5 Most Ridiculous Suggestions To Change The Way Football Works

5. "Ever Decreasing Numbers"

Michel Platini isn't the only big-wig to suggest a change to some of association football's most common rules - FIFA president Sepp Blatter called for alternatives to the tried-and-tested penalty shootout last year. Blatter launched a scathing attack on the shootout system over 12 months ago, calling it "a tragedy" and insisted that football loses its €œessence€ when the game comes down to one and one. And, when you stop for a moment and think up alternatives for penalty shootouts, it's very easy for your brain to land on some fairly ridiculous suggestions, one of which is the "ever decreasing numbers" rule. This rule dictates that, should a knock-out game go into extra-time, one player from each side departs the field of play every five minutes which, over the course of two extra-time intervals of 15 minutes, would leave the two competing sides playing the final five minutes with just six players each. It would certainly make it easier to score a goal, in theory, and eradicate the nervy, backs-to-the-wall attitude most sides adopt when placed in an extra-time scenario, but let's be honest with ourselves - it's never going to happen, as it, if anything, removes the same "essence" from the game Blatter was talking about.