Former Manchester United defender and pundit Gary Neville has expressed support for a potential rule change aimed at tackling goalkeeper time-wasting, an issue Premier League referees have long struggled to manage. The suggestion emerged during a recent episode of The Overlap featuring Premier League referee chief Howard Webb, who acknowledged that the current six-second rule for goalkeepers is rarely enforced.
Under current laws, goalkeepers are forbidden from holding onto the ball for more than six seconds, with referees having the power to award an indirect free-kick inside the box as punishment. However, this rule is seldom implemented due to concerns that the punishment is too severe, creating awkward situations where defenders have to form a wall on the goal line.
Webb admitted that referees are reluctant to apply the six-second rule, acknowledging its impracticality. As a solution, the Premier League is considering a new rule that would award a corner kick to the opposition if a goalkeeper is deemed to be time-wasting by holding the ball for too long.
Neville voiced his frustration over the inconsistency in applying the current rule, pointing out that goalkeepers frequently hold onto the ball for longer than allowed without any consequences. “Goalkeepers are holding the ball for nine, ten, sometimes 13 or 14 seconds, wasting six or seven seconds every time,” Neville remarked. “That never gets pulled up, and that rule is still in. It drives me crazy.”
In response, Webb confirmed that a trial is underway in Premier League 2, where if a goalkeeper holds the ball for eight seconds, the opposing team is awarded a corner. Referees would count down from five seconds, signaling the keeper with a raised arm, and penalize those who exceed the limit.
Neville welcomed the potential change, stating: “I like that. I think we all like that.”
The new rule, if implemented, could streamline the game and eliminate the awkward indirect free-kick situations currently seen in football, adding a more equitable and effective way to handle time-wasting.
