Project Restart in the Premier League is underway, with the English top-flight planning for a return to action. The competition organizers are exploring several methods in which the season can safely resume and according to one official, one idea being tossed around is decreasing the duration of each match.
That man is Gordon Taylor, the PFA’s chief executive. He recently opened up about the measures being considered given that the goal is two wrap up the pending 2019/20 and avoid cancelling it by all means.
Several of the propositions have already been public knowledge such as playing in neutral venues and increasing the number of substitutes. However, Taylor revealed a new one, admitting that they are even looking into abandoning the 45-minutes-per-half rule due to these difficult times.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4 (as per the Daily Mail), he touched upon the issue of cancellation, saying: “We'll have to wait and see. I'm talking about protocol that's coming out, I'm talking about the future.
“We don't know the future, what we do know is what propositions have been put forward and ideas. More subs, games possibly not being full 45 minutes each way, neutral stadiums, there's lots of things put forward.
“We're trying to wait to see what the proposals are and have the courtesy to let the managers and coaches and players assimilate all those and come to a considered view.”
When pressed on the issue of shortening matches, Taylor added: “There's a lot of possibilities. Ideally you want to keep the integrity of the competition and of course that was about playing home and away, that's about having the same squad of players before it was suspended.
There's lots of points to be made, but above all can the seasons be completed, as long as it takes, and above all can it be completed safely.”
The Premier League, one of the biggest and most popular leagues in world football, is targeting a return in June. However, there is opposition to their Project Restart, with many campaigning for the English top-flight to follow in the footsteps of the Eredivisie and Ligue 1.
Sergio Aguero, one of high-profile footballers in the league, recently admitted that players are scared to return. Only time will tell how things unfold in England.
