It would bring football in line with rugby union, which has strict rules around in-match communication.In rugby, only the captain is allowed to speak directly to the referee. In return, the referee is asked to communicate directly with the captain only.

Do it! Great idea. And while we're at make the players call the ref sir like rugby, and I'm being serious. Let's get some respect back in to the game.

Not sure Ferguson would have liked this idea if he was still in the game.

Try implementing that in practice! Professional footballers are an argumentative, dense, self centred lot.

I think it's absolutely the right way to go but some players will take quite a while to get used to it. Some idiots still take their shirts off celebrating a goal when they know it is a nailed on yellow card offence.

Good idea.

Hope it gets implemented soon, if passed. Sometimes, there can be 6 or 7 players chasing a Ref after he gives a penalty or a red card.

Refs have a tough enough job as it is, so anything that helps, great.

Isnt that already a rule in UK football ?

The days of players all shouting at the ref whilst surrounding him stopped about ten years ago .

  Now a days, its mainly only the Captain who confers with the Ref

i thought it was already a rule too - just badly enforced by many refs and ignored by a lot of players.

 

the idea of them calling him 'sir' can sod off though. public schoolboy nonsense. they'll be towel-flicking and butt-patting like the ridiculous egg-chasers next.

9 hours ago, oldgit said:

Try implementing that in practice! Professional footballers are an argumentative, dense, self centred lot.

Indeed, they are actively encouraged to do it by coaches. It is shown to work. The ref doesn't reverse the decision but shies away from giving further decisions against the same team.

4 hours ago, sanemax said:

Isnt that already a rule in UK football ?

The days of players all shouting at the ref whilst surrounding him stopped about ten years ago .

  Now a days, its mainly only the Captain who confers with the Ref

U having a laugh?