'An absolute joke' - Alan Shearer delivers brutal blue card verdict

Alan Shearer has criticised plans to introduce 'blue cards' and sin bins in football.

It was reported by the Daily Telegraph earlier this week that the International Football Association Board, the game's law-making body, had "signed off" on the introduction of a 'blue card' which would see players removed from matches for 10 minutes if they were to commit a "cynical foul or show dissent towards a match official".

The proposal was met with ample backlash and led to FIFA, the governing body of the European game, insisting that the trials of 'blue cards' and sin bins would not take place at the elite level of the game. However, it is claimed IFAB will go public with plans later this year.

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Speaking on Match of the Day on Saturday night, Shearer took a swipe at IFAB, saying: "The handball rule as we know is an absolute joke. You're hearing managers and players every single week saying 'We just don't know what handball is any more'.

"These are the same guys, IFAB - who are making the handball rule, who actually may want to bring blue cards in for sin bins. Do me a favour man, honestly!"

Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp also had a laugh about the 'blue card' idea after his team won 3-1 against Burnley. He said: "Imagine in this game and the referee has a blue card available? It would have been the Wild West.

"There were so many yellow cards. I had no clue why Vincent Kompany got it. I lost it in that situation so fine, give me a yellow card. As long as I don't get a blue one and have to sit somewhere for 10 minutes!"