According to this Soccernet article, Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge thinks FIFA is to blame for the fact that Bayern is five points off pace in the Bundesliga this season.
Quick summary: So many of Bayern’s players were in the World Cup that Bayern didn’t get enough time to train before the season started. What do you think? Is Rummenigge making an excuse, or does he have a point? Read my thoughts below.
Sepp Blatter said last week that FIFA was considering changes to the extra time format in the World Cup in an effort to promote attacking soccer. Two changes FIFA will consider are the reintroduction of golden goal extra time or, more radically, scrapping the extra 30 minutes altogether and moving straight to shootout. Blatter told FIFA.com, “Often we see teams set themselves up even more defensively in extra time, in an attempt to avoid conceding a goal at all costs. To prevent this, we could go directly to a penalty shootout at full time, or reintroduce the golden goal rule. We’ll see what emerges from the committee meetings.”
What do you think about the idea? Vote in the poll, then share your thoughts below.
It seems to me that going straight to a shootout will do little to prevent teams from shutting up shop to avoid conceding. Too often, teams defend at all costs with the sole intent on getting the game to the crapshoot that is penalty kicks. If that style of play concerns FIFA (why the governing body should be attempting to dictate tactics is a separate debate), then going straight to shootout won’t change a thing. If anything, it’ll make it much worse because it stands to reason that defending for 90 minutes is easier than defending for 120. I like the idea of reintroducing the golden goal rule, although teams will still focus on not allowing a goal. I know FIFA is extremely conservative when it comes to changing the rules, but if it’s genuinely concerned about making the game free-flowing (read “more entertaining”), perhaps it’s time to think of something a little more creative, like giving teams extra subs or removing players from the field in extra time.
Alex Haueter is discussing. 
Kicks Soccer 
Alex Haueter 11:07 am on September 13, 2010 Permalink |
Personally, I’m getting tired of hearing about Bayern’s woes when it comes to players hurt or over-extended during international competition. Look: If you’re an elite club, you sign elite players. Elite players play for their countries. That’s how it’s always been, it’s how it always will be. If Bayern doesn’t like it, then the obvious solution is don’t be an elite club. I agree that federations should pay damages to clubs when a player is hurt on international duty (which Rummenigge bitched about a month or so back after the extent of Arjen Robben’s World Cup injury was revealed), but to suggest that your team is struggling because of the World Cup is ridiculous. Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona all seem to be getting along just fine.