Former Premier League referee Mike Dean believes there will be a “big difference” in the behaviour of players and managers this season following the introduction of new rules for 2023-34.
Additional time played at the end of each half will increase under a new directive and the expectation is that 100-minute matches will become the norm this term, with refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) getting tough on time-wasting and conduct towards officials.
Dean left his VAR role this summer, ending a 28-year career, and has now signed up with Sky Sports to run the rule over refereeing decisions on the broadcaster’s Soccer Saturday show.
The 55-year-old has backed PGMOL chief Howard Webb’s changes for the new campaign — but has vowed not to go easy on his former colleagues in his new job.
“I still speak to the majority of the guys but, credibility-wise, you can’t defend the indefensible,” he said in a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic.
“If a referee or another match official makes a mistake, I will say it’s a mistake. There won’t be any, ‘I can see why he’s done that…’ because that way you just lose credibility.
“If they make good decisions, I will praise them as well, but I won’t hide or sit on the fence just because they are my mates.”
On Webb’s new directives, he added: “He (Webb) won’t take any messing.
“With Howard’s persona, his status and credibility in the game, he has a presence when he speaks to managers. You will see a big difference this season in regards to management behaviour and player behaviour.”
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Mike Dean leaves Premier League role after 28-year career
What are the new rules for 2023-24?
We have been used to seeing a bigger number on the fourth official’s board when the clock hits 90 minutes.
This is not a Premier League edict but one pushed by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), who drew a line in the sand at the Qatar World Cup. The average stoppage time in Qatar ended up as 10 minutes and 11 seconds, markedly up from the six and a half minutes seen in Russia four years earlier.
IFAB then instructed all the major domestic leagues to follow their lead in March, maintaining increased added time is a better option than a 60-minute stop-clock.
Referees like Anthony Taylor have been told to crack down on time-wasting (Getty Images)
The average length of the opening 36 opening matches across the English Football League last weekend was 104 minutes and eight seconds, a clear increase from the average of 98 minutes and 20 seconds of last season. Then there was the Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley on Sunday, where Leandro Trossard scored in the 11th minute of time added on to force a penalty shoot-out that would secure them the season’s first silverware.
There is an insistence those numbers will fall, as they typically did in Qatar after the group stages, but the Premier League are expecting that matches, on average, will last more than three minutes longer in 2023-24. That means the average length of a top-flight game will grow to 101 minutes and 49 seconds.
Previous campaigns have seen officials add 30 seconds for each goal scored and another 30 seconds for each phase of substitutions made. That rudimentary rule of thumb has been abandoned and referees will instead add on a precise amount of time that is lost between playing stopping and restarting for goals and substitutions.
The Premier League says it will take a more robust approach to time-wasting this season, empowering referees to take action against those deliberately delaying the resumption of play. Expect more yellow cards for those pushing the boundaries and an emphasis on players who go down injured, where appropriate, being asked to leave the field of play for treatment.
Players who surround referees and gesture for punishment, as well as the coaches who come charging out of technical areas with something to say can all expect greater disciplinary action.
Players can be booked for confronting an official, showing disrespect and invading the referee’s personal space. Two or more players confronting an official will also bring bookings and a report to the FA.
Managers and coaching staff have also been reminded of their responsibilities, with an emphasis placed on them remaining in their technical area. Managers are not permitted to enter the pitch either at half-time or full-time to confront an official.
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What’s new for this Premier League season? More added time, more yellows for time wasting
(Photo: Getty Images)
