http://www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2010/09/fifa-extra-time-golden-goal/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterFIFA President Sepp Blatter has revealed the governing body will consider both scrapping extra-time and reintroducing the ‘golden goal’ rule to promote free-flowing football at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Blatter, 74, believes certain teams at this year’s tournament in South Africa were too defensive-minded and were guilty of “playing for a draw from the outset”.
“Football has become such a strategic game, with teams moving as a unit,” said Blatter. “It can be an impressive sight; gone are the days of simple tactics where you attacked then defended.
“But in the first few matches of the group stage in South Africa, we witnessed some teams that went out to avoid defeat, that were playing for a draw from the outset.
“This is a topic that I would like to discuss at upcoming Football and Technical Committee meetings. We have to try to find a way to encourage free-flowing football in tournaments like the World Cup, with teams playing to win.
Blatter added that some sides who made it to the latter stages of the competition were overly focused on not conceding rather than attempting to seal victory – an issue FIFA will now address ahead of the next tournament.
“We plan to take the opportunity to look at the concept of extra time as well. Often we see teams set themselves up even more defensively in extra time, in an attempt to avoid conceding a goal at all costs.
He added: “To prevent this, we could go directly to a penalty shoot-out at full time, or reintroduce the golden goal rule. We’ll see what emerges from the Committee meetings.”
