It's Evolution, Baby.

[Le Cynique]

Even after income tax the average weekly wage of a Premiership footballer is over £30K as a means average whilst a nurse is under that per year before tax. I know who I would rather have more of.

They could even do it on a voluntary basis to charities of their choice if like some believe the NHS doesn't need any more cash. The main point of the argument is footballers are paid far too much money for too little return. Retire at 35, 38 if you are lucky and if you don't want to and sit back on the cash "earnt" by working class people paying however much for a season ticket and merchandise.

Wouldn't work, though.

The reason footballers get paid so much is because there's so much money awash in the game. It's simple market dynamics. Reduce the amount of money that the footballers are on, and it won't go to nurses or to the NHS (and as other people have already pointed out, those who earn more pay more in tax anyway. Even if someone who earns £500,000 per year manages to cheat the system so they only pay 20% tax, for instance, that's still £100k in taxation, which is more than most people earn in the first place. Not saying it's right, of course, just that their contribution isn't as minimal as some people make it out to be). The money would go to the owners, to the shareholders, to other people who are already wealthy. Take it off the footballers as an additional tax and their accountants will either find a way around it, or the players will just reduce their wage demands to keep them under the threshold. Either that or they'd all fuck off to China and make their fortune there.

It's very easy to say that nurses should earn more than footballers, and as a moral stance it's laudable, but it's not practicable in the real world. Additionally, where do you stop? Who decides what's right and wrong? I've seen James Dyson cited as an example on here. I don't agree with the man's politics at all, or even particularly like him, but the man is 74 years old, as rich as Croesus and still goes into the office at least three days a week so that he can continue to make better products and apply his design philosophy to his business. Why should he then be compelled to pay more out than he already does in taxation?

Economics is one of those things like virology or politics where it looks deceptively simple from the outside but the reality is very different.

 

[coaxingstar71]

In any occupation, including footballers, you get paid what someone is willing to pay you. I don't see why they constantly get derided for doing what most of us do (or would do) in our working lives. Not only that, but their income is likely to fall off a cliff when they stop playing in their mid thirties (if they're lucky). I'm sure there are also many who are socially conscious and probably give to charities (it is tax deductable after all) but they probably don't advertise the fact.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

Get rid of offside altogether.
More goals.
Defenders would have to be more switched on.


I've said this before but how many people get excited over someone being caught offside? People talk about time wasting, well this is probably a big part of it. The arguments it sometimes causes. The break up of play.

I don`t think that would work. We need the offside law.

However, I think it is time to increase the size of the goal frame. Today`s average height must be a fair few inches taller than when 24 feet by 8 feet was introduced as the standard. Increase the width by 6 inches and the height by 2 inches ( to maintain the proportions ). This would give another 8 square feet in area.

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Blind fold every player and spin them 100 times before each half. Then take the blind folds off and don’t them which way they’re kicking. That’ll show em.

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

Blind fold every player and spin them 100 times before each half. Then take the blind folds off and don’t them which way they’re kicking. That’ll show em.

Arguably some wouldn't need spinning.

 

[I'll tell me dad.]

Blind fold every player and spin them 100 times before each half. Then take the blind folds off and don’t them which way they’re kicking. That’ll show em.

"Peter Walton, what do you make of that?", "Well the centre half cannot put one foot in front of the other, if you look closely he's staggered into his own goalkeeper, so to my mind, that's a penalty kick".

 

[BrisBlade]

Some interesting suggestions here. Personally, I'd get rid of any rules that can't be applied from grass roots up. That would be VAR gone. I agree reefs should have a sin bin option. I also agree players should be off for five minutes if requiring treatment. No points for a nil nil draw is a cracking idea if never thought of.

One I haven't seen here but has been talked about: Rather than penalties, maybe golden goal and both teams have to take a player off every 5 mins from the start of extra time.

Finally, one of my own: If you're caught diving the opposition should be given one free hit against you at a point of their choosing during the game.

 

[SheepdipBlade]

On the basis that all real fans deserve their day in the sunshine, I like the draft system used in the NFL that give weaker sides a better chance.

All out of contract players to go on a list, where the bottom team in the league gets first pick.

Straight away, the loathsome agents are half out of the door - another bonus.

If you wanted, you could band it into groups of two divisions to stop Mickleover Sports putting a useless bid in for Andros Townsend etc - or just leave it open and let clubs decide on the targets they think likely to sign. Either way, the weakest teams get first dib and maybe one day Mickleover Sports gets to the Cup Final.

 

[FatPaul]

Instead of penalties, have an independent goal keeper and play Wembley doubles.

 

[CornwallBlade]

A few comments about no ref baiting/abuse of a referee. When was the last time someone had action taken against them for verbally abusing a match official. I remember a Crewe player got sent off when we beat them at their place in 2014. But you saw it at the Euros players like Pogba squaring up to the lino and screaming because he was offside (replay proved it too) you had Chiellini constantly arguing with the referee too. Either FIFA/UEFA/FA have to hold players to account and have a law that retrospective abusing of a match official will result in x game ban or referees need to start using their cards more. The problem goes down the pyramid and Sunday morning footballers, kids and parents think it is fine to abuse a match official as long as they have a "fair play" banner up somewhere. It needs to come from the top and players acting their age and responsibilities as role models. In either code of Rugby the captain communicates to the referee, the referee will tell him who did what and fine to question but should be the captain and in the correct manner. It doesn't need to be yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir but a simple what was that for and listen.

This. One of the biggest problems in the game and one I simply don’t understand. It could all be stopped overnight - gob off at the ref and you’re off son. Same for managers. There was a feeble attempt to stop it 3 seasons ago I think - lasted about 5 weeks. Call me cynical but I think the powers that be think it all adds to the “drama”. God only knows why anyone would want to ref local league these days….

 

[CornwallBlade]

Get rid of offside altogether.
More goals.
Defenders would have to be more switched on.


I've said this before but how many people get excited over someone being caught offside? People talk about time wasting, well this is probably a big part of it. The arguments it sometimes causes. The break up of play.

Agree with the offside. Hockey has had no offside for years now. Does it lead to goal hangers? Absolutely not, you can’t afford to have a player effectively out of the game and defences set up to stop being caught out. Probably most contentious rule on football- get rid of it!

 

[SheepdipBlade]

This. One of the biggest problems in the game and one I simply don’t understand. It could all be stopped overnight - gob off at the ref and you’re off son. Same for managers. There was a feeble attempt to stop it 3 seasons ago I think - lasted about 5 weeks. Call me cynical but I think the powers that be think it all adds to the “drama”. God only knows why anyone would want to ref local league these days….

Reminds me of a story from North of the border.

During an Old Firm Derby, one of the players hit the deck looking for a foul. The ref (might have been Stewart Dallas) played on, so the player jumped to his feet, squared up to the ref and said "Don't you know who I am?"

At this point the ref stopped the game, called on the physio and told him to take the player off the pitch as he clearly had concussion and he didn't know who he was.

More refs like that would help.

 

[BLADES1988]

Lobbing your sen on the floor. Death Penalty.