Let's Put The Sock Back In Soccer

?Prohibit goalies from using their hands outside of the goal area. Currently, a goalie can range freely in the penalty area, as well as in the goal area. That gives him air superiority up to 18 yards in front of the goal. Take that advantage away and scoring will skyrocket.

Some soccer people have suggested widening the goal to give players a bigger target to hit. The rationale is that today's goalkeepers are taller than their predecessors and can cover more area. I'm not convinced that widening the goal is a good idea. The problem is the inaccuracy of today's shooters. In the 1990 World Cup, 53% of the 1,162 shots missed the mark entirely. Yes, some of those misses were forced errors, but at least 80% were truly bad shots. If we adopt other measures to encourage offense, the shooters will soon hone their offensive skills.

Another often-mentioned proposal is eliminating the offside rule. What good would that do? Defenders would soon adjust to the new situation. And I don't see any merit in introducing a shot clock or setting a time limit for getting the ball across the center line. Both changes would violate the fluid nature of the game.

I'm not saying that FIFA should adopt all of my suggestions at once. In fact, it might be better to experiment with them one at a time. But I think that if FIFA is going to do something, it should start now, not later in the decade. What better time to introduce new ideas than when a fresh audience—the U.S. and Canada—is plugged in and eager to be entertained? The 1994 World Cup provides a golden opportunity for soccer. Let's hope FIFA doesn't boot it.

Pel�, who retired as a player in 1977, travels the world to promote soccer.