Rangers expert backs drastic rule change after worst-in-Europe reveal
Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton has suggested a “multi-ball” approach to combat time wasting.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Gers right-back said there will always be time wasting in football and making sure the ball is back in play quickly may be the best option.
According to Opta, as relayed by the Sportsman (6 January), the Scottish premiership has the worst ball in play percentage of all the major European leagues.
In the Scottish top flight, the ball is in play for 52 per cent of the match time where in the Premier League it is 56 per cent.
The World Cup used added time to attempt to combat time wasting and by the end of the competition the average match length was 102 minutes.
When asked if the Scottish Premiership should adopt a similar approach, Hutton told Football Insider: “That is a way forward but it is a bit annoying.
“How do you maintain that through every game? You might have a game where you get ten minutes added on and you get a winning goal and then the next game it is only three.
“As supporters, as fans, we want to see that ball in play as much as possible. That is what you pay money for. So the ball has to be on the pitch.
“Maybe a multi-ball approach at all the grounds to get it back in play as much as possible. But time wasting is a part of football, whether we like it or not. It is always going to be there.
“It is just can we quicken things up to get the ball back in as soon as possible? That would be something that could help.“
In other news, a Rangers TV man has issued ‘£50m’ signing claim as Michael Beale ‘nudges’ Ibrox board.