Your preferred football world

[Voll Blau]

- Ditch VAR
- FA Cup semis moved away from Wembley, with replays reintroduced up to that stage (i.e. where both clubs have the chance to win a tie at home or away).
- FA Cup final to be the last game of the season, the week after league games have finished.
- League Cup to be regionalised up to the quarter-final stage, allowing for the possibility of more interesting local derbies and less travel for fans midweek.
- No more under-23 teams in the Papa John's Trophy. Let the lower league sides have their glory.
- Touchline bans for any manager whinging about the Christmas and New Year schedule.
- Champions League to be for champions only, with an expanded knockout-only Europa League (which would obviously be called the UEFA cup again so it'd make sense) and return of the Cup Winners' Cup.
- Introduction of the 50+1 ownership rule in England.
- Huge safe standing/terrace areas with a vibrant organised support/Ultras scene at each club.
- Football Special trains to become commonplace again, with clubs and local authorities incentivising travelling by public transport to games.
- All matchgoing fans to remember that football is to be enjoyed and that they should behave as such while watching their team.

Edited 19 January 2022 by Voll Blau

[SemperEadem]

42 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

- Ditch VAR
- FA Cup semis moved away from Wembley, with replays reintroduced up to that stage (i.e. where both clubs have the chance to win a tie at home or away).
- FA Cup final to be the last game of the season, the week after league games have finished.
- League Cup to be regionalised up to the quarter-final stage, allowing for the possibility of more interesting local derbies and less travel for fans midweek.
- No more under-23 teams in the Papa John's Trophy. Let the lower league sides have their glory.
- Touchline bans for any manager whinging about the Christmas and New Year schedule.
- Champions League to be for champions only, with an expanded knockout-only Europa League (which would obvissuly be called the UEFA cup again so it'd make sense) and return of the Cup Winners' Cup.
- Introduction of the 50+1 ownership rule in England.
- Huge safe standing/terrace areas with a vibrant organised support/Ultras scene at each club.
- Football Special trains to become commonplace again, with clubs and local authorities incentivising travelling by public transport to games.
- All matchgoing fans to remember that football is to be enjoyed and that they should behave as such while watching their team.

Nailed it

[Voll Blau]

Oh, and the end of minute's applauses - in-game or otherwise - for any reason too.

[Stadt]

Points I don't think anybody else has touched on, mostly centred around localism.

 

Catering - clubs almost exclusively sell locally sourced food, snacks and beverages at reasonable prices. Oatcakes at Stoke, Parmos at Middlesborough etc washed down by local brewery's beer. It's extortionate currently, a bottle of water is £2 at our ground. Get Everards/Charnwood/Braybrooke beers on.

 

Merchandising - English clubs are have revenues upwards of £100m+ and the tat they knock out is honking. Work with local brands, designers, retailers, musicians, artists & manufacturers to sell uniquely appealing merch.

 

Free public transport with a match ticket - Local buses & trams (discount on rail travel) free to get to a game would prevent so much congestion.

 

Cups - Prevent teams from the same division being drawn against each other in the earlier rounds of the league & cup. All top flight and all Championship ties are so dull.

 

Broadcasters - **** off shit pundits and actively pursue (more) out of work managers, current players, coaches, analysts, scouts, journalists, directors, association delegates and others that provide a different sort of insight to ex-players of below average intelligence.

 

Fewer uniform stadiums - Most arena style grounds look the same, imagine clubs going all out with a gothic, baroque or modernist stadium instead of more glass and steel.

Edited 21 January 2022 by Stadt

[Voll Blau]

10 minutes ago, Stadt said:

Cups - Prevent teams from the same division being drawn against each other in the earlier rounds of the league & cup. All top flight and all Championship ties are so dull.

Agree with everything but this. Wouldn't mind it in the League Cup but absolutely love seeing Premier League clubs knocking each other out early doors in the FA Cup, especially when the very biggest teams are drawn against one another and/or they're local derbies (Liverpool in particular seem to draw Everton or Man United weirdly often in the Cup).

[Stadt]

27 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

Agree with everything but this. Wouldn't mind it in the League Cup but absolutely love seeing Premier League clubs knocking each other out early doors in the FA Cup, especially when the very biggest teams are drawn against one another and/or they're local derbies (Liverpool in particular seem to draw Everton or Man United weirdly often in the Cup).

That's a fair point but it's really dull when we draw a team we play every year.

[Unabomber]

FA cup Man U games can’t be shown on tv for the early rounds unless they have a lower league team. 

[Unabomber]

Also if it’s 5 mins added time then it is 5 and not 7

[purpleronnie]

Isn't a minimum of....for added time?

[Unabomber]

1 hour ago, purpleronnie said:

Isn't a minimum of....for added time?

Yeah 

[Vacamion]

 

The phrase "It's coming home" when talking about the National team's efforts to finally win something (please )  to finally fall out of use.  I have nightmares about them wheeling out Baddiel & Skinner in their bath chairs, close to death in the 2050s.

 

Pundits and media reporting to only refer to "City" or "United" if they have already referred to WHICH City or United they are talking about, with no prior assumption it is Manchester.

 

No one ever says "The Bridge" to talk about Stamford Bridge ever again.

 

Broadcasters to ban pundits or co-commentators who support the teams featured.

 

End the Saturday 3pm broadcast ban and stream all PL, Cup and European games for one subscription with one provider.

 

 

 

 

[Wymsey]

Opposition fans being allowed to sit together (like in Rugby; although understand this may not work practically with football fans).

 

More fan-owned clubs.

 

Less betting advertising, considering that there's a mass of them within stadiums.

 

Fans being allowed to listen to the referee's real-time decisions (again, like in Rugby).

Edited 22 January 2022 by Wymsey

[Unabomber]

I think clubs should not be able to sack their mangers throughout the season. You have to stick with who you have until the end of the season. Mainly as I don’t think it’s fair on the smaller clubs who have their managers poached mid season. 

[Silebyfox_89]

Compass to be excluded from football match day experiences.

 

Like to see local companies offer a variety of food and beverage offerings at all grounds. 

[Nalis]

On 22/01/2022 at 11:12, Wymsey said:

Opposition fans being allowed to sit together (like in Rugby; although understand this may not work practically with football fans).

 

More fan-owned clubs.

 

Less betting advertising, considering that there's a mass of them within stadiums.

 

Fans being allowed to listen to the referee's real-time decisions (again, like in Rugby).

Not sure if Fulham still have a mixed area but I went there a few years ago with a Canadian friend who wanted to see a local match but was wary of what they heard about football crowds.

 

He enjoyed it, I thought it was absolutely awful atmosphere wise. Guess its horses for courses so maybe having a mixed area might work for those who want it?

 

Mixed crowds just works better in rugby. I've been to Ireland rugby matches in England and Wales with an Ireland shirt on cheering my head off surrounding by English and Welsh who reciprocated of course and it is ultimately a good laugh between everyone. 

[Asha]

2 hours ago, Unabomber said:

I think clubs should not be able to sack their mangers throughout the season. You have to stick with who you have until the end of the season. Mainly as I don’t think it’s fair on the smaller clubs who have their managers poached mid season. 

I agree with this partially but probably better to have a mid-season window where you can make a change just in case you have an absolute headcase taking you down.