Peter Gerhardsson is known as a nostalgic. But football's rules - where the limit is sometimes even for the Swedish national team captain.
Above all, he is annoyed by two things.
One is the constant cheating at throw-ins, with players stealing a few meters before throwing the ball in. A European Championship team like Iceland, with long-throwing Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir in the team, can get a decisive advantage if such things are not addressed, says Gerhardsson.
Like Iceland, which has one who throws 80 meters, Gerhardsson exaggerates to make his point extra clear.
If she takes ten meters, she will come ten meters further in (in the penalty area). I think that's something you have to handle.
Also Sundhage critical
The second annoyance concerns the often arbitrary handling of stoppage time. Something that also Switzerland's Swedish national team captain Pia Sundhage raised after Wednesday's premiere loss to Norway (1-2).
I still haven't understood why the fourth official doesn't have a clock that you stop every time (there's a break in play), and then you look at the clock afterwards. And if it says 8.40, then you play 8.40 extra, says Gerhardsson.
It should be the easiest thing in the world to solve, adds Sweden's national team captain.
Make sure to have a clock that works, that counts tenths, hundredths and thousandths. It can't be that hard.
"A matter of honor"
He compares with other sports.
I don't understand, it's probably only football and ... maybe bandy, where you don't stop the clock. In basketball and ice hockey, you stop the clock. So it's actually a matter of honor, not to take advantage of it.
Tonight's premiere opponent, Denmark's national team captain Andrée Jeglertz, may not be as passionate about the issue. But agrees with Gerhardsson in substance.
There are quite a few rules in football that you can feel your way around. But I agree on the time. I've always been an advocate of effective playing time, says Jeglertz.
Denmark-Sweden kicks off at Stade de Genève at 6:00 PM tonight.
