Scottish Premiership clubs warned of new World Cup-style rules

Willie Collum, the head of referees for the Scottish Premiership, has cautioned clubs to prepare for the implementation of World Cup-style rule changes, specifically targeting time-wasting behaviours.

During the summer, Collum met with Aberdeen and ten other top-flight teams to inform them about the upcoming regulations set to take effect. He is scheduled to conclude his visits by meeting Dundee United ahead of their league match against Rangers at Tannadice on Friday night.

In his discussions, Collum emphasised that players should be ready to be timed, following FIFA's introduction of several changes during the World Cup held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, as reported by Record Sport.

The new directive stipulates that any player substituted under normal circumstances will have a mere ten seconds to exit the pitch. Should it be determined that the player is intentionally delaying their departure, their substitute will not be allowed to enter the field immediately. Instead, the offending team will have to continue with ten players for at least one minute, or until the next stoppage in play.

Players requiring treatment for injuries will also need to leave the field for a minimum of one minute. Collum has instructed referees to pay close attention to the time taken for throw-ins, with yellow cards issued to players who exceed five seconds to return the ball to play.

Additionally, VAR will now have the authority to overturn certain yellow cards if officials believe a referee has penalised the wrong player during a clash. However, the Scottish game will not adopt FIFA's controversial rule that penalises players for covering their mouths while addressing opponents.

Collum is optimistic that the new set of rules has been well-received by top-flight clubs, and it is expected that these changes will reduce the amount of injury time added by officials after the standard 90 minutes.

Source: Aberdeen Live