Head of refereeing HOWARD WEBB has revealed that the Premier League is trialling a radical new corner rule.
In an interview with Sky Bet, the head of the PGMOL (Professional Match Officials) refereeing board, Howard Webb, revealed that the Premier League is testing a new corner kick rule.
Specifically, the goalkeeper is only allowed to hold the ball in his hands for a maximum of 6 seconds. If this time is exceeded, the opponent will be awarded a corner kick from the side of the field closest to where the goalkeeper was when the penalty was taken. Howard Webb said that the goalkeeper will be cautioned for the first offence and given a yellow card for any subsequent offences. This new rule is being tested in Premier League 2 (a tournament for U21 players of Premier League teams).
“In Premier League 2, they are experimenting with something involving goalkeepers holding the ball for more than six seconds. If they hold the ball longer and don’t release it, the opposing team will immediately get a corner. A corner is better than an indirect free kick in the box anyway,” said the former England referee.
If this law is enacted in the Premier League, the situation of goalkeepers deliberately holding the ball for a long time to waste time will be significantly reduced. For his part, former Manchester United and England player Gary Neville also expressed his support for the new law.
“I think we all like it. I’ve seen goalkeepers hold the ball for 13 or 14 seconds on purpose. It drives me crazy. They won’t do it anymore,” Neville said.