Caddies are increasingly being replaced by training huts

An alert ball boy can speed up the game, but it can also slow it down, giving the home team an advantage. That's why it's not uncommon for clubs to coach their caddies. Now, a new system prevents this unfairness: it's already in use in England and Italy.

Nik Dömer / ch Media

Geneva, Friday evening, early November: FC Aarau chases the score in the second half against Étoile Carouge. Then, emotions briefly spread on Aarau's bench. The reason: On a throw-in, it takes a long time for the ball boy to hand the ball to the Aarau player. Not long after, a similar movement occurred: the caddy waited forever to hand the ball to Nikolai Georgev.

There's no doubt about it: Carouge's caddies know exactly how to help their club deal with delays. After all, in football, it's not uncommon for the home team to instruct an assistant coach on exactly what to do in such situations. An alert ball boy can speed up the game, but it can also slow it down, giving the home team an extra advantage.

Will this image soon become a thing of the past?Picture: www.imago-images.de

In England and Italy the ball is placed on a cone

For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that exceptional incidents in this regard have already occurred at FC Aarau. In May 2021, then-coach Stephen Keller disciplined an Aarau ball boy for passing the ball too quickly to a visiting player before a throw-in. The story made headlines. The boy cried at the sharp tone, and Keller referred to the club's internal instructions for alleged caddies and apologized.

The ball boy problem is certainly not the biggest problem in football. However, exciting developments are coming. Since March last year, balls in the Premier League have only been placed in cones around the pitch. The caddy continues the task. However, this no longer involves direct contact with the players; pros must hold the ball themselves. As a result, the “caddie home advantage” no longer exists. One exception only applies to goalkeepers: they can still receive the ball from a ball boy.

Now Serie A has decided to adopt a similar approach. In Germany, four Bundesliga clubs (Leverkusen, Augsburg, Holstein Kiel and Hoffenheim) have adopted similar principles. It's unclear whether it will be unified across the league in the future. The “German Football League” is currently dealing with this issue.

FCA chief: 'The hat principle should also be an issue for us'

How is the situation in Switzerland? When asked, media spokesman Philipp Gugisberg said the issue had not yet been resolved. Clubs have yet to express their wishes. However, this approach could also be interesting for the Swiss Football League in the future.

According to Philippe Guggisberg, the SFL has yet to address the issue.Image: KEYSTONE

Aarau club president Markus Mahler welcomed the cone rule. He himself was in Carouge and was annoyed by the apparent time game played by the caddies. “Of course, local caddies do have this anomaly from time to time, but I haven't seen it as obvious as in Carouge for a long time.”

The president explained: “I think if the small hat principle is established internationally, it should become an issue for us as well. I don't see anything against it either. Caddies can still be part of the game, no longer directly Being exposed to the players' emotions helps everyone.”

Will Burki put this proposal on the table?

FCA CEO Sandro Burki shares the same sentiment. Although he was not in Carouge, he also experienced ridiculous situations on the pitch: “One time we were playing away in Chiasso and we were behind and suddenly the ball boy disappeared to one side. Then our players had to do it themselves Go get the ball.”

Burki added: “It happens time and time again that the home team gains an advantage with their caddies. It has happened to us too. But now the situation has changed. Our caddies treat all players equally. We don't want to do that again in 2021 Such an incident occurs.”

Burki himself is a member of the SFL committee and could imagine putting the proposal on the table at the next meeting: “To me, it sounds like a good tweak that we should take up in the committee so that it can be included Same fairness everywhere” (aargauerzeitung.ch).

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