Football hates change. Managers, past and present, are up in arms about the possibility of blue cards and sin- bins.

This is basically for dissent and dangerous fouls.

It probably will not happen with FIFA ruling that pilot schemes will only be run at grassroots level.

However, stay tuned. The same was said about VAR but it eventually arrived.

It set me thinking. Call me a dinosaur but I recall three issues from recent years.

Managers calling for video technology when they did not like the referee’s decision against them. When it finally arrives, many now want it to be dropped.

Sure, it makes mistakes but not as many as their players who they refuse to blame in public for reasons I do understand. But they always use the ref as a deflection.

And it nearly always the manager who has not won the game! Actually, VAR nearly always gets it right and justice is done.

It will be quicker and better in time. It is not going to disappear.

Then I recall even more years ago some managers asking for sin-bins rather than red cards because the latter ruin the game! Now the thought of a blue card and sin-bin, according to Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, would ruin the game.

The answer to all this is more discipline from their players, particularly with dissent.

Brian Clough was a master at good relations with the officials and would fine his players for dissent. The referees loved him!

Personally, I would use the blue cards just for dissent, although it is obviously not my decision – just my opinion.

There is often a total lack of respect for the officials, both on the pitch and on the benches, and where would the game be without refs and assistants?

Not that any of this will bother football fans. Results are the only real things that the supporters care about.

The way West Ham fans are turning on David Moyes is bad, as has been the treatment of 76-year-old Roy Hodgson, who yesterday stepped down as boss at Crystal Palace. He is a great guy and we hope now he puts his health first.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City will not be relegated. They need new players and will march on.

Things will get better, although arrival in the Premier League may be some way in the distance. Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus are good appointments.

I know them both and they are good people, although they should give the fourth official a quieter time! My case for a blue card!

So sorry to learn about Mowbray’s serious illness, and my fingers are crossed for a full recovery.

I am sure that Venus, having been with Tony for so long, will keep the momentum going.

I know rugby is a different game but the ten-minute sin-bin works very well for dangerous fouls.

Dissent is rarely a problem in rugby where the top players are all professionals.

However, I will take issue with some of the international teams and the spectators at Twickenham.

The continual kicking from one end to the other during open play is making the England matches boring. And, as for spectators, well, they are up in arms about not knowingly taking part in an alcohol-free Six Nationals zone and demanding their money back.

627 seats were used in the trial…..not enough in my book. Last time I went to Twickenham I missed half the game with other spectators regularly pushing past with a tray of countless beers! Pathetic!

Can’t they wait until half-time? I would rather watch the match! The experiment continues with the Ireland match there on March 9 Maybe those affected will not have to join the long queues in the gents’ loos!

So, West Brom have a new owner. The Florida-based investor Shilen Patel watched Friday’s 2-0 defeat by Southampton at The Hawthorns after agreeing a £60 million takeover to buy the club from Guochuan Lai.

When it goes through the Far East will have let go of owning Villa, Birmingham and the Baggies. Not before time!

Meanwhile, my 50-year television-presenting career was split between 36 years with ITV and 14 with Sky, so I have no axe to grind when it comes to free TV and paid TV to watch your sport.

Some sports worry about live sport on the subscription channels.

Why? Try and buy a ticket for a Premier League match – say at the Villa.

Big games on Sky get more viewers than the Saturday night screening of Match of the Day (BBC try to use Saturday and Sunday figures combined).

Try and buy a ticket when the big fights fill Wembley Stadium. 4.7 million watched 16-year-old Luke Littler in the recent world darts final on Sky.

Now TNT have bought the future FA Cup ties but the FA say two games have to be on the BBC or ITV.

Why? You still have to pay for a BBC licence so why can’t they afford more rights when some of their wages are huge?

The days of free watching are limited. Why should sport dip out on big rights fees?

And why should viewers get sport free, apart from the football World Cup finals and the Olympics... and that may not last much longer!

QOSHE - Gary Newbon: Players and bosses should get carded for turning the air BLUE - Gary Newbon
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Gary Newbon: Players and bosses should get carded for turning the air BLUE

6 0
23.02.2024

Football hates change. Managers, past and present, are up in arms about the possibility of blue cards and sin- bins.

This is basically for dissent and dangerous fouls.

It probably will not happen with FIFA ruling that pilot schemes will only be run at grassroots level.

However, stay tuned. The same was said about VAR but it eventually arrived.

It set me thinking. Call me a dinosaur but I recall three issues from recent years.

Managers calling for video technology when they did not like the referee’s decision against them. When it finally arrives, many now want it to be dropped.

Sure, it makes mistakes but not as many as their players who they refuse to blame in public for reasons I do understand. But they always use the ref as a deflection.

And it nearly always the manager who has not won the game! Actually, VAR nearly always gets it right and justice is done.

It will be quicker and better in time. It is not going to disappear.

Then I recall even more years ago some managers asking for sin-bins rather than red cards because the latter ruin the game! Now the thought of a blue card and sin-bin, according to Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, would ruin the game.

The answer to all this is more........

© Birmingham Mail Sport


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