without both Riaola and Mendes.

i reckon he Is trying to start a bidding war for Donnaruma, with Juve, Madrid & PSG likely to all interested parties. 

Pretty disrespectful for a 19 year old to turn on the club that gave him the start. He's undoubtedly a good player, but being the No1 GK for one of those top teams at about 20 years old is some task.

Apparently Ronaldo wants to leave Real because he doesn't want to play in Spain anymore

If Ronaldo leaves, I can only see him going back to Man utd.

If Ronaldo leaves, I can only see him going back to Man utd.

Didn't he have a fall out with Jose?

Yeah, he fell out with Mourinho as most of the R Madrid players (I think the exception were Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa who got on Mourinho's side). But money talks and I guess it is not improbable that Ronaldo would go back to Utd.

The motives of him wanting out are thought to be the tax evasion problems with the Spanish justice.

2 hours ago, adineen98 said:

Apparently Ronaldo wants to leave Real because he doesn't want to play in Spain anymore

I've heard the Cayman Islands have a decent league. 

ronaldo won't leave real madrid, i would bet my left nut on it. 

Am not sure what to make of this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889

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.

Former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola is in favour of the proposal to cut matches to 60 minutes.

"I personally like this rule because there are so many teams who try to take advantage of it because they are winning and wasting time - so I think it is not a bad rule," he told the BBC.

"Football is fast enough. Some of the changes I don't like very much, but this is a good one."

Arsenal keeper Petr Cech echoed Zola's sentiments as he discussed the proposal on social media and wrote that at present there are "25 minutes of effective playing time per half so you would actually see more football".

• Read the full strategy document here

Where have these proposals come from?

The ideas have been put forward to Ifab by stakeholders in the game to tackle "on-field issues" and form part of what it calls its "Play Fair strategy", which has three aims of:

• improving player behaviour and increasing respect
• increasing playing time
• increasing fairness and attractiveness

Part of the problem the new document highlights is that a 90-minute match has fewer than 60 minutes of playing time because of stoppages and time-wasting.

Which plans need no law changes?

The document has put forward a number of radical ideas for discussion, but suggests some proposals can be implemented immediately without the need for law changes.

Most of these apply to trying to combat time-wasting. The document says match officials should be stricter on the rule which allows keepers to hold the ball for six seconds and be more stringent when calculating additional time.

Additionally, it suggests match officials stop their watch:

• from a penalty being awarded to the spot-kick being taken
• from a goal being scored until the match resumes from the kick-off
• from asking an injured player if he requires treatment to play restarting
• from the referee showing a yellow or red card to play resuming
• from the signal of a substitution to play restarting
• from a referee starting to pace a free-kick to when it is taken

Which plans are ready for testing?

Some of the proposals are already being tested. The idea of only allowing captains to speak to referees - to prevent match officials being mobbed - will be trialled at this summer's Confederations Cup, which starts on Saturday.

Another proposal involves changing the order of kick-taking in penalty shoot-outs, known as 'ABBA'. It is similar to a tie-break in tennis, with team A taking the first kick, then team B taking two, then team A taking two. That is a change from the traditional 'team A, team B, team A, team B' pattern.

New suggestions also include players who are being substituted leaving at the closest part of the touchline to them instead of at the halfway line.

Which ideas are up for discussion?

This is where it gets interesting. One of the proposals would allow being able to dribble straight from a free-kick to "encourage attacking play as the player who is fouled can stop the ball and then immediately continue their dribble/attacking move". Other measures include:

• passing to yourself at a free-kick, corner and goal-kick
• a stadium clock which stops and starts along with the referee's watch
• allowing the goal-kick to be taken even if the ball is moving
• a goal-kick being taken on the same side that the ball went out on
• a "clearer and more consistent definition" of handball
• a player who scores a goal or stops a goal with his hands gets a red card
• a keeper who handles a backpass or throw-in from a team-mate concedes a penalty
• the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line
• referees can only blow for half-time or full-time when the ball goes out of play
• a penalty kick is either scored or missed/saved and players cannot follow up to score to stop encroachment into the penalty area

Who has come up with these proposals?

Ifab is made up of Fifa and the four British home football associations - of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - and is responsible for making the final decision on law changes.

Former English referee David Elleray is Ifab's technical director and has overseen the document.

"Referees, players, coaches and fans all agree that improving player behaviour and respect for all participants and especially match officials, increasing playing time and the game's fairness and attractiveness must be football's main priority," he said.

The next stage would involve the ideas being discussed at various meetings before decisions are taken on whether to develop them further or discard them.

 

•  

 

Out of all those proposals there isn't one on how to tackle diving 🙄

Out of all those proposals there isn't one on how to tackle diving 🙄

If the tackle is made by a player in a blue shirt with Yokohama Tyres on it, it is a FOUL.
If the player tackled is wearing a blue shirt with Yokohama Tyres on it, it is a DIVE.

Oscar having a good time in China, randomly kicking balls at players, starting a massive brawl and getting floored. 

Edited June 18, 20179 yr by Floyd25

1 hour ago, Floyd25 said:

Oscar having a good time in China, randomly kicking balls at players, starting a massive brawl and getting floored. 

Sounds like a night out in Glasgow 

Additionally, it suggests match officials stop their watch:

• from a penalty being awarded to the spot-kick being taken
• from a goal being scored until the match resumes from the kick-off
• from asking an injured player if he requires treatment to play restarting
• from the referee showing a yellow or red card to play resuming
• from the signal of a substitution to play restarting
• from a referee starting to pace a free-kick to when it is taken

Forget shortening the match time, this will do the trick. Sign me up

Also, a petition against these new changes...

https://www.change.org/p/international-football-association-board-keep-football-as-it-is?recruiter=75792756&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_content=nafta_share_post_title_en_2%3Areal_control

8 hours ago, Boyne said:

Am not sure what to make of this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40311889

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.

Former Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola is in favour of the proposal to cut matches to 60 minutes.

"I personally like this rule because there are so many teams who try to take advantage of it because they are winning and wasting time - so I think it is not a bad rule," he told the BBC.

"Football is fast enough. Some of the changes I don't like very much, but this is a good one."

Arsenal keeper Petr Cech echoed Zola's sentiments as he discussed the proposal on social media and wrote that at present there are "25 minutes of effective playing time per half so you would actually see more football".

•  

 

•  

 

•  

 

I don't like the idea of just 60 mins. Having the break gives the manager time to try and change a game which is running away from them and so makes the game more exciting.

Also people like to get drinks or visit the boys room at half time.

I agree only with the stopping time to check on injuries etc. In a fast-paced game like in the Prem, 60min games would mean more long balls since they can sprint more. The Prem isn't like in other leagues where the build up is slower-paced. 60min games would make Pep's Barca tiki-taka the perfect game plan though as they can play square passes all day after scoring 

Instead of shortening the game to 30 minutes, why not just stop the clock every time play stops ? If they cut the game down to 30 minutes a half, there will be many games that don't even reach 90 minutes of football even with the ref stopping his watch every time the play stops. I hate that idea and it's almost as bad as suggesting the removal of the offside rule that was bought up a few months ago.

The other ideas being talked about:

• passing to yourself at a free-kick, corner and goal-kick

I'm unsure on this one, it may mean less goals being scored from free kicks and corners.

• a stadium clock which stops and starts along with the referee's watch

Don't care either way.

• allowing the goal-kick to be taken even if the ball is moving

No problem with this.

• a goal-kick being taken on the same side that the ball went out on

Why, is there really any point ?

• a "clearer and more consistent definition" of handball

I agree with this but i'm not sure they can make it any more fair than it currently is.

• a player who scores a goal or stops a goal with his hands gets a red card

Seem's very harsh. What if it's accidental ?

• a keeper who handles a backpass or throw-in from a team-mate concedes a penalty

I wouldn't mind if they changed this one, but i wouldn't mind if they left it how it is either.

• the referee can award a goal if a player stops a goal being scored by handling on or close to the goal-line

No, just leave it as it is and award a penalty.

• referees can only blow for half-time or full-time when the ball goes out of play

I would be fine with this.

• a penalty kick is either scored or missed/saved and players cannot follow up to score to stop encroachment into the penalty area

I would be ok with this one too.

 

Some of these ideas are ok, but a lot of them also feel like changing things for the sake of changing things.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40322608

A Serie A manager has completed a 1,300km bike ride up the length of Italy, after telling his players he would do so if they avoided relegation.

Davide Nicola made the deal in April, when Crotone looked certain to go down.

But they won six of their final nine matches of the season to avoid the drop by two points, after having won just three games from their previous 29.

The 44-year-old arrived in his home town of Vigone near Turin on Sunday - nine days after leaving Crotone.

"Am I tired? I still do not feel any particular pain," he said.

This map of Italy shows the departure point and destination of Nicola's journey, but the route is indicated only for illustrative purposes

"It's been a beautiful journey, a fairytale. From tomorrow maybe I will feel a bit tired, but what matters most to me is that my goal has been achieved."

Three years ago, Nicola's 14-year-old son Alessandro was killed after being knocked off his bike by a bus in Vigone.

"I kept the promise and, with the help of many people, we have also attracted the attention of many people to the question of safety on the roads," he added.

"Here in Turin I was greeted with great enthusiasm, I am very excited."

Nicola made the deal with his players after a 2-1 win at Chievo - Crotone's first victory away from home in Serie A.

Crotone took just 14 points from their first 29 games but won six of their last nine matches to finish on 34 points, two points above the relegation zone.

Even with their remarkable late run, the side began the final day of the season in the bottom three, but a 3-1 win over Lazio and Empoli's defeat by Palermo saw them survive in their maiden top-flight campaign.

 

I like the 30 minutes rule make the game more exciting and intense stop those WBA and Stoke wasting time

I don't. Seems like messing with the game just for the sake of messing with it and justifying their own high-paid jobs. It's fine. Leave it alone. If you really want to improve the game, bring in more punishment for divers and cheaters and more support for officials.

I agree with the stopping clock when play stops. It happens in other sports, so absolutely no reason why it can't be done in football. It makes sense to stop the clock, rather than playing more mins at the end of a half. It also stops the ref going over time. Stop the clock when the game needs stopping at any point, including corners, throw ins etc too.