Sin bins can tackle dissent among players, referees’ welfare charity boss claims

Sin bins are the answer to tackling dissent among players, the boss of a referees’ welfare charity has said.

Sin bins have been deemed a success in the grassroots game and details of a trial to test them at higher levels of football for dissent as well as tactical fouls were set to be published by the International Football Association Board, which sets football’s laws, last Friday.

Publication was indefinitely delayed at the last minute however, with sources citing the need for further discussion to take place at next month’s IFAB annual general meeting. The delay followed reports last Thursday evening which highlighted that blue cards would be used to send players to the sin bin.

Ange Postecoglou was critical of the idea of sin bins in professional football

The idea of trialling sin bins was heavily criticised by Tottenham and Liverpool bosses Ange Postecoglou and Jurgen Klopp among others last week.

However, Martin Cassidy, the chief executive of the Ref Support charity, believes the IFAB deserves credit for trying to address the problem, and hit out at the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the League Managers’ Association (LMA) for failing to condemn bad behaviour from their members.

“I think the sin bin is the answer. Absolutely. There’s a proven track record,” he told the PA news agency, pointing out that Football Association trials at grassroots level in 2017-18 and 2018-19 saw a 38 per cent reduction in dissent.

“You can’t throw stones at the IFAB and the FA for bringing in measures to address poor behaviour in the game,” Cassidy added.

“The main people they are trying to control are the players and the managers, when the PFA and the LMA only seem to want to talk about what makes the experience better for