MARK CLATTENBURG: The conversation over 60-minute matches is one football should be having
MARK CLATTENBURG: The conversation over 60-minute matches is one football should be having – and one that FIFA have considered in the past – as we grow accustomed to seeing double digits added on in Qatar
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Forget ‘Fergie Time’. It’s ‘FIFA Time’ that has taken over this World Cup.
I’ve had managers screaming at me because of the minutes I’ve added on to the end of games, Sir Alex Ferguson included. There was even one match when he hammered me for adding too many minutes — in Manchester United’s 6-1 loss to Manchester City in October 2011.
It was 3-1 when full-time neared and Fergie wanted the match to end because he could explain that scoreline in his press conference. City then scored three times late on and he blamed me for leaving him in an impossible position!
We have regularly seen double digits added on at the end of halves during the World Cup
Managers like Sir Alex Ferguson would often express their fury with too much added time
We’ve become used to seeing double-digit stoppage times in Qatar. Despite this, the ‘ball in play’ times have still been sub-60 minutes in most matches. England-Iran saw the ball in play for 55:27, for example. Qatar-Ecuador: 50:51. Argentina-Saudi Arabia: 52:35. Germany-Japan: 58:47. Portugal-Ghana: 57:52.
Those ‘ball in play’ times are better than the Premier League. But there’s an easier solution: 60-minute matches with a stop-clock. It works in basketball and it could in football.
The clock is paused when the ball goes out of play, or when there’s an injury prompting a stoppage, or when the referee is fixing a fracas. That way, every game would be guaranteed to last the same length — 60 minutes. It’s a conversation our sport should be having, and one that I know FIFA have considered in the past.
Portugal’s game against Ghana on Friday saw the ball in play for 57 minutes and 52 seconds
England paranoia over referee targeting
Pierluigi Collina’s pre-World Cup briefing included showing video of goals that wouldn’t be allowed at this tournament.
One was from England’s 5-0 win over Albania last November. It showed Kalvin Phillips blocking Klaus Gjasula before Harry Maguire headed home.
There has been some England paranoia about them being targeted, especially after Maguire wasn’t awarded a penalty when he was wrestled to the ground against Iran.
But England weren’t the only example shown by Collina, I was there. It’s good that referees are being proactive in ensuring there’s no foul play in set-pieces.
How many times have we seen a corner waiting to be whipped in at this World Cup, only for the official to pause play so he can have a word with the grapplers? We only want to see fair goals scored and I’m glad the referees are being ruthless with this behaviour.
There is some paranoia from England that they are being targeted after Harry Maguire’s penalty shout was waved away
Michael Oliver set to be first English referee in Qatar
Finally, an English referee is set to take charge of his first game — with Michael Oliver overseeing Japan versus Costa Rica on Sunday. Oliver has been in Qatar since November 9.
With a few controversial calls at the tournament, if Oliver can beat the nerves and put in a seamless performance, he’ll be in contention for games in the latter stages of this World Cup.
