The Footie Thread

[Orikoru]

Chatting with a friend yesterday and he asked if I knew why football posts are on the field of play, not behind it? Never thought of it before but he was correct. It got me thinking, in hockey for example, the posts are set touching the line, behind it, but not fully on it. In football, the posts are fully on the line, interfering with play you could say. Anyone know why this is? (I know the answer could be, 'because it's always been that way' but I just thought it was an interesting point)

Goal line technology would be interesting if the goal line was in front of the posts. And Lampard's goal against Germany would have counted for sure.

I could be wrong but I seem to recall hockey goalposts are square rather than round? Hence easier to place them in line with the back of the white line if you see what I mean? Football posts are round so would be a bit odd to place them behind the line.

To be honest your question is not one I've ever considered - being a football fan first (in terms of team sports) I've never thought placing the posts on the line was anything other than normal. I've just now learnt that there are sports that don't do this.

 

[Beezerk]

Just to confuse things more, aren’t corner flags “in play” as well?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@Orikoru you are right about hockey posts being square. That does make it very simple to line up but having a round post just touch the line is not beyond the wit of a groundskeeper.

Corner flags, add them in to the mix

 

[Orikoru]

Just to confuse things more, aren’t corner flags “in play” as well?

Yup, if the ball hits the corner flag and bounces back it's play on.

 

[Norrin Radd]

The way the ball is now decided on wether it's in or out of play further adds to the problem in my mind ,a ball is not deemed out of play these days even when nothing physically touches the line ,but because it's still hanging a few millimetres over the line it's in . Thus surely this means the goal posts are encroaching on the field of play .
Where do they measure a pitch to find it's size ,it would appear now that it's way beyond the touchline and goal line these days.

 

[Neilds]

There are lots of different things with regards to pitch markings for different sport. Rugby for example - ball/foot touches line and it is out of play, football the ball has to cross the line fully and players can run completely off the pitch to get round someone.

 

[Jimaroid]

Football is just full of archaic inconsistencies. It can’t even decide what size a pitch is. So when the entire game is played within an inconsistent boundary there should be no surprise to find more logically incoherent laws when you look into further details.

I do think it’s interesting how little football has modernised its rules in comparison to all other sports and games. I don’t think it’s good, and is a cause of all the current cries of inconsistency in refereeing, but it is interesting as an exception.

 

[hairball_89]

The way the ball is now decided on wether it's in or out of play further adds to the problem in my mind ,a ball is not deemed out of play these days even when nothing physically touches the line ,but because it's still hanging a few millimetres over the line it's in . Thus surely this means the goal posts are encroaching on the field of play .
Where do they measure a pitch to find it's size ,it would appear now that it's way beyond the touchline and goal line these days.

“All of the ball over all of the line” has been around since the dawn of time hasn’t it?

I’ve never known it to be any other way.

 

[Norrin Radd]

“All of the ball over all of the line” has been around since the dawn of time hasn’t it?

I’ve never known it to be any other way.

All the ball used to mean not touching the line but these days it's well out but still in

 

[Deleted member 15717]

I do think it’s interesting how little football has modernised its rules in comparison to all other sports and games. I don’t think it’s good, and is a cause of all the current cries of inconsistency in refereeing, but it is interesting as an exception.

And yet there are only 17 laws in Association Football.

21 in Rugby

25 in golf

The game of football is remarkably simple.

 

[Tashyboy]

Football is just full of archaic inconsistencies. It can’t even decide what size a pitch is. So when the entire game is played within an inconsistent boundary there should be no surprise to find more logically incoherent laws when you look into further details.

I do think it’s interesting how little football has modernised its rules in comparison to all other sports and games. I don’t think it’s good, and is a cause of all the current cries of inconsistency in refereeing, but it is interesting as an exception.

This I totally agree with. And yet there would be people that argue the case that VAR is an example where it has brought football on leaps and bounds even though it is not fit for purpose

 

[Deleted member 29109]

All the ball used to mean not touching the line but these days it's well out but still in

When did it mean it had to be touching? I can’t remember that ever being the case

 

[JayB]

All the ball used to mean not touching the line but these days it's well out but still in

It's always been a case of the entire ball being over the line, not just touching it. I think it's probably highlighted more now due to the advancement and introduction of technology

 

[Norrin Radd]

I think the real issue is with the original post by LT, does the goal encroach on the pitch . And why does it in football and not hockey or ice hockey.
Another thing ,is there a size that the lines on a pitch must be ,either max width or min width.

 

[Jimaroid]

And yet there are only 17 laws in Association Football.

21 in Rugby

25 in golf

The game of football is remarkably simple.

I don’t think they can really be compared numerically but you’ve touched on an example of false equivalence which is also interesting. I would actually say football is remarkably complex! Because smaller numbers don’t mean simpler, on which I’m failing to recall a famous mathematician who described ways in which great complexity is hidden in small numbers.

Anyway. I agree Football should be simple in definition. Other games and sports seem to do better at defining their rules and less afraid of changing them for the betterment of the game. It’s weird that football is so far behind in that way of thinking.

 

[clubchamp98]

Football is just full of archaic inconsistencies. It can’t even decide what size a pitch is. So when the entire game is played within an inconsistent boundary there should be no surprise to find more logically incoherent laws when you look into further details.

I do think it’s interesting how little football has modernised its rules in comparison to all other sports and games. I don’t think it’s good, and is a cause of all the current cries of inconsistency in refereeing, but it is interesting as an exception.

I think it’s totally the opposite.
The rules they have tried to modernise are the worst, ( handball,offside VAR)

 

[Jimaroid]

Another thing ,is there a size that the lines on a pitch must be ,either max width or min width.

“All lines must be of the same width, which must not be more than 12cm (5ins).“

Which of course means they can be different thicknesses across different grounds and pitches. But it doesn’t matter as it’s only the outside dimension that defines the field of play. Must be fun messing with players minds though.

This is the one that really triggers my OCD

“The corner area is defined by a quarter circle with a radius of 1m (1yd)”

Argh! What is it? 1 metre is not 1 yard.

 

[Jimaroid]

I think it’s totally the opposite.
The rules they have tried to modernise are the worst, ( handball,offside VAR)

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying badly. The pick n mix approach of new rules on old rules makes things worse.

 

[clubchamp98]

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying badly. The pick n mix approach of new rules on old rules makes things worse.

Yes like a defender can accidentally handle the ball.
But if a goal scorer accidentally handles it it’s no goal and a foul.
Who thought that was better?

 

[clubchamp98]

To the op I did hear once the posts are inline with the goal line so the linesman can see if the ball crosses the goal line.
If the post was behind the line this would not be visible ,Or the rest of the line to the other side of the pitch.

Pre technology obviously.

I do remember when I played we did have square wooden posts.
They were stopped for H&S as if you hit the post corner with any part of your body it could be quite serious.
Round posts still hurt though.