Changing the offside rule

[Deadlock]

FIFA have asked the International Board to alter the interpretation of the offside rule at their meeting next month, specifically to clarify in what circumstances a player in an offside position is interfering with play.

Currently Law 11 states a player is interfering if he is "clearly obstructing an opponent's vision or movements, or making a gesture or movement which in the opinion of the referee deceives or distracts an opponent."

FIFA want to remove any room for a referee's opinion or interpretation, and want the wording this changed to "clearly obstructing an opponent's vision or challenging an opponent for the ball."

I'm not convinced at all. Currently if a player is in an offside position out wide, the ball is played through the middle, and the player runs forward taking a defender with him, it's offside. Under the new wording, it's not - he's not obstructing vision and not challenging for the ball - but he's still distracted the defender.

More at http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21324698

[ZacNaloen]

It has to be that if you start chasing the ball down you are offside. If you are chasing the ball someone has to think about what you are doing and are therefore distracting to the defenders.

[3 veesinarow]

Scrap it altogether and allow goal-hanging.

[Barry the bird boggler]

It seemed to me it was nice and clear until the last round of messing about by FIFA

At the moment you get officials who don't flag for offside until the offside player touches it and then you get another set of officials who flag as soon as someone is anywhere near being offside

Thus creating total confusion! I assume you can all remember the goal Hull scored against us at home in January last year where the offside player chased after the ball straight towards Federici making to touch it but not actually doing so while his mate come across from an onside position and puts it in the net

As Brian Clough always used to say - if he's not interfering with play then what the hell is he doing on the pitch!

[Handsome Man]

The interpretation seems pretty good at the moment and is applied as consistently as most rules: you pretty much have to touch the ball or stand in front of the goalie to be offside. The clarification seems a good one.

[soggy biscuit]

They need to ad something else in like being in an offside position is allowed if you do a forward roll once the ball is played through to you. Or something b

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Or make it if any player is in an offside position then it is offside... no interpretation needed.

Except that thats why they changed it in the 1st place, because that rule was so terrible. Its clear cut, but leads to games being ruined by offside traps.

[Blue Hooped Moose]

They need to ad something else in like being in an offside position is allowed if you do a forward roll once the ball is played through to you. Or something b

I'd prefer a turn-around-touch-your-toes approach, but would settle for a forward roll, full body contact with floor. None of this front-flip whilst running nonsense; English players wouldn't stand a chance.