Blue card idea for Premier League is hare-brained – we just need consistency and backbone

This time, it’s a new ‘blue card’ system, introducing a ten-minute sin bin punishment.

I appreciate that, to a degree, the sin bin system works in ‘parks’ football. But that is now so far removed from the highest echelon of our beautiful game. A sin bin system at the very top of domestic game is simply not needed.

Two other words are far more apt: consistency and backbone.

Having donned the black and blown more than one whistle in my time in parks football I appreciate it’s certainly not an easy job. But we now have the supposed ‘elite’ referees at the top of our game, so nothing really that drastic is required. Basically, it’s all down to a bit of tinkering.

First up, why can’t we effectively alter the laws of the game to mirror rugby union – in that only the team captain can approach the ref. Anyone else does it and it’s an immediate yellow; do it again and the card is red. Obviously in the initial stages there would be an upturn in cautions and dismissals – but very quickly the players would have to adapt. If it started affecting results, dissent on that level would quickly be eradicated.

And VAR should have a 30-second timer. Make the decision within that time and then move on.

The consistency issue is also a huge factor. I’m not saying we want robots, but we do need consistency right across the board – with a bit of backbone thrown in as well,

Blue cards and sin bins will only muddy the waters, and could perhaps throw up a scenario of a possible abandonment. What if Team A have three players sin-binned at the same time, but have used all their subs, and then get an injury? Will the Premier League let teams play with 7 players for any given period?

Like I said, it seems to works in parks football – but in my view that’s the only level it can really operate at successfully. At the highest level of the EPL it will actually create more issues than it solves.