Tottenham's Eric Dier says players are 'terrified' of new handball law
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Sunday 4 October 2020 10:34, UK
Tottenham's Eric Dier says players are "terrified" of the new handball law, insisting it has made life more difficult for defenders who now second guess themselves before going in for a challenge in the box.
Dier's handball last weekend - when he rose to challenge in the air with Newcastle's Andy Carroll who headed the ball, at close range, against the raised arm of the Spurs player - has raised questions about what constitutes a handball offence.
The Premier League wants to change the handball law and is in talks with rule-making body IFAB after players and managers across clubs stood united in their criticism of how referees interpreted the new rule.
"You're terrified in and around the box with the new rule," Dier said. "You don't feel free to act, to try to play in a normal way. Sometimes it's difficult because it's something that can come back to bite you and is still an opinion.
"The fact that everyone seems to be of the same opinion, which is a rarity in football, makes it clear that things aren't right. If the opposition manager is saying that he doesn't think it's a penalty, which is also a rarity, it's very clear."
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Dier said there were also conflicting rules that "make no sense" with respect to how referees view handball offences.
The 26-year-old added referees should award a penalty only if the offence was intentional or if the arm was in an unnatural position.
"If you're too close, if you're in close proximity and the ball hits your arm, it's not a handball. If it hits a certain part of your arm, it's not a handball. And if your arm is in a certain position, it is a handball," Dier added.
"For me, it's very clear. Is it intentional? Is an arm in a position it shouldn't be? Those are the two questions you need to ask."
Mourinho against subjectivity for handball
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho says he does not want referees to use subjectivity for handball decisions.
As well as Dier's controversial handball last weekend, there were also two highly questionable penalties in the space of four minutes during Tottenham's 7-2 win over Maccabi Haifa in the Europa League on Thursday.
In the first incident, Spurs conceded a penalty when the ball hit Matt Doherty's arm at point-blank range, shortly before a penalty was awarded at the other end when a Ben Davies cross was slammed into Ernest Mabouka's arm.
The Premier League and the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) - the body responsible for referees - said this week they are prepared to lobby IFAB for a change in the handball law.
Premier League clubs met remotely on Tuesday and asked the PGMOL to "change their approach" to how they interpret handball decisions.
The Premier League would like to see a more subjective approach to refereeing handball for the remainder of this season, but Mourinho is unconvinced.
"I don't like subjectivity in football because subjectivity normally goes to the suffering side," Mourinho said.
"I don't like subjectivity and to be honest with you, the mail that was sent making comments about the previous penalties and the possible subjectivity coming, I didn't read them.
"I didn't read them and I'm not interested in reading them because I prefer not to."
