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Football could bring in sinbins and unlimited substitutions

Tom Cleverley would have got a ten-minute rest after his yellow card against Arsenal
Tom Cleverley would have got a ten-minute rest after his yellow card against Arsenal

Football could be on the verge of joining rugby and bringing in sinbins.

The sport’s law-making body Ifab is to look at introducing them for yellow-card offences.

The proposal is on the body’s agenda for its annual meeting in London next month.

The measure has been tested in UEFA development competitions and some amateur leagues in recent years.

Other proposals to be discussed at the meeting include allowing national associations more freedom to decide on the number of substitutions in a game. This could mean rolling subs or no limit on changes that could be made.

Ten-minute penalty: Rugby has used it for years - and sinbins work
Ten-minute penalty: Rugby has used it for years – and sinbins work

The move is intended to help the development of the game at lower levels, “by promoting and encouraging more people to take part in the game,” the International Football Association Board agenda reads.

[I KNOW WHY GRIEZMANN SNUBBED UNITED – GERRARD]

It added: “particular focus will be given to the role of the captain and how her/his responsibilities could be enhanced as part of a move to improve on-field discipline and create better communication between players and match officials”.

This is likely to refer to a suggestion by Marco van Basten, the chief technical officer of governing body FIFA, that only the captain should be able to speak to the referee.