Ref Watch Refwatch .......... Torquay (H)

[Yorkshire Blue]

Time wasting should additionally be punishable by giving the other team an indirect free kick. It’s getting worse and it makes the game less watchable so I’d like to see FIFA make this change, like they did with that other time wasting tactic of the back pass. That was a hugely successful law change.

But refs don’t help themselves. He’s already booked the keeper for it so he just needs to stop his watch and go and have a long chat with him the next time and tell him he’s already been booked and this is the final warning and next time he has to tell him to speed it up he’s off. Then if he does it for a third time he’s got absolutely no excuse and will get no sympathy having been clearly and very visibly warned to cut it out.

 

[Special Blue]

Time wasting should additionally be punishable by giving the other team an indirect free kick. It’s getting worse and it makes the game less watchable so I’d like to see FIFA make this change, like they did with that other time wasting tactic of the back pass. That was a hugely successful law change.

But refs don’t help themselves. He’s already booked the keeper for it so he just needs to stop his watch and go and have a long chat with him the next time and tell him he’s already been booked and this is the final warning and next time he has to tell him to speed it up he’s off. Then if he does it for a third time he’s got absolutely no excuse and will get no sympathy having been clearly and very visibly warned to cut it out.

The keeper at the end was clearly playing for time but even on a yellow didn't seem to care even when the ref held his arm up and tapped his watch ( whatever that meant )!
As some have said Keeper must have known he wouldn't get a red.

 

[Lavender Blue]

I strongly believe the match timing should be taken away from the referee, as it in rugby, the clock should be stopped every time the play is interrupted, including time wasting, this is the only way to stop it and fake injuries.

 

[londonblue]

I strongly believe the match timing should be taken away from the referee, as it in rugby, the clock should be stopped every time the play is interrupted, including time wasting, this is the only way to stop it and fake injuries.

It's not the only way, but it is a very good way.

 

[JD]

I strongly believe the match timing should be taken away from the referee, as it in rugby, the clock should be stopped every time the play is interrupted, including time wasting, this is the only way to stop it and fake injuries.

I am not sure it’s feasible to stop the clock every time the ball is not “in play”, if you ask me.

The ball was in play for something like 35 mins for the Boringwood game?
Sure someone will know the answer but I believe, on average, a ball is in play for something like 50 mins a game? Could be even less?

If you stop it every time the ball isn’t “live”, players would keel over as they aren’t used to playing that many minutes, injuries would be far more prevalent, and games wouldn’t finish until 5.30 on a Saturday, and gone 10pm on a weekday!

Stopping the clock for time wasting is a must though.

 

[Texas Eslan]

I am not sure it’s feasible to stop the clock every time the ball is not “in play”, if you ask me.

The ball was in play for something like 35 mins for the Boringwood game?
Sure someone will know the answer but I believe, on average, a ball is in play for something like 50 mins a game? Could be even less?

If you stop it every time the ball isn’t “live”, players would keel over as they aren’t used to playing that many minutes, injuries would be far more prevalent, and games wouldn’t finish until 5.30 on a Saturday, and gone 10pm on a weekday!

Stopping the clock for time wasting is a must though.

I believe the Premier League average is around 55 minutes so if it was genuinely in play for only 35 against Boreham Wood then that says an awful lot.

I’m very much in favour of a timer (I have read a BBC article suggesting a 60 minute stop clock) which would eliminate time wasting overnight.

 

[JD]

I believe the Premier League average is around 55 minutes so if it was genuinely in play for only 35 against Boreham Wood then that says an awful lot.

I’m very much in favour of a timer (I have read a BBC article suggesting a 60 minute stop clock) which would eliminate time wasting overnight.

Interesting concept, and makes a lot of sense in my book.

I guess FIFA will take years to even consider it

 

[londonblue]

Interesting concept, and makes a lot of sense in my book.

I guess FIFA will take years to even consider it

Doubt it. I bet they've already considered it, but have dismissed it, at least for the time being.

 

[Holy Joe]

I am not sure it’s feasible to stop the clock every time the ball is not “in play”, if you ask me.

The ball was in play for something like 35 mins for the Boringwood game?
Sure someone will know the answer but I believe, on average, a ball is in play for something like 50 mins a game? Could be even less?

If you stop it every time the ball isn’t “live”, players would keel over as they aren’t used to playing that many minutes, injuries would be far more prevalent, and games wouldn’t finish until 5.30 on a Saturday, and gone 10pm on a weekday!

Stopping the clock for time wasting is a must though.

You'd shorten the playing time to say 2 halves of 30 mins. So 60 mins per match but that would probably be something like 90 to 100mins of elapsed time, plus half time. So finish time would still be around 5pm for a 3pm kick-off

Wouldn't eliminate time wasting totally, as you'd still have the benefit of breaking up play if the other team has momentum.

 

[Lavender Blue]

I mean stopping the clock for injuries, subs and time wasting. That will go a long way to stop a load of nonsense, like we saw with Boreham wood

 

[Mick]

I mean stopping the clock for injuries, subs and time wasting. That will go a long way to stop a load of nonsense, like we saw with Boreham wood

That's exactly what should happen now and requires no change to rules or procedures.

It just requires referees to do their job properly. Spotted the problem ?

 

[Lavender Blue]

That's exactly what should happen now and requires no change to rules or procedures.

It just requires referees to do their job properly. Spotted the problem ?

But it’s not happening because referees don’t do it properly so I go back to my original post, take the time keeping away from the Ref

 

[londonblue]

That's exactly what should happen now and requires no change to rules or procedures.

It just requires referees to do their job properly. Spotted the problem ?

I think the point being that it would reduce their workload and give them less to worry about. It's easy to forget to stop the clock when you're trying to hurry players off the pitch, deal with a goalkeeper who is taking as long as possible and the rest.

 

[Mick]

But it’s not happening because referees don’t do it properly so I go back to my original post, take the time keeping away from the Ref

Certainly referees from the Premier League downwards have shown themselves to be totally incapable of effectively managing the timing of the game and adding on appropriate amounts and, at the top levels, this simple task could be taken away from them. This is compounded by VAR delays not properly accounted for at the top level. This is all well and good for factual delays such as injuries, substitutions, VAR, drinks breaks.

However the current beef appears to be with "time wasting". It is subjective and therefore difficult for someone watching from the side to assess. How are you going to define "time wasting" for a watcher to adjudicate. How long can a keeper take over a goal-kick? How quickly does he have to retrieve the ball? He can, of course choose which side of the goal to take it. How long can an outfield player take to throw-in the ball once in position? How quickly must a free-kick be taken? There is no guidance so it is down to the referee, directly involved in the middle of the pitch to judge when a player is wasting time and issue a "delaying the restart of play" sanction. It is easier for the referee to do that than someone on the sidelines. Maybe the referee could indicate to a time keeper when the clock is to be stopped and it stays stopped until the ball is in play. This would help with transparency.

All of this is unnecessarily complicated and the best answer is for referees to be instructed to do their job properly, starting with the Premier League officials and filtering down.

There has been little appetite from referees to deal with this issue, a slower game is easier to referee. A few delays here and there give them a bit of breathing space.