FIFA has warned that the introduction of the blue card, which would remove a player from the field for ten minutes due to protests or unsportsmanlike conduct, was a "premature" announcement, as it still needs to be discussed before being approved.
After FIFA clarified that the introduction of the blue card in football - which would remove a player from the field for ten minutes due to protests or unsportsmanlike conduct - was a "premature" announcement, since the measure still needs to be discussed and approved, this possibility has been met with apprehension by several figures in the Premier League.
It's hard to express how I feel about the blue card, because we don't have much information about it. I don't know, but I think it will create more debates and will be more complicated for referees, players, and fans. At the moment, I don't think it's a good idea, but we'll see what happens after there's an opportunity to see how it works. My first feeling is that it's very complicated, because there are many question marks," commented Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea's coach, in a press conference.
A similar opinion comes from Jurgen Klopp, who manages Liverpool and does not view the novelty favorably: "At the moment, it doesn't seem like a fantastic idea to me. But in truth, I can't remember the last fantastic idea that came from these guys, if they ever had one," he criticized, targeting the International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body that defines the rules of football.
"Being honest, I don't know if we're ready. There's a lot going on with decisions and technology. I don't know if we're ready for this yet. I hope it's thoroughly tested before being introduced at this level," said Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, in turn.
Keith Hackett, former referee of the English Premier League and FIFA, also admits some concern about the possibility of penalties resulting from this card favoring time-wasting.
"It seems like we're changing the laws to accommodate weak and indecisive referees. In the current laws, elite referees have the option to caution someone for dissent and, in the case of further dissent, issue a red card. They also have a yellow card for when they prevent a promising attack," he begins by reminding.
Nevertheless, Hackett supports the measure, believing it will help reduce criticism surrounding English referees.
"I think it's an interesting point, serving as a deterrent. We have to look at the current game and the disappointment fans have with players' behavior towards the referee. It harms and tarnishes the image of our game. We've previously discussed how things that happen at the top level have a ripple effect and make the game much harder in grassroots football," he emphasized.
So, for me, I think this is the lawmaker saying: 'How can we prevent players from contesting decisions in such a challenging way for the referee, when, to a certain extent, the current law isn't being enforced?' And so, what they're going to do is make this more effective, sending the person off for a ten-minute penalty, to calm down and to make the team suffer a penalty, hoping they behave better in the future. It's an experiment they intend to apply, and I applaud them for it because I think we need to try to reduce the amount of discord in the game, which is tarnishing its image," he concluded.
