The Football.....

[matticus]

No, the hydration breaks destroyed the game time after time - that's not just because coaches could speak to the team, it's because football is a game of stamina and a game of momentum, of seizing opportunities when you can get the opposition on the back foot. They should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances

It's also a winter sport. (and no, I don't care that WCs are always in summer - 20 wrongs don't make a right!) If it's hot enough, 4x23mins is still a test of stamina - most world cups matches are played at walking pace compared to a cold wet night at Stoke.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

If Infantino carries on the way he's going, I can see UEFA pulling out of FIFA and we'll just have biennial EUROs.

Or forming Football Mondial and having a world championship every four years.

 

[Dave7]

No, the hydration breaks destroyed the game time after time - that's not just because coaches could speak to the team, it's because football is a game of stamina and a game of momentum, of seizing opportunities when you can get the opposition on the back foot. They should only be allowed in exceptional circumstances

A half hour break is also unfair on the players - that's long enough for muscles to cool down and stiffen up. 15 minutes is fine and shouldn't have been messed around with.

I agree with you about the 30 minutes at half time but for most** matches i think the hydration break was essential. 40° is not to be messed with, even the fittest could die when running around for 90+ minutes.
**maybe not the air conditioned stadiums

 

[Pblakeney]

I agree with you about the 30 minutes at half time but for most** matches i think the hydration break was essential. 40° is not to be messed with, even the fittest could die when running around for 90+ minutes.
**maybe not the air conditioned stadiums

That is where it was shown to be the commercial break that it was.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I agree with you about the 30 minutes at half time but for most** matches i think the hydration break was essential. 40° is not to be messed with, even the fittest could die when running around for 90+ minutes.
**maybe not the air conditioned stadiums

That's why I said "in exceptional circumstances". 40C is pretty exceptional in my book.

Also though - if you do have to have a hydration break for exceptional heat, then about a minute is long enough. Three minutes is taking the proverbial.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

In quite a few matches the temperature got nowhere near thirty degrees, which should be the threshold for a break.

God help us if the TdF ever started in the States, the riders would have to stop every half hour for an ad break.

 

[Rusty Nails]

That's why I said "in exceptional circumstances". 40C is pretty exceptional in my book.

Also though - if you do have to have a hydration break for exceptional heat, then about a minute is long enough. Three minutes is taking the proverbial.

And/or do not allow managers or coaches on the pitch to use them as opportunities to change tactics. Water could easily be brought on while the players stand in groups on the pitch.

 

[Alex321]

Pitiful watching Trump having to be almost physically dragged away from his efforts to 'be in the photo' when the team that had won the World Cup was assembled to take the photo of the team that won the World Cup. The President of the United States of America: all the grace, class, and self-awareness of an eight-year-old full of jam doughnuts

Really?

THAT much grace etc?

 

[swee'pea99]

Despite being an 'American' my english is exceptional.

Hard to argue. 'American' requires no 'ears', assuming you are one; 'english' is spelt with a capital E.

Have a nice day y'all.

 

[PaulSB]

In quite a few matches the temperature got nowhere near thirty degrees, which should be the threshold for a break.

God help us if the TdF ever started in the States, the riders would have to stop every half hour for an ad break.

I don't have the knowledge to discuss the temperature at which a hydration break would be required. I do feel if the rule is used it should be in every match, if it isn't it means games are not all played under the same set of rules. That's fundamentally unfair whatever one's view on hydration or any other type of break.

 

[PaulSB]

Despite being an 'American' my english is exceptional. As for the Donald he is a good leader because, like other great leaders he has something rhyming with alls that his predecessors lacked. I also think third place in World Cup futball is pretty good, not being sarcastic or indicating that third is pitiful.
The fact that the final was held in the USA is in itself remarkable, maybe we (us ' mericans) will eventually embrace real football and abandon American Football, which is some sort of messed up rugby.
Heck there's a pope in the Vatican right now who was born in Chicago....maybe the USA will play England for the 'cup someday !

Your man directly interfered with the running of the tournament. This is unacceptable and I believe breaches FIFA rules on political and/or governmental interference in tournaments.

While you have such people in the White House we don't want another tournament in the USA.

 

[laurentian]

If Infantino carries on the way he's going, I can see UEFA pulling out of FIFA and we'll just have biennial EUROs.

Funny you should say that:

"UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin refused to attend the final following a series of disagreements between the European governing body and FIFA over disciplinary procedures, refereeing logistics, and match operations . . ."

 

[No Ta Doctor]

I don't have the knowledge to discuss the temperature at which a hydration break would be required. I do feel if the rule is used it should be in every match, if it isn't it means games are not all played under the same set of rules. That's fundamentally unfair whatever one's view on hydration or any other type of break.

Not really, if the rule is "in excessive and dangerous temperatures, a hydration break is allowed for 90" in the middle of each half" then the rules are literally the same everywhere.

The real difference is that some matches were played at 40C and some at 22.

The hydration break is more an attempt to ameliorate that difference, not an advantage another team doesn't have. And more to the point - the hydration break is the same for both teams playing that match, it's largely irrelevant if another match elsewhere doesn't have one.