I can remember when footy fans used to disparrage Jimmy Greaves calling him a 'goal sniper'. The nature of the game has changed a lot these days and 'goalmouth skills' are earnestly discussed and compared.

I think whatever you do with the game - the skilled players will fit their game to it, with ruthless efficiency. If we did this reform, would we see 'Bobby Charlton run' - where a player with amazing dribbling skill single handedly took the opposite team on and beat them individually.

Playing a percentage game, i think most trainers would change the basic tactic to the longball game.But there will always be players who are capable of that magic 'break', and unable to resist the temptation to show off - and if they did away with the offside - these guys would save the game.

They would be in the same position as Jimmy White and the late Alex Higgins were in snooker - they won't be the highest paid or the higheat scorers, but they will represent everything that is attractive and worth watching about the game.