2020 rewind: Silent stadiums and hot debates on anthems, coaching, soccer's rules and urgently needed reform

As a columnist, it can be a difficult proposition knowing how to retain your readership’s interest. Few writers want to click on the comments column and find themselves vilified in public. It can also be a sobering moment when you see there are no replies at all. Best of all is when an article acts as the starting point for a constructive discussion that moves us toward a better understanding of what soccer needs — be it an issue involving commerce, ethics, governance, or the rules of the game.