Fifa president Sepp Blatter said on Friday he welcomes the uproar over his proposal that all soccer matches end with a result — by penalty shoot-out if necessary — saying that the debate is healthy for the sport.
”I’m happy a noise has been made, because we always have to put our game into discussion,” Blatter said in an interview at the Asian Football Confederation’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The idea challenges one of sport’s foundations — even if it produces some ugly matches — that the score after 90 minutes of play stands, in a draw if necessary. The major exception is in tournaments, where clearcut winners and losers are necessary in knockout rounds.
Blatter said that he raised the idea of penalty shootouts ending drawn matches after 90 minutes during a meeting of Fifa’s international board in February that tried to seek uniformity on how drawn matches are decided.
The board eliminated the match-stopping golden goals in extra time, and determined that two extra periods of 15 minutes each should be played after a drawn regulation 90 minutes, Blatter said.
”I also mentioned, why not terminate the match after 90 minutes and then get a result by penalties?” Blatter said. ”And three or four weeks later, some journalist pulled out a story about no more draws.”
The proposal has been greeted with ridicule in the European press, which has seized upon the remark to remind readers about some of the 68-year-old Swiss official’s other ideas, such as tighter-fitting uniforms for female players and a World Cup every two years.
”If some of the tabloids are unhappy in England, that’s their problem,” Blatter said. ”Even if they don’t like it, it’s better that they have headlines about the Fifa president than having headlines about Iraq. Most of the world is happy we are talking about it.” — Sapa-AP