Football WI: Handling the ball is allowed

The early rules of football were very varied, as can be seen in the different evolutions of the game. Even however once the clear path to seperation between Rugby and Association began to develop there were still a fair few oddities in football. For instance it was allowed to catch the ball and get a free kick from then, no pass backs, etc...
One which seems quite interesting to me is the allowing of handling the ball but not catching or carrying. i.e. the hand of god is allowable.
What if this entered into the rules of the game and remained established there?

Things could really strange quite a lot...Corner kicks would be like games of volleyball, everyone trying to punch the ball into the goal. Punching strength would in general be such an important part of the game.
On the other side of the field keepers would be supplemented a lot by defenders.
I'm uncertain which would win out there, more goals or less.
 

Orry

Donor
Monthly Donor
The early rules of football were very varied, as can be seen in the different evolutions of the game. Even however once the clear path to seperation between Rugby and Association began to develop there were still a fair few oddities in football. For instance it was allowed to catch the ball and get a free kick from then, no pass backs, etc...
One which seems quite interesting to me is the allowing of handling the ball but not catching or carrying. i.e. the hand of god is allowable.
What if this entered into the rules of the game and remained established there?

Things could really strange quite a lot...Corner kicks would be like games of volleyball, everyone trying to punch the ball into the goal. Punching strength would in general be such an important part of the game.
On the other side of the field keepers would be supplemented a lot by defenders.
I'm uncertain which would win out there, more goals or less.


See: Irish Football, Australian Rules, Rugby. American Football....

No need to mess with the great game
 
People wouldnt complain about this goal ;)

hand-of-god-goal-tn.jpg
 
I wonder if you would get even taller, longer-limbed, defenders?

Yeah, thats a bit of a worry, could really take away from football's mass appeal (damn, can't remember the word...major brain fart....some succient word for it there...).
But then I suppose at current defenders tend to be big not small guys so,,,
 
From the original Laws of Footbal:

8. If a player makes a fair catch, he shall be entitled to a free kick, providing he claims it by making a mark with his heel at once; and in order to take such kick he may go back as far as he pleases, and no player on the opposite side shall advance beyond his mark until he has kicked.
 
Top