West Ham idol hits out at ‘ridiculous’ move after confirmed news
The new Premier League rules will take “years” before they start to work, according to former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Hammers attacker said the injury time changes could make an impact in the top flight but not right away.
As relayed by Sky Sports (31 July), Premier League and EFL officials will add World Cup-style amounts of injury time to games this season in an effort to crack down on time-wasting.
The competition in Qatar saw extra time added on at the end of matches that took into account things like time wasting, throw ins and goal celebrations.
During the 2022-23 season, the ball was in play for an average of 55 minutes in England’s top flight and the new rules aim to increase that number.
When asked for his assessment of the new rules, McAvennie told Football Insider: “I think it will work but I think it might take a few years.
“In real time the game is only around an hour long which is ridiculous. This might stop people wasting time because there is no point if they are just going to make the game longer.
“Hopefully it cuts out all the play acting. The Premier League is a brand now, it is so big, they do not want to see people rolling around and wasting time.
“If it stops the faking injuries because they are going to play the time anyway it could work but I think it will take a while.”
In other news, West Ham in late-window signing blizzard as striker completes Atalanta medical.