It has now been revealed that goalkeeper tactical timeouts are now to be banned in the Premier League.
As of last season, an outfield player needing treatment on the pitch would end with him going off for a minute and his team carrying on with ten men.
However, a goalkeeper needing treatment would not be forced to then go off for a minute after the ‘injury’ had been seen to.
This led to accusations of this being done cynically, goalkeepers allegedly pretending to be injured to stop the momentum of the opposition and/or to allow the outfield players to get advice from the manager and his coaching staff at the side of the pitch
Newcastle United fans have even seen our own Nick Pope ‘once or twice’ accused of doing this, enabling Eddie Howe to supposedly get instructions to the team.
It has now been revealed though that English football has agreed a trial to eradicate the goalkeeper injury tactical timeouts.
Goalkeepers still won’t be forced to leave the field of play, instead the manager has 10 seconds to select an outfield player to leave the pitch for one minute. If he doesn’t decide within those ten seconds, the captain will instead have to go off for a minute.
This will apply the coming season across the Premier League, EFL, National League and WSL.
BBC Sport reporting: ‘English football will implement a trial to try to eradicate the goalkeeper tactical timeout this season. The Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League and Women’s Super League have agreed on the measure, with permission granted by the International Football Association Board (Ifab). Pro Ref, led by chief refereeing officer Howard Webb, had been in discussions with the leagues to determine how to tackle the issue. It settled on a team having to remove an outfield player from the pitch. If a referee signals that the physio can come on to treat a goalkeeper, that team’s coach will have 10 seconds to nominate another player to leave the pitch for one minute after play has restarted, telling the fourth official of their choice. If no player has been selected within 10 seconds, the captain must leave the field.’
I am fully in support of this kind of thing, just so long as all clubs are treated the same…
Along with this measure, I would love to see an end to the throw-in nonsense. Nothing wrong with somebody do long throws BUT it is ridiculous that this can take a minute or longer, somebody coming from the most distant point on the other side of the pitch to take a throw-in. No reason why only 10-15 seconds at the most should be allowed to take a throw-in and so if you have somebody nearby to quickly launch a long throw then great. However, repeatedly delaying a match by 50 or 60 seconds (or more) simply shouldn’t be allowed.
BBC Sport adding: ‘The first game to feature the trial will be the Carabao Cup preliminary round tie between Tranmere and Rochdale on Saturday. BBC Sport understands that the Australian A-League will trial a variation with the captain always having to leave the field. The tactic of gaining a timeout as the keeper is treated has become increasingly common and controversial in recent seasons. It has not been uncommon for the goalkeeper to sit on the turf and signal for the physio, with all the other players rushing to the technical area for a team talk. As soon as the coach has delivered their instructions, the keeper gets up to play on. Goalkeeper treatment has also been used to disrupt the opposition’s momentum when they are on top. In November, Leeds United boss Daniel Farke accused Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma of feigning injury to “bend the rules” and break up play.’