Criticism Leads to Abandonment of Blue Card Idea

In a surprising turn of events, The Telegraph reported a few weeks back that the International Football Association Board (IFAB) was considering introducing a blue card system in football. This system was aimed at temporarily excluding players who argue vehemently with the referee. However, this revolutionary idea seems to have quickly lost its momentum and is now likely to be discarded.

According to a recent report by The Telegraph, the directors of IFAB do not believe that testing the blue card system is necessary. Furthermore, it was revealed that the members of the board of directors were unaware of the inclusion of the blue card in the developed protocols.

The English media has highlighted potential difficulties in managing situations where a goalkeeper could be temporarily expelled due to the blue card system. This could compel the team to either replace the goalkeeper with an outfield player or make a permanent change, creating complications.

The reaction from various football players to this news has not been encouraging for IFAB. Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp, in a press statement, expressed his lack of enthusiasm for the idea, emphasizing the need to keep things as simple as possible for the referees.

In a previous statement to The Telegraph, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin voiced his disapproval of the blue card system, stating that it essentially changes the nature of football. Although the blue card project might not be implemented, IFAB is considering a rule that restricts anyone besides the team captain from approaching the officials on the field.