adminThe ball-in-play time in the Premier League this season is the lowest it has been for 12 years, Sportsmail can reveal, amid growing calls for an overhaul of the timekeeping system in football.
Debate has raged over how long the ball is in play in recent years and it became a big talking point during the World Cup in Qatar after FIFA urged referees to become stricter over the amount of time they added on for stoppages.
Former FA and Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has proposed a countdown clock or the introduction of independent timekeeping in a document called ‘Pure Time’ to FIFA referee chiefs, which has been backed by the likes of Jamie Carragher.
Dein is hoping they will at least discuss the issue at an annual International Football Association Board meeting scheduled for March with the hope of holding a trial at a tournament.
“The time has come for transparency via a countdown clock so the public can actually see how much time is left. It should not be a national secret,” Dein told The Times.
“I’m not saying the clock should be stopped every time the ball goes out of play, but certainly for those incidents which cause the greatest delays: goal celebrations, substitutions, penalties, injuries and now VAR checks.”
Fans are also likely to support Dein’s suggestions with the average ball-in-play time in the current Premier League campaign standing at 54 minutes and 49 seconds, according to statistics provided by Opta. – Daily Mail
Online Reporter