French → English transcript

So as for offside,

I feel like despite the deep respect I have for Arsène Wenger,

that it is going to be counterproductive.

since we are going to have less control over the defensive side of things,

and here I mean the coaches, well, what is going to happen? We are going to…

they are going to adapt, contemporary coaches are going

constantly, because the reluctance to push up, to defend while moving

d'aller chercher,

d'aller défendre en avançant, parce que... parce que le hors-jeu, eh bien,

in a way, to the attackers.

So you will have less attacking volume, but it will be more defensive.

— Well you are going to be more bored. There you go, watching.

And then, the last thing, it is that that rule there,

par les non-initiés.

Many of whom are around this table, sorry to bother you.

- Yeah no, you are right, offside, that really turns me on…

Me, what I like about the offside rule,

what I like about the offside rule today,

is that all the friends who watch soccer with me, they do not see it!

Because for the most part, they do not understand the rule.

It has to stay that way.- But even the referees do not see it!

They have to use the video to see! - But nobody sees the offside!

How are you supposed to know? How are you supposed to see an offside?

How are you supposed to know? How are you supposed to see an offside?

When you see that there is a slow motion from VAR to see there is a shoulder…

or there is a stud that’s sticking out and that causes an offside situation…

that’s nonsense, exactly, Pascal!— Christophe! Christophe! More seriously.

Wait, wait, Christophe. More seriously. You think… Christophe! More seriously.

Tu penses... Christophe ! Plus sérieusement.

You think that just because you have brought in that rule, where, how to put it,

the whole body will have to be behind the line of defenders,

you think there will be fewer video reviews? Are you kidding me or what?

Every time there is a contentious incident, we will call on video.

Every time there is a goal, we will call on video. Like today.

Well then, let’s get rid of video… for offsides,

let’s allow offside à la Wenger.— But you’ll see…

you will see defensive lines drop even more. Me, I don’t want soccer to…

Moi j'ai pas envie que le foot... J'adore le handball,

I love handball, but I don’t want soccer to…

be with teams that will soon be all huddled up in their penalty area.

leur surface de réparation.

A defensive block in its box. That’s what we’ll see. That’s all I…

that’s exactly the opposite of what I felt, but again,

I don’t know soccer as well as Pascal does.

But precisely, I had the feeling that for the show,

it was real progress. Because finally…

Parce que qu'est-ce qui manque souvent ? C'est ces buts

in the end. And when you see that a guy has his feet behind his defender,

in the end. And when you see that a guy has his feet behind his defender,

that only his head…

well I still find that complicated. — Sorry, just…

Is it… This is going to be a bit technical,

Is it… This is going to be a bit technical,

I am sorry, but are we not just shifting the problem? I mean, today,

we measure the size of the shoe…

to see if it has gone past the defender, so if he is offside.

But the other way around,

imagine a striker who is in front of the defender…

and then he just has his arm there, and then just the tip of his elbow touching…

the front of the defender. You see? Well he will be…

he will be offside, he will not be offside.

And what difference does it make when it is only his foot?

The foot that makes him onside? It is the same, we agree. — Oh no, I agree.

I mean we are just shifting the problem, actually. But I agree. — There. So…

I mean we are just shifting the problem, actually. But I agree. — There. So…

Oh really, sorry,

Oh really, sorry,

Because you also need to consider one thing. Defending well is an art.

C'est un art de bien défendre.

Defending together is an art. And here, you’re going to… we’re going to cut…

No, I’m not a defender,

I’m a lover of soccer and its rules.

No, but you used to be a defender, at a high level. - I wasn’t a former defender, I…

- J'étais pas un ancien défenseur, j'ai...

You’re not allowed to play the widow and the orphan, that’s what you want to do.

- No no, not at all, no.

You were a goalkeeper? That’s it. And if you want,

You were a goalkeeper? That’s it. And if you want,

Jicé, tu peux pas vérifier, il te le dit Pascal. Ah oui non, plus du tout, oui.

- Non non non, mais je

am not here to promote myself. But actually,

quite simply, it is an art of good defending. What are we going to do?

What are the coaches going to do? Go against this new rule. So drop back. Sorry.

But is that a certainty? Because once again, on paper... Because you were talking...

But is that a certainty? Because once again, on paper... Because you were talking...

because the beginning of your speech, I really do not like it at all.

because the beginning of your speech, I really do not like it at all.

By saying,“ There are rules that have not been changed, that is good,” etc.

I think sport is in constant evolution.- But not football.

In basketball, we have a huge amount of... Well yes, in every sport.

Because there are changes, because we want more spectacle,

because we want more goals, etc. So you, you are certain, you who know, once again,

Donc toi, tu es certain, toi qui connais, encore une fois,

I am asking the specialist, you are certain there will be fewer goals?- He said so.

For him, it is…

For him, the blocks are actually going to drop back,

so they do not get caught offside and so there is a forward in front.

They are going to drop back. That is his analysis.

— It is less interesting, obviously.

Then I would like to come back to the other rules with Christophe, but go ahead,

Sarah. Could this whole- body rule, could we not just

limit it to the foot? Because actually, football is a game…

— You play with your foot too while you are at it.

Offside, was it not just judged by the foot? Yes, but what changed…

Offside, was it not just judged by the foot? Yes, but what changed…

Today, you criticize because television shows you, the images show you that, look,

les images te montrent que tiens,

there is a part of the body that keeps a player onside or offside.

So that is why we say,“ We need to improve it.” But be careful, once again, huge

respect to Arsène Wenger, he knows football,

wouldn’t the solution be to get rid of this VAR? To finally accept the new…

wouldn’t the solution be to get rid of this VAR? To finally accept the new…

D'accepter finalement la nouvelle... l'erreur humaine ? Juste la VAR pour les buts.

Juste sur une impression générale de l'arbitre. Mais en fait... mais pardon...

we will be fairer regarding corruption, there. I think that beyond corruption,

Je pense qu'au-dessus de la corruption, je pense qu'on va l'avoir, hein.

Pardon de vous dire simplement que la VAR, c'est un support à la prise de décision.

decision- making. But that tool is controlled by people.

But it is not understood that way, actually.

Everything that is electronic and everything that is video in sports, actually,

is not considered

by those watching and even those

who are athletes,

I do not think we consider it as a tool.

We consider it as proof that must absolutely be used.

And that, you do that in fencing, you do that in tennis,

you do that in rugby, everywhere.

Every time we have brought in video,

actually, it has to be the absolute proof. Exactly. Well then,

for offside, in this case, it is the absolute proof. Today. As the offside rule is…

Tel que la règle du hors-jeu est...

— Yes, but you are trying to say that…

Either you go past the defender, or you do not go past the defender.

— Well, that is it, it is an absolute rule. On Arsène Wenger’s other ideas.

Sur les autres idées d'Arsène Wenger.

So now, there are lots of other good ideas,

because I think there are four rules that are going to be discussed.

The second one is about the clock. You know that in a soccer match,

Vous savez que dans un match de foot, le chrono ne s'arrête jamais. Et du coup,

à la fin du match,

If it is pouring,

If it is pouring,

At one point, it almost went up to a quarter of an hour.

— We are at 100 minutes now. That was during the World Cup.

The World Cup, those were 110- minute matches. I think that is completely crazy.

Whereas in rugby, there is a rule that when the game stops, the clock stops.

Whereas in rugby, there is a rule that when the game stops, the clock stops.

That way, the referees, the players, the viewers, there is no argument. You play 80

les téléspectateurs, il y a pas de discussion. On joue 80 minutes et

after 80 minutes, when the ball goes out of play, that's the end of the match.

after 80 minutes, when the ball goes out of play, that's the end of the match.

So I already do not understand why this has not been implemented in football.

Honestly, it is not very complicated to put into practice.

I do not think there will be many opponents. The third rule, it concerns

the communication

from the referees to the whole stadium. That is to say that there too,

like in rugby, he will explain to people

why he is making that decision. He will be miked up,

we were talking about it earlier. The miking. We want referees to start talking.

On veut que les arbitres se mettent à parler.

That is really interesting. And I think it is great.

That way everyone will understand exactly what is going on. And then the last one,

now you are going to tell me what you think about it, is the challenger rule.

now you are going to tell me what you think about it, is the challenger rule.

Which would allow a team, in a specific situation, to call for VAR.

VAR, today, is the privilege

of the referees.

They are the ones who call for VAR and never anyone else. I like that. A challenge.

— Here, it would be a challenge. Like there is in tennis.

You are allowed to request the video to check.

So the only thing is that it must not be

continuous during a match.

— And if you are right, you keep your challenge.

— And if you are right, you keep your challenge.

That is exactly what we have in basketball.

We are allowed two challenges in theory,

except that if after the first one you are wrong,

you lose your challenge, well that is it, you actually do not have a second one.

You only get a second one if you passed your first challenge.

And that, that is pretty interesting. Ah, that is good. I like it. - So,

I think these ideas are actually not bad. Even if we asked Wenger’s opinion,

that it was a shipwreck of old age... It is still pretty bold to say that.

that it was a shipwreck of old age... It is still pretty bold to say that.

C'est quand même culotté de dire ça.

Honestly, the guy really thought about it. As for offside,

I agree, that is debatable.-

Because you are actually changing behaviors. For, in the end, the same thing.

Pour au bout du compte la même chose.

Because whether the body is

On the other hand, you are going to

trigger defensive reflexes.

Me, it is a point of view, once again, we do not all have to share it.

After, for all the other rules, well, if the time...

After, for all the other rules, well, if the time...

we are counting effective playing time

and the clock stops every time there is a timeout, all the better. All the better.

There, this way we will not have the debates.- Well, it is being discussed anyway.