NEWPORT County AFC manager Graham Coughlan has branded the idea of introducing blue cards and sin-bins into the game as “laughable,” writes Andrew Penman.

Football’s lawmakers Ifab announced this week that they are to trial the system, with players spending 10 minutes in the technical area after being given a blue card by a referee.

Blue cards have already been trialled in some Welsh leagues, including the Gwent Premier League, and sin-bins have been used before at grassroots level for dissent but their use could be extended to cynical fouls as part of a trial.

It is not yet clear when the extension of the trial will start and which competitions it will involve, but Coughlan is clear that he doesn’t want it in League Two.

“Just leave our bloody game alone,” said the Exiles boss. “The amount of nonsense going on, and these are people who have never kicked a ball in their lives making these decisions.

“The game is fine the way it is, although you could do with taking VAR out as well. But the game is fine, there is no need to be tearing the game apart.

“We have loved it for years and we will carry on loving it for years but some of this nonsense the people are speaking…they are actually clueless.

“Blue cards? Oh my God don’t give me all that nonsense.

“All that will do is – teams will just bank up for 10 minutes or 15 minutes whatever the rules, kick the ball out of play, boring game, run the clock down. That’s brilliant, the spectators will love to come and see! Don’t get me started, its absolute nonsense.

“And the frightening thing is some of them don’t know about the game, have not actually played the game and they are making decisions in football.

“Blue cards? What the hell. It’s absolutely laughable.”