Ex-Premier League referee has major ‘worry’ after Sunderland development
Sunderland fans will benefit from new guidance on time-wasting in the EFL, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee admitted he is “worried” that the new guidance could be ditched after just six weeks.
As relayed by the Sunderland Echo on Saturday (30 July), the PGMOL have issued new guidance to referees to help improve the EFL.
That includes new measures to stamp out time-wasting as well as increasing the threshold on fouls and ensuring player behaviour doesn’t “overstep the mark”.
“On the time-wasting, the PGMOL are absolutely correct,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“Any action they can bring in from their referees to reduce the amount of time wasted by being proactive from minute one rather than reactive gives fans value for money.
“The game as a whole, players, managers, coaches and competitions, have to recognise that they are in the entertainment business. Fans want value for money and the only way to get value for money is to increase playing time.
“The one thing that worries me is that they tend to be six-week measures and then forgotten. Let’s have a clamp down in these areas and after six weeks it goes back to the norm.
“I think they’ve got to continue it. They’ve got to clearly say ‘This is what we are doing’.”
Sunderland began the Championship season with a 1-1 draw with Coventry City on Sunday (31 July).
It was their first game in the second-tier after spending four years in League One.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has lambasted EFL “bluster” as a “£10million” Sunderland windfall is on the cards.