EFL set to use FANS in trial of radical new countdown plan to stop goalkeepers time wasting
FANS in stadiums will be invited to join in a “five second countdown” before time-wasting goalkeepers give away a throw-in or a corner.
The radical trial could be used in the EFL lower divisions or the Football League Trophy from next season after being backed by the game’s Law-making body the International FA Board.
While introducing sin-bins in professional football has gone on the backburner after a global backlash, Ifab chiefs, at their annual general meeting at Loch Lomond, believe their latest idea will help reduce time-wasting.
The current six second rule, rarely punished, will be extended to eight seconds, but with referees then holding up their hands to count down to zero with five seconds left.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “So many times we see the goalkeeper holding onto the ball for five or six seconds at 0-0 and then when they’re 1-0 up they suddenly hold it for 25 seconds.
“That’s not right and people get frustrated.
“Once the goalkeeper has got the ball under control, and the referee puts up his hand so that the five seconds gets counted down, you’ll see the crowd respond to that and the other players will.
“In terms of how you give possession to the other team, the protocols being discussed are either a throw-in in line with the penalty spot or a corner.
“There are pros and cons to both of them. They are still working that out but both will be trialled.”
Other trials available from July 1 will see only captains allowed to speak to referees and the use of “cooling off periods” where feuding players would be ordered back to their respective penalty boxes until tempers calmed.
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Pushed on whether that would see the discussions with the EFL and other leagues on introduction of any of the ideas next term, Bullingham added: “I’m sure we will.
“We haven’t got to that point yet but I anticipate that some will be looked at lower levels of English football.
“What level we will look at is an open discussion, I’m sure we’ll get that discussion with the relevant leagues.
“It’s clear that we’re not aiming at the top two leagues in any country. But we’ve got so many options in England.”
The meeting took place hours after Fifa President Gianni Infantino gave a “red card to blue cards” as the way of signalling sin-bins.
But Ifab chiefs insisted they are not turning their backs on the sin-bin principle – although it will be purely for dissent and not, as previously suggested, cynical “action football action” fouls.
Trials at grass roots levels will continue ahead of possible future extension.
Bullingham added: “We’ve focused on the area that is more straightforward, which is dissent and encouraging referees to come into the game.
“It’s something that affects 90 per cent of the game at all levels.
“The cynical foul aspect is a subjective one and that potentially makes applying it harder. Let’s get sin-bins right first and then see if there is a broader application.”
Changes for next season will see the option of permanent concussion substitutions written into the Laws as well as red cards for penalty box defensive handballs which deny scoring chances.
The Premier League and PFA have called for a trial of temporary concussion replacements and Bullingham conceded: “Permanent substitutions is a positive and there are medics who say that means there is no risk of an injured player being sent back on the pitch.
“We operate in an environment where different opinions are aired. English football does think temporary substitutions is worth being trialled at some point but we’ve made big steps forward.”