Sepp Blatter Considers Scrapping Offsides: Is the FIFA Chief Clueless?

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has caused speculation he could scrap the offside rule following an in-depth conversation about the move with hockey president Leandro Negre.

Hockey abolished offsides in 1998 and Negre told the press that Blatter, “asked me a lot of questions about it and how successful it was,” adding, “He did seem very interested in how we had implemented it.”

Blatter has raised a few eyebrows during his time in office and a couple more could be lifted after the latest story to break about alleged rule changes.

His plans have almost always centred around how to make football "more exciting" and, in particular, appealing to US audiences. This has left him with a catalogue of embarrassing gaffes, blunders, and failed proposals that have made football fans the world over question why a man so clueless about the game is running the international governing body.

Offsides are a fundamental part of football and have been since its introduction by the FA in 1863. Removing the rule might work in sports such as hockey, but it would make association football unrecognisable from the sport we know today.

There have been countless crazy ideas put forward by Sepp Blatter over the years, and there is very little likelihood that this one will get any more consideration than the previous ones. But the fact that he is even considering it adds further weight to the belief that he isn’t capable of running FIFA.

Players, managers, and officials have all at some point come out to criticize Blatter over his various proposals and comments.

In the wake of the press conference where Blatter compared modern-day footballers to slaves, Wigan Chariman Dave Whelan said, “The man is a complete idiot. You’ve got to ask whether Blatter is fit for purpose...The answer over the years is that he clearly isn’t. How stupid can that man be?”

These sentiments were echoed by David Gold, who said “I can’t think of anyone who has stayed in such a similar position of power for so long, who has come out with such drivel.”

Sepp, we know you’re kooky and we all get a real kick out of it. But please stop trying to ruin the game of football at every possible juncture.

Has Sepp Blatter finally lost the plot? Or is he just misunderstood? Please comment below.