Football lawmakers consider MAJOR rule change for goalkeepers after successful trials at Under 21 level

A new rule aimed a clamping down on time wasting by goalkeepers is being considered by football’s lawmakers after successful trials in the Premier League‘s under 21 competition. 

If implemented, the new law will see keepers punished for holding onto the ball for longer than eight seconds. The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have proposed awarding the opposition a corner for the offence. 

Goalkeepers typically receive a caution for especially flagrant examples of time wasting, despite there already being a law which directs officials to award the opposition an indirect free-kick if the shotstopper holds the ball for ‘more than six seconds before releasing it’. 

However, the rule is rarely enforced. According to The Times, this new measure would see referees hold up their hand and count down from five to alert keepers to their limited time. 

Their report highlights another trial in Italy’s Under-20 league which proved effective in stopping goalkeepers from slowing down the game unnecessarily. 

‘The data that’s coming out of [the trial] so far is very, very interesting,’ Patrick Nelson, the Irish FA’s chief executive and board member of IFAB, said: ‘The data that’s coming out of [the trial] so far is very, very interesting, in that the two trials so far have been that if the goalkeeper is holding on to the ball too long, the referee will award a corner.

Premier League goalkeeper such as Arsenal’s David Raya could be penalised for holding onto the ball for longer than eight seconds

The International Football Association Board (IFAB) have proposed awarding the opposition a corner for the offence

Patrick Nelson, the Irish FA’s chief executive and board member of IFAB has been encouraged by the results of recent trials

‘The instances of corners being awarded are almost non-existent, which would indicate to us, certainly looking at the data, that the deterrent is exactly what we would want it to be at this point.

‘It’s speeding up the goalkeepers letting go of the ball and bringing it back into play.’

In addition to trials in the UK and Italy, the rule has also been trialled in Malta but with a throw-in awarded instead of a corner kick. 

Nelson added: ‘The wrath of any coach for any goalkeeper who’s given away a corner or a throw-in that leads to a goal is always certainly going to mean the goalkeeper is not going to do that twice. It’s going to change goalkeeper behaviour.’

IFAB also confirmed that they are continuing to look into changes to the offside rule that would provide a great advantage to the attacker. 

Technical director David Elleray said: ‘We’re continuing to discuss those [changes]. We’re all very sympathetic to the fact that technology has removed the benefit of the doubt that used to exist.

‘We all agree that it would be nice if goals weren’t necessarily chalked off for a toenail.’