AuthorBoth Outcats A controversial suggestion for football purists but things that could improve the game should always be discussed and not immediately thrown out right? Could a Sin Bin rule similar to rugby be a benefit for the game. Coupled with the green cards currently being trialled in Serie B (more about them later), they could help tackle two problems that the majority of football fans want addressed; that of simulation and poor player behaviour. So with that in mind I thought looking into the merits of a Sin Bin style rule in football might be a good idea. My fellow Outcast disagrees. For Sin Bin: Jeff Eyes Rimmer
What promoted me to think about this were three similar incidents which have occurred over the past weeks in games that I have watched. The first was during the Juventus v Porto 1st leg in the Champions League quarter finals. On the 22nd and 26th minutes Porto left back Alex Telles made two poor challenges, both were easily yellow card offenses and the second challenge I have seen given as straight red before. Now while both these challenges were poor, the occasion had got to him and while trying to show passion he poorly misjudged it. The second incident I saw was by Jason Hoffman for Newcastle Jets v Brisbane Roar. In the space of just 2mins Hoffman was booked twice and subsequently sent off. Now I don’t think either was a yellow card but regardless of that fact, again the speed at which these incidents occurred influenced the game. The final incident was during Arsenals abysmal performance against Bayern Munich in their second leg Champions League last 16 game. The incident with Laurent Koscielny being shown first a yellow card and then a straight red was a little bizarre and I am still unclear as to what happened really, but the red was based on something he said by all accounts. In all these instances the speed at which the yellow cards came and subsequent red cards being issued really killed off each of the games as a contest. Juventus went on to comfortably beat Porto 2-0, Brisbane eased to a win over Newcastle 3-1 and Arsenal was crushed by a rampant Munich side 5-1. Prior to those incidents though, the games were equal (well in the case of Arsenal in second leg only), compelling even and then the spectacle was lost when the red cards came out. Now in all instances the first yellow card shown could have prevented the subsequent second yellow card from being dished out just a few minutes after (they may have been sent off later but hear me out!). A 10 minute sin bin in all of these games would have calmed the situation down, would have given the other side an advantage for a foul and would not have killed the game off as a spectacle for us fans, although I am sure the winning team’s fans didn’t mind at the time. In the Porto game, Telles would have been sent to the sidelines for 10 minutes, allowing him to calm down and think before committing another daft and reckless challenge. Juventus would still have had a man advantage for that time and would know that for the next 10 minutes they should attack. Porto would need to change the structure, but would know they have their man coming back to help shortly, so would need to weather the storm as it were. This would be the same for the Newcastle game as well; Hoffman being off would have given Brisbane the advantage but not at the expense of the whole game. The Arsenal game is slightly different; the yellow shown could have been used to remove Koscielny from the game, knowing he would be back may not have reacted in the way he did to cause the straight red. Obviously this is hypothetical but we see how effective it has been in rugby. This opens up a side of the game that we just don’t really see at the moment. Think how tactically this would change the game. A side down to 10 men for 10 minutes would shut up shop and play for a counter attack, the attacking side would go for broke as they know they have an advantage for a short time. Think how this might affect the situation if say a top side like Chelsea suddenly found themselves down to 10 men against a poor side like Sunderland. Sunderland would try to gain the upper hand and push for a goal as that might be the only chance they get. A sin bin akin to the rugby style of things could easily diffuse situations that erupt but I think it would help the greatest with the ‘good’ fouls (hate that term) or professional fouls. How often do we see a player deliberately foul to slow play or stop an attack? It really does spoil the game, I think having a sin bin for this type of foul could reduce them down and allow play to flow. The yellow card sin bin could also help with the crowding of the ref. It’s sad to see in the professional game but it’s even sadder seeing this sort of behaviour at grass roots level (not only the players but also spectators!). As much as players may not want to be role models, they are, and so the crowding of the ref and the ensuing dissent has also spread down the football pyramid. Having a player removed for 10mintues would calm that player down, would give the attacking team some advantage so that don’t feel too aggrieved and the defensive team, now at a disadvantage, know that they will be back to the full complement of players shortly. No need to crowd the ref, the situation sorts itself out. Potentially using this along with the Green card that’s being trialled in Serie B this season could help with the perception of the game. The Green card trial in Serie B is for fair play, when a player completes a deed that’s deemed to be sportsmanlike then a Green card is issued for that fair play. The first Green card was issued in October in a game between Virtus Entella and Vicenza, when Vicenza attacker Cristian Galano was awarded it for fair play. Galano admitted that no Virtus Entella defenders had touched the ball when referee Marco Mainardi had incorrectly called for a corner kick. At the end of the season the player with the most Green cards will be given an award. It’s this sort of action we need in the game. It could also help with the issues with deliberately diving (Suarez I’m looking at you); a player that dives would be given the 10 minute bin as well. If in a scoring situation, does the attacker risk diving to get a penalty or attempt to stay on his/her feet to have a shot at goal. If they go down then there is a chance they will be off for a while. It could reduce dives occurring in the game and also removes the potential for players to attempt to deliberately get other players sent off as they themselves could be given their marching orders for 10minutes. While a yellow card currently is supposed to discourage players it doesn’t, a sin bin would. Two yellows would still equal a red though, but the first would act a lot more like a warning. I think having that threat of losing a player for 10 minutes would reduce down the dissent and professional fouls that blight the game at the moment. While I doubt this will ever happen and there are many reasons not to implement something like a sin bin, I think we still need to look at various options on how to improve the game. Against Sin Bin: Sports Billy I really don’t think a sin bin style system is needed. Its another one of those things – like goal line technology – which would contribute to eroding the reason why everyone loves football so much…the game changing controversial decision! What else will people have to talk about down the pub once goal line technology has removed the “did it or didn’t it” discussion about the goal line scramble, or the heated discussion over a player getting his marching orders changing the face of the game? Also, if sin bins take away the potential for red cards, then there will be no reason for commentators to trot out the “its more difficult to play against 10 men” classic clichéd line during matches! If you want sin bins in your sport then I would suggest watching something like rugby or ice hockey, as for me this has no place in football. I don’t feel a sin bin will actually diffuse situations; it just gives the hot headed players in games longer to sit on the sidelines stewing about his non-involvement in the game in readiness to steam back on and get another chance at ploughing in to his opponent and exact revenge for the original wrong doing. To sum this all up its my view that “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” and as far as I can see yellow and red cards as a system are working just fine. Instead of fundamentally changing the way the game works, just get the many 10s of pointless back room staff to work with some of the “hotter headed” players in their squad to improve their “in-game management” and decision making. I cant agree with my fellow Outcast on this suggestion…Jeff, you’re just plain wrong on this! What do you think guys, would you be totally against sin bins or would you like to see them? What do you think of the Green card idea too? |
AuthorsJust Some Fans Writing About Football. Archives
June 2018
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