Are sin-bins the way forward in football?

Michel Platini is a fan of the sin-bin idea

There are many within football who seem to believe the sport needs a sin-bin, but would its introduction really benefit the game?

Every football manager, player and fan knows the rules concerning the issuing of yellow and red cards. Yet there continues to be the debate raging on about the potential benefits of sending players to sin-bins to penalise them without having to dismiss them.

It has seemed to be the successful use of sin-bins in rugby that has helped fervour the debate about whether they should be introduced in football. In rugby, all players are confined to the sin-bin bench for 10 minutes after they have committed a yellow card offence, for a serious foul or indiscipline. The game continues without them for 10 minutes, thus giving the opposition an advantage over that period.

The sin-bin has been trialled in the Dutch amateur leagues - with an extra stipulation stating a player can only return to the game if he assures his behaviour will be nothing short of exemplary for the remainder of the game - and in January 2014 it was revealed the notion of sin-bins would be discussed by the International Football Association Board - the body which makes the final decision in law changes.

Indeed UEFA chief Michel Platini has shown a preference for cautions to be replaced with time penalties, saying: "I would make it like rugby, punishing the offender with 10 or 15 minutes out of the game"

There does seem to be backing for the introduction of sin-bins, with Jerome Champagne putting sin-bins as one of his proposed reforms in his bid to run in the FIFA presidential election - before ultimately withdrawing from the race after failing to receive the necessary backing. But the fact that major players within UEFA and FIFA are shown to be fans of the idea suggests it could turn from mooted possibility to reality sooner rather than later.

Support for the possible introduction of sin-bins has come from within the English game itself. Arsene Wenger said in an edition of Arsenal Magazine that sin-bins were "worth thinking about" as it could be used to potentially calm down a player who is in danger of losing his temper, and getting him to focus on the game. He described it as a more "instant punishment" to both the team and the opposition on the day.

But there are many questions that could stand in the way of sin-bins working. How would they improve the game? What exact offences should be dealt with? Would all offences come with the same time penalty? And what happens if a goalkeeper is sin-binned?

It could be argued that sin-bins could potentially help referees when it comes to technical offences, such as removal of shirts or kicking the ball away. These offences always look harsh in the eyes of players and fans, especially when it comes as a second yellow card. Too often, referees tend to shy away from showing yellow cards for technical offences or abusive behaviour. The introduction of sin-bins would act as a suitable punishment and allow the officials to enforce the rules, without having to go all the way and dismiss the player.

However, sin-bins in rugby league were originally introduced to deal with consistent technical infringements, but soon became used for all manner of different purposes. There could be the similar concern that in football a sin-bin could become a bit of a cop-out for referees, a way for them to get the player to exit the field without having to show a full red card and incur the wrath of fans, his team-mates and his manager.

A lot of talk about sin-bins seems to come where there is a red card at an early stage in the game. Dismissing players early on does always seem harsh on a referee that is doing his job and acting within the letter of the law. Yet showing a red card within the first 15 minutes does lead to fans claiming the referee 'ruined the game as a spectacle' and he 'should have used his common sense' not to dismiss a player so early. But all the players know the laws of the game and the same infringement should be given the same punishment whether it's in the eighth or 80th minute of a match.

The discussions often centre on not ruining games for viewers. If a player is sent off early on then the game is supposedly ruined as a spectacle and for neutrals watching on television. However, by introducing sin-bins you are opening the game up to potential manipulation. Whereas players currently know if they are reckless early on they will get the red card, with sin-bins they can be reckless early on. Players can put in crunching, dangerous tackles in the opening moments to scare their opponents, knowing they will not be sent off but rather face a 10-minute sin-bin and they'll be back on fresh to continue with the game.

Managers would have to make tactical alterations within the game if sin-bins were introduced. A new tactical element would be introduced as managers would tinker and change their approach while the sin-bin was in force. Should they go for the jugular for the 10 minutes they are a man-up, or keep their existing tactics in place and hope the numbers-game comes to their advantage? And would teams' shut-up-shop as soon as they have someone sin-binned? The old adage is that teams with 10-men can be tougher to break down than those with 11, but would the way sides play change when sin-bins are in play?

As was proven with how long it took for goal-line technology to be introduced, football has shown itself to be very reluctant to change. It would require a major overhaul of the existing mind-set of officials, managers, players and fans to adjust to such a huge change in the rules of the game. And there will be always be debate and discussions over what offences should be covered, the time sin-bins are in force and whether the punishment truly befits the crime.

Within all the discussion and proposals that have been suggested so far, there are potential flaws. At this point in time there is too much grey area to really believe that sin-bins are the way forward. It requires a long-term process of deliberation, research, trials and evaluation before world football can truly make a sustained and fundamental argument that sin-bins should be introduced for the good of the game.