Manchester United legend Gary Neville has joined the backlash against the new rules for stoppage time in English football.
The new season has already seen the EFL opening weekend and Community Shield experience the sort of added-on time first witnessed at the World Cup, as part of FIFA’s bid to extricate the game of timewasting.
A number of figures, including United defender Raphael Varane, have spoken out against the protocol, which Neville expects to be swiftly altered.
“I thought Raphael Varane’s tweet [criticising the new time-wasting rules] was quite damning,” he told Sky Bet’s The Overlap. “It was a calm, calculated, measured analysis of the situation.
“I didn’t watch the Community Shield, but I watched Salford City on Saturday, and there were nine minutes of added time at the end of game which I couldn’t believe – I thought it should’ve been about four or five. It wasn’t just that – they played three added minutes on the nine and ended up playing 12.
“It’s not right – in our group chat [for Salford City owners], all of us said, ‘This is not right’. We were winning 2-0, so we weren’t panicking that we would lose the game.
“There will be massive problems – Pep Guardiola has reacted after the Shield, which you would expect [after losing], but Varane’s response was a very calm and measured put-down of this application of the rules. I think they’ll change it very quickly.”
Varane revealed details of Premier League meetings with managers and players in the lead-up to the new rules being implemented, with changes to punishing dissent and players returning from treatment among those made.
He stated: “We have shared our concerns for many years now that there are too many games, the schedule is overcrowded, and it’s at a dangerous level for players physical and mental well-being.
“Despite our previous feedbacks, they have now recommended for next season: longer games, more intensity, and less emotions to be shown by players. We just want to be in good condition on the pitch to give 100 per cent to our club and fans. Why are our opinions not being heard?
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“As a player I feel very privileged to do the job I love every day but I feel these changes are damaging our game. We want to be at our maximum level, the best we can be and put on amazing performances for fans to celebrate every week.
“I believe it is important that we, players and managers, highlight these important issues as we want to protect the game we love and give the fans our best.”
