Football's shake-up with blue cards to be introduced as part of sin-bin trial

08 February 2024 , 17:13

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Lawmakers are expected to rubber stamp a raft of new recommendations including the introduction of blue cards (Image: Getty Images)

Footballers could soon be left feeling blue as part of a disciplinary shake-up.

Lawmakers IFAB are expected to rubber stamp a raft of new recommendations which could see the introduction of blue cards. They would be used in conjunction with trials of sin bins for time wasting and tactical fouls which would see players banished from the pitch for 10 minutes.

It would be the biggest change since the introduction of red and yellow cards at the 1970 World Cup. Sin bins have been firmly on the agenda in trials from next season as football tries to crack down on bad behaviour on the pitch and have been welcomed by referees.

But blue cards might be used to enforce the sin bins with IFAB due to confirm their more detailed proposals ahead of a meeting next month. Welsh FA chiefs wanted to try them at lower league level but they need IFAB clearance - and sin bins and blue cards are most likely to be trialed at grassroots levels.

They could theoretically be used in the FA Cup or women’s FA Cup but that is unlikely to happen without further trials next season. Premier League Chief Football Officer Tony Scholes this week ruled out the possibility of sin bins being used at the top level of the English game next season or any time soon.

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The FA are likely to take a similar view until they have been shown to work at lower levels. Meanwhile, Mirror Football revealed this week how Premier League managers will be asked how they would fix VAR.

The Premier League have agreed to conduct a wide-ranging survey after one high-profile boss complained he no longer understood the handball law. They will now ask managers, team captains and fans about how they would improve the threshold when VAR intervenes, offsides and also handball.

Premier League’s chief footballing officer Tony Scholes also admitted that VAR decisions are taking too long while the experience for fans in stadiums during video reviews is “nowhere near good enough.” Big name bosses like Mikel Arteta, Vincent Kompany and Gary O’Neil have all moaned about VAR decisions and Scholes says they are ready to listen and push lawmakers IFAB to make any changes.

Blue cards could be used in conjunction with trials of sin bins for time wasting and tactical fouls (Simon Traylen/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)

Scholes said: “We do consult with managers already and have two meetings a year and we do have a squad visit. At our last managers’ meeting, one asked: 'We have no idea where we are with the handball law now.’ Then others joined in and backed him up.

‌"That was one of the reasons why we wanted to survey people. It's a large survey on things like VAR threshold, offsides and handball. We are talking to captains, managers and other stakeholders, like the PFA and FSA. Just to be clear, it's not the first time we've done a survey but it's good to engage.”

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John Cross