Spurs boss criticises the potential introduction of blue cards and sin bins, warning it could harm the game.

Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham’s head coach, has expressed his strong opposition to any plans to introduce blue cards and sin bins in football, describing them as a threat to the sport’s integrity. The proposal, which surfaced earlier this week, would see players penalised with a 10-minute sin bin for dissent and professional fouls, with a blue card being shown for the offences.

While FIFA clarified that the trial will not be implemented in elite football, the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which oversees the laws of the game, has yet to release any official plans for such a trial. Despite this, Postecoglou made it clear he believes the introduction of sin bins would be disastrous for football.

Speaking ahead of Tottenham’s home game against Brighton, the Australian manager said: “One team being reduced to 10 men for 10 minutes? It’s going to destroy our game, mate. Teams would just waste time for 10 minutes, sitting there waiting for the player to return.”

Postecoglou also compared the potential move to other sports that have been working to streamline their rules and make the game more fluid. “All other sports are trying to declutter, and yet we’re heading in the opposite direction for some bizarre reason,” he added.

In the same press conference, Postecoglou addressed concerns over Tottenham’s goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, who has faced criticism for conceding from corners in recent games. During a 2-2 draw with Everton, Vicario struggled to deal with a corner kick that resulted in a goal, and a similar situation had occurred in a 1-0 loss to Manchester City the previous month. Postecoglou defended his goalkeeper, highlighting how Vicario had improved after those incidents.

Tottenham have also reached out to Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) for clarification on what constitutes encroachment on the goalkeeper. The issue arose after several instances in which players appeared to impede Vicario’s ability to defend, including during set-pieces where the goalkeeper was surrounded by opponents.

“We’ve sent some stuff to get some clarification,” said Postecoglou. “There’s been a shift in the rules, and now it seems players can crowd the goalkeeper and obstruct him before the ball even arrives. I don’t believe that’s right.”

Tottenham’s manager also voiced frustration over the perception that goalkeepers are overly protected, especially in light of video assistant referee (VAR) technology. “If a goalkeeper pushes a player, there’s no chance—you’re going to get a penalty,” he added.

With Tottenham’s star player, Son Heung-min, returning for the match against Brighton, Postecoglou is hopeful that his presence will lift the team’s chances of making a surprise push for the Premier League title. Despite the odds—Opta Analytics give Spurs just a 0.1% chance of winning the league this season—Postecoglou remains optimistic. “What did it say, 0.1%? So we’ve got a chance then. Let’s go for it. No problems with that,” he said with a smile.