Eight second goalkeeper time wasting rule to debut at Club World Cup | OneFootball

The upcoming FIFA Club World Cup will be the debut of the new ‘eight-second’ law that will punish goalkeepers for holding the ball for more than eight seconds by awarding a corner to the opposing team. It will apply to all levels of the game, elite and amateur, from 1 July.

Why has this been introduced?

There was already a law that governed a goalkeeper’s permitted length of time to hold the ball. The previous IFAB law stated that a goalkeeper could not hold the ball for more than six seconds, and a violation of this rule resulted in an indirect free kick for the opposing team. However, this rule was rarely enforced. IFAB say that this was for two reasons:

-Managing an indirect free kick in the penalty area is often extremely difficult, especially if it is to be taken from 9.15 m (10 yds) from the goal or closer, when the defenders have to be on the goal line between the goalposts.

-Some feel that an IDFK gives the non-offending team too great an advantage, as the chance of scoring is high, whereas they had no possibility of scoring when the offence occurred, as they did not have possession of the ball.

The new law has been introduced to lessen the punishment for potential offenders thus making it easier to enforce.

Has the six-second law ever been enforced?

It is very hard to find any instances of it being enforced in top level football. On November 26, 2015, Liverpool beat Bordeaux 2-1 in the Europa League. In that game, Bordeaux went ahead via an indirect free kick given for the offence. Simon Mignolet held the ball for over 21 seconds and Israeli referee Alon Yefet penalised him.

Perhaps more there was more impact experienced in the semi final of the 2012 Olympic Games between Canada and USA women. Canada keeper Erin McLeod was whistled for a six-second infringement in the 80th minute. Her side were leading 3-2 at the time and the resulting indirect free kick led to a penalty being given for handball which the USA converted to tie the game. America ended up winning 4-3 in extra time.

How will the new law be indicated?

Once the goalkeeper cleanly picks up the ball, the referee will begin a count in his head. Once the goalkeeper has five seconds remaining the referee will visually raise their arm in the air and count down from five with their hand. This clear gesture is being put in place to try and ensure that this version of the rule is continually enforced, unlike its predecessor.

Who were the biggest offenders last season?

Unsurprisingly, the goalkeepers that held the ball for the longest were from teams further down the table, with perhaps a more defensive style that want the game to be played at a slower pace. Ipswich, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest were the season’s largest ‘ball hoggers’. Whereas Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool and Tottenham spent the least time with the ball in their goalkeepers’ hands.

In a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on February 15, Alex Palmer, the Ipswich keeper, on one occasion held the ball for over 24 seconds without being penalised.

Despite being one of the goalkeepers to hold on to the ball for the shortest time, Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was cautioned four times in the Premier League (most in the league) for time wasting, perhaps indicating the need for some reform in this area.

Will it work?

Patrick Nelson, the chief executive of the Irish Football Association and an IFAB director, said at a press conference in Belfast “you can see it has a significant impact on goalkeeper behaviour.”

In the end, it all comes down to the referees. If they consistently apply the new laws the keepers will have no choice but to release the ball more quickly. The inclusion of a clear gesture should ease its introduction but do not be surprised to see players complaining that the referee is counting too slowly, or too quickly, because that’s what players do.

The Club World Cup will be a useful litmus test to determine the law’s impact on game flow and time wasting. Expect an increase in corners as well as a spike in TV cuts to exasperated set-piece coaches. Cynics may doubt the long-lasting implementation of the new law and expect it to fall by the wayside. If it ends up being a success, it may embolden IFAB and FIFA to be more progressive with future rule changes.