PLANS to introduce BLUE CARDS into football have been pushed back after an expected announcement was cancelled following widespread backlash.
The plan would see players receive a 10-minute sin-bin if they were guilty of committing a cynical foul, or if they show dissent towards the referee, assistant referee or fourth official.
Like yellow cards, two blues would also lead to a dismissal.
But now those ideas will have to wait for official confirmation.
While some reports suggest the plans are being “blocked”, an announcement is on the agenda when football’s rule makers Ifab meet next month.
Fifa released a statement on Thursday evening insisting sin-bin trials will NOT take place in top-tier competitions.
They also confirmed any rule change would be discussed at March’s International Football Association Board [Ifab] meeting.
Ifab, who are in charge of the laws of the game, first approved sin-bin trials back in November.
However, the idea has been panned by many corners of the footballing community, with the plan now having more time for “further revision”.
Even if trials are approved, and a success, they would not be seen in the top tiers of football like the Premier League for at least five years.
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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe became the first Premier League manager to denounce the “blue card” idea during his press conference on Friday.
He said: “I’m not a big fan to be honest; that’s what yellow cards are for. The current system works well; it just has to be applied right.
“Adding a blue card would just add more confusion in my opinion so I’m against it.”
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson also recently slammed the premise.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: “They’re trying to copy rugby, they are very good at it, they’ve been working on it for a long time.
“But their sin-bin is massive, you’re talking seven to ten points, the game opens up – it’s very rare you are not going to get majorly punished.
“In football, you just sit ten behind the ball and the game will be killed.
“The ball will go out and they’ll jog and get it, they’ll waste time.
“Then someone else will be sin-binned and everybody will be looking at the scoreboard going: ‘Tom is coming back on in four, so and so is back in three, what will be then? Then we will be 10 vs 10.’
“That’s how it’s going to be. That’s not football. They’re ruining the game.
“It doesn’t have to be changed that much, we are talking about the greatest sport in the world and you’re trying to change it.”
Ex-England striker Chris Sutton was another who criticised the idea prior to the meeting being axed.
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He tweeted: “Well done IFAB for complicating the game even more and prioritising a blue card over the outdated head injury protocol which doesn’t put players first…”
While former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara said: “The game has absolutely gone.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
