Ralph Hasenhuttl: Ex-Fifa official demands Premier League action as Southampton controversy analysed
Keith Hackett has urged the Premier League to cut down on “time consuming” after Watford’s win at Southampton.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League official claimed there is “a big responsibility” to provide value for money to spectators.
On Sunday (13 March), Watford re-ignited their survival hopes with a 2-1 win at St. Mary’s.
As quoted by the Southern Daily Echo (13 March), Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl bemoaned how the Hornets ran down the clock and frustrated his side.
He questioned whether supporters wanted to watch such tactics being deployed.
When asked for his assessment of Hasenhuttl’s comments, Hackett told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs:
“The Premier League needs to understand that their responsibility is to provide value for money to the spectator. Value for money comes in the amount of playing time.
“Tactically, teams in difficult positions will reduce their amount of playing time. They will do that within the laws of the game. Effectively they are not time wasting, they are time consuming. They do it cleverly.
“The law allows for a goalkeeper to take a goal-kick on either side, little things like that can make a difference.
“The league need to talk to clubs about it. What the PGMOL have to do is agree a programme in relation to restarts. That way action takes place to reduce the time lost on restarts. A referee should tell a player where he wants the throw-in, where he wants the free-kick.
“Right through the game, from the Premier League, to the referee and the players there is a big responsibility to the fan. I’m quite clear about it.”
In other news, an ex-Premier League referee has issued a ‘100 per cent’ verdict on Southampton controversy.