Top European soccer coaches want to abolish golden goal rule

Europe's top soccer coaches urged Thursday that the sudden-death overtime -- or 'Golden Goal' -- rule be abolished.

At UEFA's third Elite Coaches Forum, 13 of Europe's most prominent coaches, including Vicente Del Bosque, gathered for four hours to exchange views and offer suggestions about the future of the sport.

The coaches unanimously agreed that ending a game with sudden-death overtime is "untidy and an ugly way to finish a match," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh, who chaired the meeting.

"It's like getting up and leaving the table before dinner is finished," Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier said.

"As a group we feel it is unsporting. You should have a chance to come back within a certain time frame."

"In addition, it changes the approach of the game. It doesn't encourage an offensive game but rather a defensive game. Nearly all the games in the final are decided with a Golden Goal now. It's become the norm."

The last two European championship finals were decided with overtime goals.

The group proposed a first 15-minute session of overtime, played out in full, and then another if a game still were not decided. If necessary, a penalty shootout would break a tie after 30 minutes.