I don't think so SF. AFAIK, historically and in UEFA the rule is that extra time is *two* periods of fifteen minutes. If one teams scores in the first period they still have to hang on until the end of the second period. Essentially, this proposal turns the first and second period into separate entities.
Nice point, squealy. I thought at first, well, aren't they just doing what they did before? But no, the difference, and it is subtle, is indeed that the game can be decided and end at half-time, if someone is leading at that point. In the past, they played out the entire 30 minutes of extra-time regardless of the score. Which I think is awesome, and much tougher than a freaky weaky sudden-death rule, grum. Why? Have you seen guys who have run 90 minutes non-stop in Spanish summer heat (after a gruelling two or three straight weeks of competition against the world's best -- not counting the past season of domestic league games just completed), and then have to run another 30 minutes (there's only a one or two-minute break between extra-time halves) to win a game, possibly the last chance they'll ever have of glory. I can remember players pulling up with cramps, still playing their hearts out to win that glory. That's heroics. Not some namby-pamby little heartbreak goal stolen from the middle of the field. And, oh, yeah, there's penalty kicks if they can't settle it in extra-time. Now that's a heartbreaker.
Oh, this is about the FINAL... Because all the other UEFA games are using the Silver goal already. I thought the final used it as well. Anyway, i think the World Cup should have this silver goal thingy.
I'd be more impressed if they dumped the penalty shootout. THAT'S brutal. I've never had any trouble with golden goal, and I'm a big soccer fan. I've always thought, in the event of a draw, in extra time they play 15 minute segments, until there's a winner. Every 15 minutes, one player is pulled from each team.
120 minutes is a long time to play football, and you'll see many players during extra time having cramp, and the longer play makes them more prone to injuries. wc: Note that the silver or golden goal rules do not apply to all domestic competitions, for example the fa cup and division one playoffs as FB and squealy know all too well. Pulling a player every 15 minutes is not really an option in FIFA's view, as you merely increase the potential for injuries (hence why most other similar proposals are rejected). I have a love-hate relationship with penalties - they're fantastic in terms of raw emotion (and creation of heroes/villains), but it does seem a daft way to decide a game of footie.
pulling players off the field seems like a gimmick that would solve the problem but it wouldn't be a very 'pure' solution. i'd like to see games go as long as it takes and not have things decided on a penalty shootout. of course, there isn't a whole lot of scoring to begin with so the potential exists for games to go too long and exhaustion and cramping would be a concern (as raised). i've never had a problem with the golden goal - well, being a hockey fan primarily I find that it is suitable for hockey. i think the proposed compromise is suitable for football though. the "sudden death" way to decide games can be dramatic but, in hockey, teams tend to take less chances and become more defensive in an OT. i don't think that games typically take more than an extra period to decide (on average), but in a soccer game when you might only get two shots on net in 90 min to then change to a more defensive style to protect yourself from a golden goal is a recipe for another 30 min of dull action. well, i guess that is part of the impetus for change.
the "sudden death" way to decide games can be dramatic but, in hockey, teams tend to take less chances and become more defensive in an OT. You obviously didn't watch all the Toronto/Philadelphia overtime games this year. :)
true, i didn't. but i have seen many an OT game, just a generalisation. I WISH i could have seen those games though. :(
For the last four years or so UEFA have used the golden goal rule - before that it was just two 15 minute periods, and then maybe penalties. Where UEFA competitions matter though (Champions league and uefa cup), except the finals, the rounds are played over two legs, and are decided by the away goals rule. In these games, they don't need the golden goal (because it only goes to extra time if the away goals are equal, if there is then any goals in extra time, someone must then have more away goals than the other. Therefore no penalties)
