Sheffield United: Set-back in battle against time-wasters is revealed

Matches in Qatar have routinely been extended for over a quarter-of-an-hour as referees and assistants clamp down on a tactic which has infuriated Heckingbottom throughout the first four months of the campaign.

Revealing he had advocated introducing a multiball system during a series of information discussions which have recently taken place between managers, head coaches and the governing bodies, Heckingbottom said: “We’ve had lots of informal discussion to try and get a better understanding of what will be accounted for and what will not. The feedback is there won’t be those 13 minutes getting held up, that we’ve started to see out there. But maybe more sevens or eights. But my position is, if it should be 13 then there should be 13 (minutes). We’ve got more of an understanding of it.”

Shedding further light on the issues both he and some of his counterparts raised during their talks with representatives of the English Football League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), Heckingbottom added: “There’s been a lot of talk about it being pointless booking people in the 85th, 89th or whatever minute for time-wasting and for me that is right. Multiballs have been knocked back. I was certainly in favour of that but it’s not allowed. I don’t think there will be too much difference so the biggest thing for me is managing my frustrations in the game. That might be all we can do.”

Heckingbottom’s annoyance is understandable, with a recent study he commissioned highlighting the extent of the problem. The data, compiled by one of United’s matchday analysts, found that Birmingham City took an average of 27 seconds over each of the 14 goal kicks they were awarded during October’s contest at Bramall Lane. When Queens Park Rangers made the journey north later that month, this rose to 29 seconds. When other stoppages and bread in play were taken into consideration, the ball was in play for around two thirds of the 90 minutes.

But with Heckingbottom entering tomorrow’s game against 24th placed Huddersfield Town one caution away from a touchline ban, he knows he must also keep his temper in check. Indeed, with this in mind, he recently urged United’s supporters to help draw attention to what is happening if opponents procrastinate.

“Mark Hughes (the Bradford City manager) said he didn’t want time on, he wanted momentum,” said Heckingbottom, whose side are second. “At the minute, we don’t have either. There was over 13 minutes that should have been added on when we played Birmingham for the yellows, the goals, the substitutions and injuries. I think we only had six.”

“It’s tough for referees and they are calling for someone independent (to keep the time). I don’t think you’ll see too many changes this season but we are clearer in what they should be doing, which helps us on the sideline to get less frustrated. When it’s a tactic employed to stop the momentum of the game, if you give them a yellow card for time-wasting then they can’t do it again, can they.”