The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is to lobby FIFA to implement time-outs during World Cup matches in Brazil next year, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said Tuesday.

FIGC is to make the proposal on Thursday in Costa do Sauipe ahead of Friday's World Cup draw in the same Brazilian town.

"I want to ask them to make two time-outs during the matches so the players can rehydrate," said Prandelli at a press conference in Rome.

"The are two big problems in Brazil, the same ones we encountered during the Confederations Cup in June: the heat and the humidity which, in certain towns, are worrying.

"If you want to offer a show to the world then you have to allow the players to be in a condition to offer up such a spectacle."

Prandelli wants an official two-minute time-out to be called at the mid-point of each half to give players the chance to take fluids on board, otherwise he says they will be taking every opportunity at throw-ins and corners to rehydrate, which would upset the flow of games.

Prandelli believes the proposition will find favour with "all those (teams) who were at the Confederations Cup" and who have already experienced the potentially difficult conditions in the country.

The former Roma and Fiorentina coach said that during that competition "eight out of 11" players asked him to come off.

"That's a lot," added Prandelli.

It won't be too bad of an idea, but I don't believe it'll go through and personally I wouldn't want it. What happens when X team is all over Y team, but because of this time-out Y team can recover and it kills off X teams momentum?

Time outs have no place in football.

I'm not sure if what he's arguing for is 3 30 minute thirds or 2 45 minute halfs with basketball-like time-outs.

I am for it.

For all the reasons Prandelli says, its common sense to me. And with the ever increasing distances players are covering...yeah, im for it.

Sounds simple enough, just 2 minutes half way through each half (22:30 mark) Though 2 minutes is probably a bit much, coaches are going to give tactical instructions in that time and thats not what the idea is supposed to about.

30 seconds to get water, shouldnt take much more than that.

Time outs should be implemented. A sportsmen needs to hidratate every 15 minutes. It's crazy that footballers are asked to run for 45 without drinking. Then we see sudden deaths on the field and we moan.

I'd like to add that advertisers would probably love a minute and a half throughout the halfpoint of a match. They would pay top dollar for that. FIFA is not likely to ignore this.

Le Samourai wrote:Time outs have no place in football.

Would you rather see players faint because of dehydration?

The most startling thing was 8 out of 11 wanting to come off, that is striking.

I imagine the keeper was one who didnt need to come off, leaving just 2 players who were okay playing on.

the typcal nonsense proposal  made by Prandelli...
It's not the first time we play in similar environments , in USA 1994 Italy played a World Cup Final against Brazil with 40° ...Noone has ever thought of such things ... football is football

Just dive and pretent to be hurt. In that time your teammates can drink.

How lucky are Brazil to have Nerman now, eh?

I don't like the idea of adding two rigid stopping points to the middle of either half, that cuts the game into too short blocks and will make the game less fluid.

If you want to give the refs some discretionary power, give them the ability to give teams a minute to re-hydrate at some point in the second half, that sounds more appealing.

Le Samourai wrote:I don't like the idea of adding two rigid stopping points to the middle of either half, that cuts the game into too short blocks and will make the game less fluid.

If you want to give the refs some discretionary power, give them the ability to give teams a minute to re-hydrate at some point in the second half, that sounds more appealing.

i agree . let's put water bottle all around the field or give it to the kids behind the goals and on the sidelines.

When it was really hot in Germany, the refs here have given the players time to drink something in the middle of the halves before, so I don't think it would be a bad idea in the world cup, either. The health of the players should take precedence after all.

The game stops more often when someone gets "injured" and is down for a full minute at times. I dont understand how this scheduled stoppage makes any bit of difference.

The Franchise wrote:The game stops more often when someone gets "injured" and is down for a full minute at times. I dont understand how this scheduled stoppage makes any bit of difference.

Better to stop the clock then.

This is unnecessary, cumbersome and creates new situations. Refs can easily just stop and start the game at a time when transitions would be simpler using basic common sense.

unnecessary, it also sets back players whose strength is stamina and ability to exploit defenders or any position that is tired.
people play under this condition of heat almost daily all around the world, if it wasn't a problem then it shouldn't be now.
Fifa just looking for ways to fit in advertisement within the breaks.

Why stop the clock? Dont stop the clock during injuries...just add it on at the end as they already do.

Unnecessary? Jesus.

Just read what Free_cat already wrote.

We all know if this rule is implemented there will be massive pressure from corporate world to make football a 4 half 25 minutes ,5 minute each break ...if 2 mins are alllowed at first then it will end up at 5 minutes with in 5 years.

We will be seeing drink breaks at winter time in moscow as well , definitely this is a game changing decision...do you want football to turn into another cricket/american football (in which both laws are changed massively due to corporate pressure) ?