Hammers News can reveal the rules behind the ball-boy controversy that saw Arne Engels angrily berate some of them as frustration spilled over in the 3-2 defeat to Southampton.

Midfielder Arne Engels was repeatedly unhappy as balls ran out of play while the Hammers tried to fight their way back into the game.

West Ham supporters were also left questioning the role of the ball boys at the London Stadium, with some fans and players appearing to feel that the home side were not getting the help they needed to maintain momentum.

Engels was particularly animated on several occasions, visibly berating ball boys after balls rolled past them as the Hammers searched for a way back into the contest.

Ball-assistant rules explained after West Ham anger

The problem is particularly noticeable at the London Stadium because of its bowl-shaped design, which leaves a sizeable gap between the playing surface and the stands.

In the past, ball boys would often retrieve a ball and quickly return it to the home team, helping maintain the tempo when a side was chasing a goal. There have even been famous occasions when ball boys have been praised for helping their team score, while others have been accused of deliberately slowing down restarts for visiting sides.

But there is an important explanation behind what happened, and it relates to rules designed specifically to prevent teams gaining an advantage through the way balls are returned to the pitch.

Hammers News put the ball boy frustrations to West Ham, who directed us towards the EFL’s guidance on the system.

And it is the introduction of the multi-ball system which has changed how the process works.

The EFL actually introduced the system across its competitions for the 2023/24 season, with replacement balls placed on designated cones around the pitch to help increase the of time the ball is in play.

The crucial point for West Ham and Engels is that ball assistants are not permitted to throw or pass a replacement ball directly to an outfield player. Instead, players must retrieve the original ball themselves or collect a replacement from the nearest designated cone. The comparable official multi-ball protocol published by the Premier League sets out the same restriction.

Why the rules matter to West Ham

That means Engels cannot expect a ball boy to hand him the ball directly to help West Ham restart quickly, even when the team is pushing for an equaliser.

The purpose of the system is to reduce time-wasting and limit the possibility of home teams receiving preferential treatment from ball assistants.

Under the protocol, ball assistants should return retrieved or replacement balls to vacant cones rather than handing them directly to outfield players.

There is an exception for goalkeepers: assistants positioned behind the goals can provide a ball to the goalkeeper taking a goal-kick. The referee can also alter or deactivate the multi-ball system if it is being abused or causing delays.

Those rules help explain why the situation looked different from what some supporters remember from previous seasons.

In the past, a quick return from a ball boy might have helped the home side maintain pressure. Under the current system, players are expected to take responsibility for retrieving the ball or using the nearest replacement.

That does not mean every incident at the London Stadium was necessarily handled perfectly. But the wider rules explain why ball assistants cannot simply rush over and hand the ball straight to Engels when he wants to restart play.

Engels’ frustration understandable, but rules are clear

West Ham’s 3-2 defeat to Southampton was already a frustrating afternoon, with the Hammers punished for a dreadful start before struggling to complete their comeback.

In those circumstances, every lost second can feel significant, particularly when a team is pushing hard for an equaliser.

Engels’ frustration was understandable in the heat of the moment, but the multi-ball rules mean ball assistants cannot operate in the way some players and supporters might expect.

The system is intended to make restarts more consistent, not to give the home team an advantage.

For West Ham fans wondering why the ball boys did not simply hand the ball back, the answer lies in the regulations governing how English football now manages replacement balls.

The controversy may have looked like a failure to help the home side, but the rules are designed to ensure that the same principles apply to both teams.