Update to Blue Card rules: managers exempt and goalkeepers forced off

Mauricio Pochettino hit the nail on the head when asked about the IFAB’s blue card proposal. “What about the goalkeeper - do you play without the goalkeeper for 10 minutes or can you change a player who has to put on the goalkeeper’s shirt? There are too many questions. When are you going to apply yellow, red or blue? It’s going to be very difficult.”

The Chelsea manager, as you can see from the quotation, was clearly confused about the idea of bringing in a new card into the already increasingly complicated game of football.

The Telegraph has since been given access to further details of how the blue card would work. In the first instance, it was said that the possible use of the new card would punish actions that cut off a promising attack (but not enough to be red) or excessive protests to a referee which would result in a player being sent off for 10 minutes.

Now the media outlet have revealed how such a punishment would work for goalkeepers, the answer to the questioned asked by the Chelsea coach, and what impact it would have on coaches.

FIFA moved to quickly deny the reports regarding the new card colour, but that has not stopped the huge reaction to the controversial suggestion of its inclusion.

What will happen if a goalkeeper is given a blue card?

A blue card for a goalkeeper will force teams to choose between putting an outfield player in goal or making a permanent substitution. So goalkeepers are, therefore, not exempt from the effects of the blue card. A punishment that would force an outfield player to go in goal for that period of time if there are no substitutes left.

If there are goalkeepers on the bench, the team are only allowed to bring on that player if they choose to make a permanent change for an outfield player. And if there are no substitutes remaining? Then an outfield player would have to be play as a goalkeeper, in the same way as when a goalkeeper is sent off.

The blue card would, however, have no repercussions on the bench. Coaches would be exempt from being cautioned and sin-binned by the new card. The IFAB are set to hold their General Assembly on March 2 in Scotland; if the blue card initiative is approved, trials will begin in amateur and youth soccer.

The reaction and rejection in England to this rule has been widespread and unequivocal. Another fact that The Telegraph points out is that referees would be trained so that there is not an excessive use of the blue card to avoid a large number of players being punished during the same match.