‘I’d Make It Like Rugby’ – Michel Platini Would Like To See Yellow Cards Replaced With 10-Minute Sin Bins

Chris Wright

5th, December 2013

20 Comments

By Chris Wright

Britain Soccer UEFA Congress

Speaking in an interview with Spanish sports newspaper AS, Michel Platini allowed his latest brainfart to leak out into the room, outlining his feverish plan to eradicate yellow cards from the game and replace them with rugby-style sin bins for caution-worthy offences.

“I would make it like rugby, punishing the offender with 10 or 15 minutes out of the game,” Platini said. “It is an idea. Now it needs to mature and see if it really is good for the game. It is a proposal to be explored.”

The fundamental kernel at the centre of Platini’s idea is actually fairly sound, with UEFA’s grand poobah pointing out that, as things stand, when players are suspended for accumulating a certain number of yellow cards they are suspended for future games, meaning that the club they actually picked up the booking while playing against don’t receive enough of an advantage.

Platini reckons sin bins would be fairer as, in his words, “that way, the benefit goes to the team he is playing against, in the same match, instead of a sanction by cards which is carried out against a third team, the next on the calendar.”

The system works in rugby, a) because the teams are larger, b) you have to do something fairly uncouth to earn a sin-binning and, c) because the game is played in an incredibly commendable, sporting spirit.

Given some of the soft-as-shite ‘tackles’ that are deemed yellow-worthy in top flight football at the moment, the introduction of 15-minute sin bins would be a logistical nightmare during most games. Safe to say, we’re not on board. Here’s hoping this particular Platini-ism is nipped in the bud, pronto.

Any thoughts on the matter, Pies fans?

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20 Comments

  1. carl says:

    Has this clown ever played played football?

  2. SteveK says:

    If a sin-bin was only applicable in certain circumstances, rather than all yellows, that would work. In rugby, it’s used more for deliberate, “professional” fouls than dirty play.

    Denying a goalscoring opportunity could be a penalty and sin-bin, rather than penalty and a red card, which seems too harsh in my book.

  3. cw88 says:

    I think it is a good idea personally, would make for entertainment if they were allowed to come straight back on the pitch when the 10 mins end as apposed to waiting for the ref to allow them back on. Would be even keener on the idea had it not come from that boob

  4. paul says:

    No he just plays fifa….seriously Carl?!

  5. Iain says:

    Works well enough in field hockey and thats a game with 11 players.

    Green Card can be given as as a warning (like yellow in Footy)
    Yellow Card for a second or more serious first offence. Results in a 5 or 10 minute Sin bin… gives the team fouled against an advantage for a while

    Red card for repeat or very serious offences.

    For once I agree with Platini, a yellow card really is no help to the team thats being fouled, and quite often a red card is either overkill and ruins the game, or the ref shys away from it because its going to ruin a game. In those circumstances a sin bin period would help to control things.

    It would of course lead to “power play” situations, and that will change the tactics of games considerably. Still, its an idea worth looking at because sometimes a yellow isnt enough and a red is too much.

  6. João says:

    This asshole should shut up after the length he went to save the ass of his beloved France in the draw for the world cup. Utterly shameful

  7. Chris says:

    You have to be careful that you could inadvertently cause an epidemic of skilled ‘super’ divers to gain your team a 10 minute one or two man advantage!!

    If the card system was utilised properly in the first place you’d not have to worry about such stuff.

    and finally….Does the sin bin come into play if i raise my shirt in celebration of a 35 yard pearler?

  8. Iain says:

    While Platini is stealing ideas from rugby maybe he should introduce letting the refs move a freekick 10 yds further up the field if players continue to get in his face after he made a decision. That would soon shut them up and let him go about trying to do his job without intimidation.

  9. forehand says:

    Could also add uprights above crossbar. 3 points for a goal 1 point for over the bar. Suddenly Manchester United are back at the top of the table.

  10. Murray says:

    As an American TV ad exec, I would like to make the additional recommendations for…

    -No backpasses after the ball crosses into an offensive half.
    -Free kicks awarded to opposing teams when teams in possession hold the ball in their defensive half for more than ten seconds.
    -The return of the introduction of the offside line 35 yrds from the endzone, like in the old NASL.
    -A 3-point line 25 yrds from the endzone.
    -Ice and skates.
    -Sticks.
    -Shorter periods.
    -More line changes and substitutions.
    -TV timeouts for more commercials during substitutions and after scoring.

  11. Tellitasitis says:

    Damn fine idea, although they need to extend it to those who when brushed with a feather roll around as if they are on fire. Clearly these poor souls need 10 minutes on the sideline to be properly assessed by the medico’s and to get over their fake injuries.

    • Tellitasitis says:

      I should add, the caveat on that ‘fake injury’ rest is it ends should the player be subbed off during that 10 minute period.

  12. carl says:

    Got a couple of bites with that one! ;)

    I’m almost thinking it could be quite good really. Sin bin and a yellow might work. GOod idea about diving too from someone above. And then I read Chris’ comment about “skilled super divers” getting other players sent to da bin. I might just watch tennis instead.

    Pies, can you write a bit about what Joao said up there ^^^. I heard about it but can’t be arsed looking anywhere else. Tell you what, pop a paragraph in with the world cup draw article tomorrow and I’ll send you an xmas card.

  13. Jeremia says:

    Well, just a rugby-style sin bin won’t work, but how about an ice hockey style one? 2minutes for iffy yellows seems about right, but still, that would recquire some careful thinking

    On the subject of divers, surely the only fair punishment for them should be beheading. Or crucifixion, depends on the cheekyness of the diver.

  14. AC says:

    How about when a player is sin-binned for 10 minutes, the player must be substituted by the team mascot in full costume? And the mascot must play in midfield. That way the team being offended has an advantage, the team offending is disadvantaged, and all spectators are humoured.

    And Fernando Torres doesn’t count as a team mascot! But Joey Barton does…

  15. Dan says:

    @Iain, very good point about making the sin bin situation more like hockey than like rugby. another thing football could learn from hockey is their use of video referral. in hockey each team has one appeal, the captain appeals to the ref to go to the video ref, if the player is right, the team keeps the appeal, if he’s wrong, his team loses the appeal. it works faultlessly in international hockey competitions and blatter even met with hockey officials a few years ago, supposedly their use of video referral was discussed

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