Yeah, I'd agree that the clock need to be taken out of the referee's hands and a timekeeper put in place to start and stop the clock.
How about there are rules in place: 30 seconds to take a 45, goal kick or any other type of free/penalty. After 30 seconds, the clock is stopped 30 seconds for an injury. If play is stopped for an injury, the trainer can come on and treat a player but the clock stops after 45 seconds of treatment. 15 seconds for bookings, red cards etc 15 seconds for a sideline cut/kick 15 seconds for a substitution
This'd mean the clock would run for almost all of the match, but there would no longer be injury time.
Where to begin lads..there's a gold mine of rules which could be introduced to enhance our games.
Rules for both:
Stadium Clock; Absolute must in this day and age. Referees have a tough job as it is not mind time keeping too. One thing which I know frustrates the nation is the continuous issue of added time, when you add up all the subs and injuries you easily get 5 mins in every game yet we get 1-2 mins of additional time.
Review Booth; NFL creation, where a manager can twice per game, in GAA lets say once per half can force the referee to review his decision by going to the sideline to review the incident on a monitor with all available angles. It eliminates the controversy which surrounds a lot big calls and gives refs a second chance if they may have got it wrong. I could be the difference between a penalty or not or the right man been carded.
Sponsorship; I think sponsorship is a huge money maker for counties, like rugby I think GAA kits should be aloud to have a range of sponsors, on togs or shoulders etc etc = more money for counties.
Common Sense while refereeing; I think its wrong to red card a man for what may be a bad tackle even if it was a complete accident, I think no matter what the incident to red card a man for something which he had no intention to initially do wrong.
Football:
Mark from a kickout only when fielded between the two 45's.
7 steps with the ball, might ease up the congestion and allow players to get into space and keep it moving.
Foot block aloud. Don't see the point in it being illegal, Emmett Bolton's block v Tyrone was super and while it was illegal it was a shame to penalize a great block. They say the risk of injury is increased with foot blocks but sure diving on a ball and getting it in the ribs is surely worse.
Unlimited subs, positions have gone out the window in the modern game and fitness levels are huge, I think it would enhance the game to have a 30-36 man game where teams can just chop and change as they wish like Ice Hockey.
Finally the black card is a waste of time. On one hand I agree cynical fouling has to be curbed but equally its upto the attacking team to break fast enough and efficiently enough to not get the player in possession caught. Possibly three cynical fouls and a player is ejected from the game. A sideline official could keep track on the foul count per player and then inform the ref when a player has just received his 3rd black card. The ref would decide whether its cynical the sideline would record them.
Rolling subs is a great idea. Would add a new tactical dimension as well with manager trying to out do each other while attempting to get their best team on the field fresh for the final 5 - 10 minutes.
Change the 45 to a 55 would add to goalmouth action and deter goalkeepers wasting time. Hurling could extend to 80 0r even better 85. Lots more excitement around the Square.
I have a feeling that this will end up being taken advantage of as referee's don't want to send a player off when there is an alternative. The black card is an easy way for a ref to be seen to take action without sending someone off. It could be that the guy on a yellow is actually less likely to be sent off for a cynical foul after the black card arrives. As far as I understand the ref cannot ever give a man on a yellow card a black card. It will have to be a 2nd yellow and a red.
My sub point was that if a player knows he's about to be subbed and is about to leave the game, then he has an incentive to actually make a cynical foul. If he's coming off anyway and the only penalty is that the player swap that was going to be made anyway (i.e. him being replaced) simply becomes a black card offence...and he's replaced at no extra cost. So, being substituted means his team loses a substitute option, being black carded means a team loses a sub option.
I dont think I made myself clear. I 100% agree with you on this one and it's why I was actually against the black cards coming in. Personally I think it's going to be much worse at club level. If a town team with a big panel is playing a small rural parish then the black card is a huge benefit to the bigger panel. They are many small clubs, tight on players who are still playing at a decent level because they have 10-12 top players and a few passengers. Once one or two good players have to be replaced for what could be just an accidential poor tackle it will kill the smaller team.