Gary Neville Demands Major Rule Change for International Tournaments
The former Manchester United defender has been vocal about his thoughts on international football, and his latest suggestion has sent shockwaves through the football world. Speaking on the latest episode of The Overlap, Neville proposed a major rule change for international tournaments, and it’s not what you’d expect.
The 49-year-old, who was part of ITV’s broadcast for Euro 2024, believes that extra-time should be scrapped from international tournaments. He cited his own experiences, saying, "I think it’s been a disappointment in extra-time. I do like the idea of getting rid of extra-time. It’s worked, actually, I think domestically in the Carabao Cup."
Ian Wright, who was also on the podcast, asked Neville what he would do instead. Neville replied, "Yeah, force the result. It’s worked, actually, I think domestically in the Carabao Cup." He also shared his own experiences, saying, "It feels like my career went a lot to extra time because out of the eight tournaments I was at, I think seven games out of eight tournaments went to extra time. It just felt like extra time was a large part of my career just because of England – it wasn’t a lot of times, but it just felt like it."
But Neville’s idea isn’t entirely new. This summer’s Copa America introduced a rule change where a penalty shootout immediately decided a winner, forgoing extra-time – except for the final, which Argentina won in extra-time. Neville believes that this format is the way forward, saying, "It’s worked, actually, I think domestically in the Carabao Cup. It’s worked in the Copa America, and I think it could work in international tournaments."
Of course, not everyone agrees with Neville’s proposal. Roy Keane, who was also on the podcast, suggested that extra-time should be reduced to 10 minutes each way, rather than scrapped entirely. Neville countered, saying, "It feels like my career went a lot to extra time because out of the eight tournaments I was at, I think seven games out of eight tournaments went to extra time. It just felt like extra time was a large part of my career just because of England – it wasn’t a lot of times, but it just felt like it."
So, what do you think? Should international tournaments scrap extra-time and go straight to penalties? Let us know in the comments below.
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