Time Cheltenham men please....At HomeV,Cheltenham at the completely Bolton Stadium Sat 4th feb 3-0'clock.

[Worthy4England]

It's mad. The added time at the world cup is one of the few recent changes from FIFA that made sense and worked and it seems to have disappeared.

You don't need to fanny around with shot clocks or 60 min games. There's already a mechanism.. Just use it.

They also need to sort players taking the piss pretending to have head injuries. That's much harder, feck knows how, but Hojbjerg today was a particularly egregious example.

I'm not sure the world cup change lasted as far as round 2, TBF. But I was in favour of it. Before I got to the end of the post, I was going to type Hojbjerg mastered it in spades yesterday. For me, they should send that to Stockley and book the cheat alongside others that do the same (not singling out Hojbjerg, other than it was a great example)

Its utterly cynical but what can they do? They can't prove a player hasn't had a head injury (unless you can show nothing hit their head) and given the scrutiny on this there is absolutely no choices here. Ball hits players head. Down they go. You can't prove it wasn't something that needed treatment because they are under pressure to take head injuries as seriously as they can.

The problem is, where do you go with it. Defender makes a "normal" header but it goes straight up in the air in the box, so he drops like he's been shot. Stop the game? At some point, I figure, with the cases of dementia being associated that balls over head height will one day be banned.

[BWFC_Insane]

It's mad. The added time at the world cup is one of the few recent changes from FIFA that made sense and worked and it seems to have disappeared.

You don't need to fanny around with shot clocks or 60 min games. There's already a mechanism.. Just use it.

They also need to sort players taking the piss pretending to have head injuries. That's much harder, feck knows how, but Hojbjerg today was a particularly egregious example.

I'm not sure the world cup change lasted as far as round 2, TBF. But I was in favour of it. Before I got to the end of the post, I was going to type Hojbjerg mastered it in spades yesterday. For me, they should send that to Stockley and book the cheat alongside others that do the same (not singling out Hojbjerg, other than it was a great example)

Its utterly cynical but what can they do? They can't prove a player hasn't had a head injury (unless you can show nothing hit their head) and given the scrutiny on this there is absolutely no choices here. Ball hits players head. Down they go. You can't prove it wasn't something that needed treatment because they are under pressure to take head injuries as seriously as they can.

The problem is, where do you go with it. Defender makes a "normal" header but it goes straight up in the air in the box, so he drops like he's been shot. Stop the game? At some point, I figure, with the cases of dementia being associated that balls over head height will one day be banned.

Well exactly. That's the issue. They have to. And if they don't they will simply be hammered for not stopping it. Its being cynically exploited but the bottom line is that sadly there is no way round it. If the ball hits a players head they can go down, pretend its a head injury and there is nothing a referee can do nor is there anything possible retrospectively.

[Worthy4England]

The Hojbjerg one, yesterday though, I'm not sure it actually hit his head, then he wombled about a bit, sees City back in possession so drops like he's been shot...

[BWFC_Insane]

The Hojbjerg one, yesterday though, I'm not sure it actually hit his head, then he wombled about a bit, sees City back in possession so drops like he's been shot...

It was headed onto his head. But he 'clearly' cheated. However, there is nothing that can be done about that. Prove he cheated...in a way that doesn't create risk in the eyes of medical professionals...impossible.

All that can be done is add on adequate time which is clearly not happening. City Spurs should have had at least 15 minutes added on at the end.

[GhostoftheBok]

You introduce enforced concussion subs. Any player who goes down with a head injury has to be subbed off for a minimum of 'x' minutes. for medical assessment. It also speeds the game up, because it's faster to make a sub than do the assessments on the pitch.

Some will still cheat, but players hate being taken out of the game and it will cut a lot of it out - especially with defenders heading the ball, where they won't want to disrupt the cohesion of the back line.

Improves player safety, too. Win win.

It would mean Evatt would need a sub goalie, though.

[knobpolisher]

At the game on Saturday there was the incident where the chap was off the pitch injured and signalled to his bench that he was done. As we all saw he then came back on to the pitch and lay down, thereby wasting more time. Now I can't actually state this but had that chap already been booked ? And if so it was a particularly stupid thing to do because he could/should have got a second yellow and therefore a red. Williams I think.

[BWFC_Insane]

You introduce enforced concussion subs. Any player who goes down with a head injury has to be subbed off for a minimum of 'x' minutes. for medical assessment. It also speeds the game up, because it's faster to make a sub than do the assessments on the pitch.

Some will still cheat, but players hate being taken out of the game and it will cut a lot of it out - especially with defenders heading the ball, where they won't want to disrupt the cohesion of the back line.

Improves player safety, too. Win win.

It would mean Evatt would need a sub goalie, though.

Its possible but a) wouldn't stop Hojberg cheating - and in theory wastes more time.

b) Will receive condemnation for 'punishing' those who have a head injury.

[GhostoftheBok]

b) Will receive condemnation for 'punishing' those who have a head injury.

It should happen automatically for player protection regardless. Too many players try and play on with concussion. It should be in the hands of an independent doctor paid by the league/union, not the club. We've seen too many times club doctors won't go against managers wanting a player back on.

[BWFC_Insane]

b) Will receive condemnation for 'punishing' those who have a head injury.

It should happen automatically for player protection regardless. Too many players try and play on with concussion. It should be in the hands of an independent doctor paid by the league/union, not the club. We've seen too many times club doctors won't go against managers wanting a player back on.

Sure but it will be condemned. Still.

And will require treatment still on the pitch, assessment. Player taken off, sub on. Then at whatever time period later, player comes back and sub off.

So its increasing stoppages. And no doubt someone will claim it makes players with genuine injuries reluctant to go down and get treatment and the authorities will be hammered for it.

[Worthy4England]

About time to reintroduce the magic sponge and some smelling salts...

[Prufrock]

It's mad. The added time at the world cup is one of the few recent changes from FIFA that made sense and worked and it seems to have disappeared.

You don't need to fanny around with shot clocks or 60 min games. There's already a mechanism.. Just use it.

They also need to sort players taking the piss pretending to have head injuries. That's much harder, feck knows how, but Hojbjerg today was a particularly egregious example.

I'm not sure the world cup change lasted as far as round 2, TBF. But I was in favour of it. Before I got to the end of the post, I was going to type Hojbjerg mastered it in spades yesterday. For me, they should send that to Stockley and book the cheat alongside others that do the same (not singling out Hojbjerg, other than it was a great example)

There were a total of 12 minutes added in our have against France, and 15 in the final. Much less than at the start of the tournament but my feel so the time was that it had cut out the egregious stuff and was still offsetting the more minor stuff. It was certainly a big step in the right direction. Bring it in!

I think what Ghost suggests would help on the head injury side. But not fix it. But I don't know what would! You want to disincentivise it but I'm lost at a way that wouldn't also stop people with actual head injuries trying to play on.

Not convinced you need to stop the game for getting hit by the ball unless it's pretty much point blank.

[Prufrock]

It's mad. The added time at the world cup is one of the few recent changes from FIFA that made sense and worked and it seems to have disappeared.

You don't need to fanny around with shot clocks or 60 min games. There's already a mechanism.. Just use it.

They also need to sort players taking the piss pretending to have head injuries. That's much harder, feck knows how, but Hojbjerg today was a particularly egregious example.

I'm not sure the world cup change lasted as far as round 2, TBF. But I was in favour of it. Before I got to the end of the post, I was going to type Hojbjerg mastered it in spades yesterday. For me, they should send that to Stockley and book the cheat alongside others that do the same (not singling out Hojbjerg, other than it was a great example)

Its utterly cynical but what can they do? They can't prove a player hasn't had a head injury (unless you can show nothing hit their head) and given the scrutiny on this there is absolutely no choices here. Ball hits players head. Down they go. You can't prove it wasn't something that needed treatment because they are under pressure to take head injuries as seriously as they can.

The problem is, where do you go with it. Defender makes a "normal" header but it goes straight up in the air in the box, so he drops like he's been shot. Stop the game? At some point, I figure, with the cases of dementia being associated that balls over head height will one day be banned.

I don't think they'll been over head height. They'll make it so your head is treated like your hands/arms and so it's a free kick off you deliberately use it to play the ball. Is a fundamental change to the game though.

[GhostoftheBok]

I don't think they'll been over head height. They'll make it so your head is treated like your hands/arms and so it's a free kick off you deliberately use it to play the ball. Is a fundamental change to the game though.

Sounds horrendous.

[BWFC_Insane]

Before they rule out heading they'd have to entirely ban boxing. Which I'd be down for (boxing) and if the evidence is there to suggest heading is a big enough risk factor then yep, football will have to follow.

[Worthy4England]

Before they rule out heading they'd have to entirely ban boxing. Which I'd be down for (boxing) and if the evidence is there to suggest heading is a big enough risk factor then yep, football will have to follow.

I can understand why you might say this, but, reality is the two decisions are not connected. Just as likely that a load of class action type lawsuits in football would have a significant effect that determined they felt the need to move unilaterally...

Edit: We've seen significant moves in Rugby Union to what constitutes a high tackle...people getting sent off when there's clearly no intent, but they "slid up" and made contact with the head...

[Prufrock]

I don't think they'll been over head height. They'll make it so your head is treated like your hands/arms and so it's a free kick off you deliberately use it to play the ball. Is a fundamental change to the game though.

Sounds horrendous.

Yep.

That should have been "they'd" as I don't think it will happen. Not for a long time anyway. Balls are lighter these days, they'll make players wear those headbands Jiminez wore, they'll been heading under a certain age at all, and in training for the pros etc.

[Worthy4England]

It's mad. The added time at the world cup is one of the few recent changes from FIFA that made sense and worked and it seems to have disappeared.

You don't need to fanny around with shot clocks or 60 min games. There's already a mechanism.. Just use it.

They also need to sort players taking the piss pretending to have head injuries. That's much harder, feck knows how, but Hojbjerg today was a particularly egregious example.

I'm not sure the world cup change lasted as far as round 2, TBF. But I was in favour of it. Before I got to the end of the post, I was going to type Hojbjerg mastered it in spades yesterday. For me, they should send that to Stockley and book the cheat alongside others that do the same (not singling out Hojbjerg, other than it was a great example)

Its utterly cynical but what can they do? They can't prove a player hasn't had a head injury (unless you can show nothing hit their head) and given the scrutiny on this there is absolutely no choices here. Ball hits players head. Down they go. You can't prove it wasn't something that needed treatment because they are under pressure to take head injuries as seriously as they can.

The problem is, where do you go with it. Defender makes a "normal" header but it goes straight up in the air in the box, so he drops like he's been shot. Stop the game? At some point, I figure, with the cases of dementia being associated that balls over head height will one day be banned.

I don't think they'll been over head height. They'll make it so your head is treated like your hands/arms and so it's a free kick off you deliberately use it to play the ball. Is a fundamental change to the game though.

Yeah - thinking it through, that sounds more logical...

[TANGODANCER]

Apropos of nothing at all. but did you take note of the rather frightening relevance of my thread title posted two days before the game"Time Cheltenham men please" in light of the wasting of it? Did I have a Nostradamus moment, or was it just sheer luck? For my next prediction...

[Worthy4England]

Apropos of nothing at all. but did you take note of the rather frightening relevance of my thread title posted two days before the game"Time Cheltenham men please" in light of the wasting of it? Did I have a Nostradamus moment, or was it just sheer luck? For my next prediction...

If it's that good TD, please could you run with something like "Peterborough, we'll shit 'em?"

[boltonboris]

At the game on Saturday there was the incident where the chap was off the pitch injured and signalled to his bench that he was done. As we all saw he then came back on to the pitch and lay down, thereby wasting more time. Now I can't actually state this but had that chap already been booked ? And if so it was a particularly stupid thing to do because he could/should have got a second yellow and therefore a red. Williams I think.

That riled me up more than anything - It should have been a second yellow, without a shadow of a doubt.

Referees really do need some intervention from above when it comes to time-wasting. It's getting beyond a joke. From the 2nd to the 79th minute, they took a total of 24 minutes to take throw-ins, corners, GK's & FK's - That's deliberate and they got 1, or maybe 2 bookings for it (though I think the first was for stopping a quick freekick from us)

They even had the f-in nerve to try and fight with a teenage ball boy, because he gave the ball to the keeper, too quickly!!

They were, quite frankly, disgraceful. don't think they'd dare do that if the Sky cameras were around, but imagine the backlash if they did?

Absolutely delighted that we beat them and I hope they get relegated