SFA warned FIFA offside plan is no silver bullet with 'spectacular' Arsene Wenger prediction coming at a cost

It's the controversial law that’s had attackers and defenders doing a football hokey cokey while punters and pundits make a song and dance over whose arm or leg was in or out.

The offside rule has had more changes than Harry McKirdy’s barnet – and has been every bit as questionable too. Now it could be set for another tweak. And this time punters are being told to expect the game to become more “spectacular” as a result. Where a player is currently offside if just a millimetre of a goalscoring part of their body is in front of the last defender, the new rule would turn that on its head so that even a skin’s breadth of their body being in line with their opponent rules them onside.

Basically, there would have to be clear daylight between a defender and attacking player for them to be offside. And when you speak about strikers gaining that extra yard then the new rule would hand them it in the blink of an eye. FIFA are set to test their offside 2.0 plan in three countries –Holland, Italy and Sweden – in the coming season and they reckon it’s a game-changer. The brainchild of former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, in his role as FIFA’s chief of global football development, the new variation is said to produce more attacking opportunities and goals while making life easier for officials and reducing controversial decisions.

SFA bosses are well aware of the proposal through their role in the IFAB and will be keeping a close eye on the trials. But one former Scottish top-flight star has already had a close-up view of the latest version of the rule in play – and admits while it’s good news for forwards and officials it’s a NIGHTMARE for defenders.

Ex-Hearts hero Jose Goncalves is general manager at FC Zurich in the shadows of