What innovation would improve the league in the future?

[Hoop Blah]

Totally agree, you'd never catch me doing it.

They can earn some decent pocket money though so I guess some will take it on the chin (literally on a couple of occasions unfortunately) as it supplements their other income.

The abuse they can take is pretty bad though, and as paps said, it's only something that can be addressed from the top down.

[Skyline]

I liked the idea that was implemented a few years ago that let refs punish dissent at a free kick by moving it forwards 10 yards. Certainly seemed to reduce the amount of backchat that took place once players realised what was going in.

[Nameless]

I liked the idea that was implemented a few years ago that let refs punish dissent at a free kick by moving it forwards 10 yards. Certainly seemed to reduce the amount of backchat that took place once players realised what was going in.

Thought it got dropped because it was a complete flop !
they would have had to double the length of the Stamford Bridge pitch for refs to be able to fully utilise the rule....

[stealthpapes]

I liked the idea that was implemented a few years ago that let refs punish dissent at a free kick by moving it forwards 10 yards. Certainly seemed to reduce the amount of backchat that took place once players realised what was going in.

Thought it got dropped because it was a complete flop !
they would have had to double the length of the Stamford Bridge pitch for refs to be able to fully utilise the rule....

It got dropped because countries without a rugby playing culture couldn't quite grasp it.

It was apparently working in the UK, except with the caveat that sometimes teams dissented in order to bring the freekick closer and out of the range of certain free kick specialists.

[6ft Kerplunk]

The defensive wall should have to move back the extra 10 yards then give the player taking the freekick the option of taking from anywhere (in a straight line) between the original spot and 10 yards further forward.

[stealthpapes]

I would imagine the player should be allowed to take it deeper if he wanted.

There's a bit in the Guardian here.

1) The 10-yard advancement rule
The famous Gary Lineker wisecrack is not, of course, strictly accurate. If he had wanted to be punctilious about it, the celebrated crisp peddler would have said that “football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball around for about 67 minutes and spend the other 23 minutes before Germany’s win jostling, gesticulating and gobbing off as much as possible.” Back in 2000, the Premier League was granted permission to try to minimise guff and unpleasantness by giving referees the authority to move a freekick 10 yards forward as punishment for dissent, kicking the ball away and so forth. A longstanding feature of sports such as rugby, the scheme had been trialled by the FA in the Auto Windscreens Trophy and found to be an effective antidote to bothersome behaviour. In 40 matches in that competition, 850 freekicks were awarded, 16 of which were followed by “advancements” – players, it seemed, quickly figured out that they were best served keeping their mouths shut and one referee noted in his report that “dissent has become non-existent 30 metres from goal.”

That mostly held true following its introduction at league level, but not always. “Players are clever and they quickly realised that at times the new rule could be turned to their advantage,” says Jeff Winter, who was one of the Premier League’s top referees at the time. He recalls a Manchester United-Sunderland match at Old Trafford in which the home team were awarded a free-kick about 26 yards out, prime David Beckham territory. “A Sunderland player deliberately broke from the wall before the free-kick was taken, knowing that the referee would move it forward to the edge of the area [the rule stipulated that the edge of the area was the limit of any advancement] and Beckham would have less space to get the ball up over the wall and down again. He didn’t score. Other teams encountered a similar problem. It would have been better if the referee was allowed to give teams the option of accepting the advancement or not.”

Winter says another issue was that referees were only allowed to move the ball forward if they also booked the offending player. “This amounted to a double penalty and there were times when that seemed excessive so referees applied neither.” Apart from those quibbles, Winter, like most people in the Premier League, considered the scheme to be a step in the right direction. So there was surprise when Fifa decided to scrap the rule in 2005. “We were just told ‘it’s not happening next season’,” recalls Winter. “It was disappointing not to be given any real explanation nor an opportunity to give feedback as to how it could be improved.”

Keith Hackett, the chief referee back then, had similar feelings and suggested at the time that the reason for the abolition was that players in countries that had no rugby culture could not understand the principle. ”It is a disappointing decision because while the law was not used a lot, it did have an impact on the behaviour of players,” said Hackett. “The referees over here found it acted as a deterrent. The problem, as I understand it, is the countries who do not have any familiarity with the concept couldn’t get their heads around the process.” We might even wonder whether Fifa feared that discouraging dissent on the field could help consolidate dictators off it. Because, of course, that is the last thing Fifa would want to do.

The last line is classic Guardian.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

I've always been of the opinion that there are too many clubs in each division, not just in the league but at non-league level as well. The seasons are too long and boring and then decided in a play off that's over in a flash.

I don't think any league should have more than 20 teams. I don't like the play offs, but they are here to stay so bring in a extended play off format that gives a clear advantage to the team finishing in the higher league position. Aussie rules, Rugby League and NFL have good play off systems. 18/20 teams, champions up automatically and 6 further teams in the play offs. Final not at Wembley, best team get home advantage.

[paultheroyal]

I've always been of the opinion that there are too many clubs in each division, not just in the league but at non-league level as well. The seasons are too long and boring and then decided in a play off that's over in a flash.

I don't think any league should have more than 20 teams. I don't like the play offs, but they are here to stay so bring in a extended play off format that gives a clear advantage to the team finishing in the higher league position. Aussie rules, Rugby League and NFL have good play off systems. 18/20 teams, champions up automatically and 6 further teams in the play offs. Final not at Wembley, best team get home advantage.

International breaks are boring.
May to August is boring.
I go to games because I enjoy football and seeing my team. Less games = less enjoyable.
Championship football for Reading has been nothing but exciting last few years - cant recall a boring season albeit play off chances / promotion or relegation.

Cant see how one legged play off's is extending that format other than 7 teams rather than 6.

Football is all about Wembley. That will never change.

Talk of a 34 game Premier League season - now that would lead to a slow death for the fans.

Fair points Tony - but not for me.

[Winston Smith]

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/mauritanian-president-stops-football-game-in-63rd-minute-for-penalty-shootout-20151130-glc4wi.html

[frimmers3]

Three points for a win. Two points for an away draw.One point for a home draw. Bonus point for winning by more than three clear goals.

[Pepe the Horseman]

Three points for a win. Two points for an away draw.One point for a home draw. Bonus point for winning by more than three clear goals.

Would just encourage away teams to play for the draw. 0 points for an away draw.

[multisync1830]

Three points for a win. Two points for an away draw.One point for a home draw. Bonus point for winning by more than three clear goals.

4 points for a win and it makes sense

[Silver Fox]

Three points for a win. Two points for an away draw.One point for a home draw. Bonus point for winning by more than three clear goals.

One of my fewest favourite things in football is an away team coming for a draw, how does doubling the reward for this negativity improve anything?

[Hoop Blah]

I'd like to see squad sizes limited, both at senior level and youth levels.

If the big clubs were limited to a certain number at each age group, up to U18s, and then a larger number for their development squad of 18-21 year olds, then we might see the end of clubs stockpiling young talent, loaning them out, and not actually playing them.

It would mean that both clubs and young players would have to think more carefully about where they play and it might force clubs to play their youngsters a bit more. That would help young talent prosper and might also help clubs build sides and retain talent. That could then in turn give supporters a greater affinity with their team.

[Winston Smith]

First video technology decision in professional football made at the Club World Cup thing.
https://streamable.com/yafb

that all went smoothly then