Norwich City Joins EFL Trial
The push to end goalkeeper 'tactical timeouts' is accelerating, with Norwich City set to be part of a wider EFL trial to eradicate them this season.
Goalkeepers going down for treatment to stop the game has become a regular sight at grounds across the country, allowing coaches to hold impromptu team talks at the side of the pitch.
New Regulations for Goalkeeper Treatment
As part of the new regulations designed to prevent such situations, if a referee signals that the physio can come on to treat a goalkeeper, the coach will have 10 seconds to nominate another player to leave the pitch for one minute, informing the fourth official of their choice.
If no player is selected, the captain must leave the field. This initiative follows discussions led by Howard Webb, chief refereeing officer of Pro Ref, with all English leagues to tackle the increasingly common and controversial issue.
Future of Goalkeeper Timeouts
The BBC has confirmed that the Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, National League, and Women's Super League have all agreed on the measure, pending approval from IFAB.
If approved, the first game to feature the trial will be the Carabao Cup preliminary round tie between Tranmere and Rochdale on Saturday, 1 August. Norwich's first game with the new law would be their League Cup opener against MK Dons.
At IFAB's AGM in February, head of referees Pierluigi Collina stated that finding a solution to stop the goalkeeper tactical timeout was a priority. The tactic has been increasingly used to halt momentum and make tactical changes, leading to frustration among fans.
The results of the trials will be assessed by IFAB throughout the season, potentially leading to a permanent law change globally from 2027-28, as reported by The Pink'un.