Royal Dutch Football Association, popularly known as KNVB, the body in charge of football in the Netherlands are set to make some changes to the basic rules of football.
According to a statement on the KNVB website by the director of amateur football, Jan Dirk van der Zee, they plan to experiment with some new football rules in the 2023/24 Keuken Kampioen Divisie.
Van Der Zee’s statement read "Changes that should make the game faster, sportier, fairer and more attractive. The aim is to realize a pilot for the Keuken Kampioen Division in the 2023-2024 season.“
“In this, in consultation with the clubs and the International Football Association Board (IFAB ), the adjustments are being tested," the director said.
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The changes
The proposed changes for the lower divisions of Dutch football will take effect two seasons from now pending an unlikely approval by FIFA and UEFA.
The changes include the eradication of throw-ins, to be replaced by kicking the ball back in play rather than throwing it in as accustomed to.
Teams will be able to dribble from freekicks rather than being obligated to kick the ball either with a shot or a pass.
Perhaps the most controversial of the proposed experimental tweaks is the introduction of unlimited substitutions which basically would allow the teams to change all 11 players in competitive games if they please.
Other suggested modifications include a five-minute sin bin which means players would be sent off but for just five minutes.
And the game will be shortened from 90 minutes to 60, with each half now set to be 30 minutes each but with a clock that stops when the ball is not in play.