The Premier League may be on the brink of making some rugby-inspired changes to the beautiful game, but they are perhaps focusing on the wrong aspects.
With the International Football Association Board (IFAB) announcing that various trials, including implementing something to the degree of a "sin bin" and only captains being allowed to speak to referees in certain situations, were approved, too many changes can sometimes be a bad thing.
Read: Messi Hlongwane snubbed for 2023 MLS Best XI!
Considering the landscape of the game today, it is so easy for players to get booked because of how fragile footballers are today, so is a system where referees have to make even more decisions that could drastically affect the outcome of a game really what football needs at this point in time?
Referees and match officials are already under so much pressure to make the right decision in a reasonable amount of time, so it is important to consider how many yellow cards are dished out in a game.
According to a study titled "The Impact of Intermediate Information on Sabotage in Tournaments with Heterogeneous Contestants" on ResearchGate, an average of 3.6 yellow cards are given per match. The data used in it was captured from three seasons of the Bundesliga (from 2010 to 2013), with 918 matches being used for the research. The study also revealed that "one match had to be discontinued due to an attack on the referee" and was subsequently excluded from the analysis.
The study also cited that the favourites of matches received fewer bookings than the underdogs.
It's an important discovery to note because, let's say, hypothetically, the trial is implemented in the Premier League next season and in a match between one of the English top flight's "big six" and a newly-promoted team a player from the bigger team draws a foul and goes down from minimal contact, and the player who committed the foul gets booked.
The newly-promoted side would then play 10 minutes with a man down because of a "soft" yellow card. Then, what if the opposing team scores in that period of having a one-man advantage? While the intention behind the proposed changes may be good, the results could be catastrophic from referees and will most likely spark more abuse to be thrown in their direction.
On the other hand, however, having just the captain speaking to the referee in the midst or after making a big decision is a really great idea. There are so many times when us spectators see half a team running up to referee, all trying to get a word in, and the worst part about it is that they do it in such a harsh way. One can only imagine the profanity and insults being hurled at the official on duty and at the end of the day, the referee is just a human being bound to be affected by what he hears, potentially also affecting his or her mental health.
Football should look at rugby on a deeper level and really try hard to figure out how an official in that sport commands the respect of two teams who are filled with tall, muscular freaks of nature and could probably lift the referee up with one arm if they really wanted to.
In fact, soccer stars should perhaps undergo some introspection and question why they go to ground so easily on so many occasions. Perhaps they should take some of that toughness that rugby players have and implement it into their own game. It becomes frustrating to see players rolling around, whining on the floor at every opportunity to get someone else booked.
What footballers also need to develop is an understanding that their actions or words towards an official could have dire consequences, not only on the referee as an individual but on the game at large. What happens when the game runs out of referees because they refuse to accept the abuse?
Perhaps football's powers-that-be should consider off-field disciplinary actions in the form of suspensions and fines.
That way, the outcome of a game based on a referee's decision would be less likely to be affected, in terms of the proposed sin bin rule, and the matter is dealt with off the field.
This way, they will perhaps be more cautious of their interactions with those entrusted to officiate a match.
Read: Al Ahly chief: I am not to blame for Pitso's exit
Maybe suspensions for misconduct with a referee should be dished out at grassroots level to ensure that players, from a young age already, are mindful of their words and their actions.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH: