As the 2023-24 season kicks off on Friday evening at Turf Moor a series of new rules are being brought in to combat a number of scenarios highlighted as being in need of review from previous seasons.
Timekeeping, unsporting behaviour and a further clarification of the offside rule form the main areas of change that we all need to be familiar with and while some merely strengthen the existing powers of match officials, others are more for the benefit of the game itself and how its product is perceived by sponsors and the wider public alike.
Offside
The new law states that "a player who is clearly offside should not become onside on every occasion when an opponent moves and touches the ball." This means that it's no longer a guarantee that a player will be deemed onside if the ball touched an opponent before him.
Unsporting Behaviour
Starting with the upcoming season, players may now avoid a card, despite committing a foul, if the referee believes they made a deliberate attempt for the ball.
Goalkeepers
new rules determining that Goalkeepers will be punished if they attempt to distract an opposition player during the taking of a penalty kick.
The rule means goalkeepers will now be disciplined if they try to delay the taking of a penalty or kick/touch the woodwork of their goal.
Timekeeping
Starting this season, time will be added to the end of a game for any seconds that are wasted by a team's prolonged goal celebrations, substitutions, or injury delays. The clock will be paused from when play stops until it resumes. Coupled with the time already added for VAR checks this means supporters, players, managers, and broadcasters will have to get used to matches continuing way beyond the regulation 45 minutes each half.
Time Wasting
Goalkeepers will have to get used to another new change next season, that being time-wasting during the entire match.
punishments for time-wasting will now no longer be restricted to the final minutes of a game. Instead, referees will now issue an early warning if they sense that a goalkeeper is wasting time. If they persist, the referee will be encouraged to discipline the offending player by means of a booking
Indiscipline from the Dugout
referees will have the power to respond to any indiscipline from within the confines of the dugout or technical area by taking stronger action, mainly by issuing yellow and red cards and sending the offender to the stands. By taking stronger action, it is hoped that we will not witness confrontations between opposing dugouts.
Control of the Technical Area
As of next season, only one man will be allowed access to the technical area.
Any consultation between coaching staff must occur away from the edge of the technical area, meaning that any encroaching coaches will be reprimanded throughout the coming months.
On-field Crowding of the Referee
After a harsh challenge or a dubious call, referees will be encouraged to take decisive action if they are surrounded by players demanding that they are awarded a penalty, a free kick, or that an opposition player is booked or sent off. Such indiscipline can now lead to players being booked, with referees having the power to hand out cards to anyone who gets in their faces
Timekeeping, unsporting behaviour and a further clarification of the offside rule form the main areas of change that we all need to be familiar with and while some merely strengthen the existing powers of match officials, others are more for the benefit of the game itself and how its product is perceived by sponsors and the wider public alike.
Offside
The new law states that "a player who is clearly offside should not become onside on every occasion when an opponent moves and touches the ball." This means that it's no longer a guarantee that a player will be deemed onside if the ball touched an opponent before him.
Unsporting Behaviour
Starting with the upcoming season, players may now avoid a card, despite committing a foul, if the referee believes they made a deliberate attempt for the ball.
Goalkeepers
new rules determining that Goalkeepers will be punished if they attempt to distract an opposition player during the taking of a penalty kick.
The rule means goalkeepers will now be disciplined if they try to delay the taking of a penalty or kick/touch the woodwork of their goal.
Timekeeping
Starting this season, time will be added to the end of a game for any seconds that are wasted by a team's prolonged goal celebrations, substitutions, or injury delays. The clock will be paused from when play stops until it resumes. Coupled with the time already added for VAR checks this means supporters, players, managers, and broadcasters will have to get used to matches continuing way beyond the regulation 45 minutes each half.
Time Wasting
Goalkeepers will have to get used to another new change next season, that being time-wasting during the entire match.
punishments for time-wasting will now no longer be restricted to the final minutes of a game. Instead, referees will now issue an early warning if they sense that a goalkeeper is wasting time. If they persist, the referee will be encouraged to discipline the offending player by means of a booking
Indiscipline from the Dugout
referees will have the power to respond to any indiscipline from within the confines of the dugout or technical area by taking stronger action, mainly by issuing yellow and red cards and sending the offender to the stands. By taking stronger action, it is hoped that we will not witness confrontations between opposing dugouts.
Control of the Technical Area
As of next season, only one man will be allowed access to the technical area.
Any consultation between coaching staff must occur away from the edge of the technical area, meaning that any encroaching coaches will be reprimanded throughout the coming months.
On-field Crowding of the Referee
After a harsh challenge or a dubious call, referees will be encouraged to take decisive action if they are surrounded by players demanding that they are awarded a penalty, a free kick, or that an opposition player is booked or sent off. Such indiscipline can now lead to players being booked, with referees having the power to hand out cards to anyone who gets in their faces
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