By Andrew Warshaw
October 25 – German legend Franz Beckenbauer is aiming to change the offside law to make it simpler for referees to interpret.
Beckenbauer, chairman of FIFA’s so-called Task Force 2014, wants offside discussed at today’s latest meeting of the panel of former players, managers and other experts in Zurich.
“I’ve put it on the agenda,” Beckenbauer told Germany’s Bild newspaper.
“All members of the Commission should think about it.”
One of the key areas of difficulty in the current rule is what constitutes “interfering with an opponent” especially when a player deliberately obstructs a goalkeeper’s line of vision or movement.
Beckenbauer, no longer a member of FIFA’s Executive Committee but in charge of the influential body set up by FIFA to make the game more of a spectacle, fairer and less complex, says the rules must be tightened up.
“Offside has become too complicated,” he said.
“We don’t have to go back to the stone age of football but to return to a simpler interpretation.
“The referee should, for example, disallow a goal only when the goalkeeper is clearly hindered by the offside player.”
Beckenbauer has also long proposed doing away with a straight red card for players denying an obvious scoring opportunity.
The so-called “triple punishment” of red card, penalty and suspension for offences inside the penalty area is one of the most contentious issues in game, with referees rarely showing consistency.
“If it’s a harmless foul, a penalty and a yellow card are enough,” Beckenbauer said.
“Red only for brutal attacks.
“The referee should have some freedom of choice.”
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