Premier League managers respond to sin-bin proposals: ‘Not a fantastic idea’

Premier League managers have slammed propsoals to introduce blue cards and sin-bins into football.

Football’s lawmakers are determined to crack down on dissent towards referees by giving officials the power to send players to the technical area for 10 minutes - mirroring similar protocols that are used in rugby union and other sports.

However, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), have delayed publishing details of the trial until next month.

It comes as Premier League bosses responded to the proposals at their press conferences on Friday, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp saying: “It does not sound like a fantastic idea”.

“I think everything what the actual situation shows is we should keep it as simple as somehow possible, for the referees as well.

“It’s a difficult job, often quite emotional when we speak about it more so because it’s after the game, and I think the introduction of a blue card would just give more opportunities to fail as well because the discussion will be: ‘It was a blue card, should it have been a yellow card, now it’s 10 minutes off, in the good old times it would have been a red card or only a yellow’.

“These kind of things just make it more complicated. If they want to test it I have no problem with testing if that’s the first step to agreeing or it already being sure it will happen – I don’t know that.

“It doesn’t sound like a fantastic idea in the first moment but actually I can’t remember the last fantastic idea (which) came from these guys, if they ever had one. I am 56 and, pah, never.”

“I don’t think people will be surprised by my thoughts on it. I struggle to understand this urgency all of a sudden to bring in new things. I don’t know if there’s that much wrong with the game as I see it. My biggest issue with the game right now is that VAR has changed the experience, whether you’re a player, a manager or a supporter or whatever you are I think it’s changed the experience of football.

“I assume that’s a means to an end, that the introduction of technology is going to get us to a better place. I remain to be convinced about that. Beyond that, I don’t know why a different colour card is going to make any difference. I struggle with this whole taking from other sports.”

“I don’t know when we’re going to get there,” he said. “I think we’ve got a lot going on with decisions, with technology, with what is coming. I don’t know if we are ready for that yet.

“Who knows [if it is a good idea]. Hopefully it’s going to be tested very well before they introduce it at this level.”

“It’s going to be more complicated because the interpretation of the referee [of] when to apply the red, the yellow or the blue [is important].

“What happens with the goalkeeper? Do you play without the goalkeeper for 10 minutes or can you change? We will see.”

“I’m not a big fan, to be honest. I think that’s what yellow cards are for. I think the current system works well, it’s just got to be applied right. I think adding a blue card would just add more confusion, in my opinion, so I’m against it.

“I think [sin-bins] would change it a lot, but again not, for me, in a good way because I think it will make it very bitty, more stop-start. I fear for the players who would have to go off for 10 minutes and then re-find the rhythm of a Premier League game after 10 minutes out, I’m just not sure it works, personally.”