AFTER 57 changes and clarifications this season you would think we would be spared any more changes to the Laws of the Game for some time.

As one reader of this column said to me: “When are they going to stop mucking about with the Laws?”

Not yet it seems is the answer. The annual meeting of the International FA Board, where they consider any possible changes to the Laws, is being held tomorrow at Wembley, and they have a pretty full agenda.

To be fair, many of the suggestions are clarifications of this season’s changes, due to their translation in other parts of the world, to ensure the Laws are the same where ever the game is played. Having said that, the Board will also consider some changes to the ‘modifications’ section of the Laws.

This is to give greater flexibility to national associations for the more practical side of the game, size of pitch, length of game, substitutes etc., for certain types of footballers, under 16, over 35, women and players with disabilities.

The idea is to get more people to play the game because football is decreasing as an adult active sport. For instance, Berks & Bucks FA were given a target of losing not more than 100 clubs in five years and they lost 40 in the first year.

Also experiments are going on almost all the time. The best known are perhaps, the change to Denying a Goal Scoring Opportunity and the trials with video assistance for match officials – VAR.

There are, however, other ones such as temporary dismissals (sin-bins) and fourth substitute for extra time in cup ties. The meetings tend to review these and consider whether or not or when they should be included in the Laws.

The major re-write of the Laws having been completed, seemingly successfully, the Board have declared their future strategy to be focusing on fairness and integrity, universality and inclusion, and the growth of technology.