Iconic Arsenal chief in talks over major rule change which would revolutionise football

Today at 08:24 AM

Former Arsenal co-owner David Dein is making progess with a plan to ensure less time is lost during football matches once and for all.

Time-keeping remains a scourge on the game which infuriates fans and Dein wants to make sure they get value for money.

He believes goal celebrations, VAR checks, injuries, and substitutions are not properly policed, leading to supporters watching games where well under 90 minutes of football is played.

And Dein, who remains a powerful figure in the game, insists enough is enough and a new system of timekeeping should be put into place.

It’s one traditionalists might not favour, turning a match into two 30-minute halves.

But it would see more action on the pitch, something all fans can get behind.

He told the Sunday Edition: “This is nothing new. This dates back, I think, to Fergie time, when Fergie would always be haranguing the fourth official and tapping his watch, wanting to know how much time was left.

“Let’s say there’s a four-man move. Let’s say Raya kicks the ball up, Declan Rice gets it, passes it wide, goes to Saka. Saka goes down the wing, crosses it. Let’s say Havertz scores.

“Four-man move. How long do you think that move takes? 10 seconds.

“Now, I’ve asked all the referees in the Premier League, several years ago, when the fourth official puts up two minutes, three minutes, four minutes, are you accurate to the last 10 seconds? The answer is no. No chance.

“Well, in this day and age, don’t forget America put a man on the moon in 1969. I think we should be able to know how long a game of football lasts.

“So my campaign is very simple. The average length of time a ball is in play in the Premier League and most Western European games is around about 55 to 57 minutes.

“I would like to see a real time, two halves of 30 minutes, where the ball is actually in play for 30 minutes each.

“Let the fans know how long they’ve got to go. It’s only been recently and it was really Pierluigi Collina from the head referee at FIFA who introduced additional time in the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. In any game, you’ll probably see five areas where there’s time not wasted, time lost.

“A goal celebration is normally two minutes. A VAR check could be two minutes. An injury could be a minute or two. The substitution could be a minute or two.

“And you’ll probably get a further delay for a further injury or whatever for another minute or two. It could be at least 10 minutes before. That’s time lost, not time wasted. I’d like to see that added on.

“And it’s only now that you’re actually seeing the clock running from 90 minutes to the night. Yesterday was seven minutes, actually, in the second half. You’re actually seeing that going on. I’d like to see the time stopping when there is time being lost.

“It’s time wasted. Time wasted is the gift of the referee. He can stop that. He can stop the goalkeeper catching the ball and falling to the ground and a throw in being taken slowly. He can give a player a yellow card. He can hasten that up. I’m talking about just time lost for goal celebrations, penalties.

“There is an average of 10 minutes being lost during the course of a game.

“Why should a fan at home have a better experience than the fan in the stadium? Let’s have a clock where we can all see how much time is being lost.

“You’re actually now seeing seven minutes, eight minutes being added on. We never had that before in the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. All of a sudden we saw 10, 12, 15 minutes being added on. Why? Because of those five areas where time is being lost.

“I put it forward to IFAB to have a look at it. All I know, what I want is always a trial. In fact, I’m talking to the Dutch league. They’re always the first. They’re very progressive.

“I want them to have a trial during one of their tournaments.

Asked if we would now see matches with two 30 minute halves as opposed to the traditional 45, he replied: “Yeah. And it won’t be a 60 minute game. It will be a 100 minute game. They’ll be in the stadium for 100 minutes.

“They’ll get value for money. They will get an extra 10 minutes of football.”

And when challenged on who would take control of it, he added: “I think the referee should be the last person to do it. He’s the busiest man on the pitch. The referees don’t need to keep the time. They’re managing a football match.

“Let them worry about the game itself. It’s got to be the fourth official or a timekeeper. There’s enough money being spent in the game. It’s rather like boxing or basketball.

“A professional timekeeper.”

Dein was also at an event recent and revealed his idea had the backing of top referee chiefs, including Howard Webb – former Premier League official and now Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) chief refereeing officer.

Asked if they were in favour, he revealed: “Yes, in fact, Howard Webb in particular, I’m glad to say, he’s supporting it.

“The next thing is for IFAB to allow it to have a trial somewhere so that we can see it. That the fans in the stadium see the exact time.

“All we’ve got to do is put ourselves up, volunteer for it.

“I think [the FA] are very happy to see a trial going somewhere. It could be in England.

“The likelihood is it will be in Holland because they always put their hands up first to volunteer.”