Interesting piece in The Times...pity the issue was swerved when Carragher and Gerrard were the chief protagonists....when Elleray was actually on the pitch.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/plan-to-restrict-referee-contact-v6xcc2bsw
Only captains will be allowed to talk with referees
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
March 3 2017, 12:01am, The Times
Football’s lawmakers are considering introducing a rule that only the captain can talk to the referee after “major” incidents in an effort to stop players surrounding match officials.
The annual International FA Board (Ifab) meeting at Wembley today will hear proposals to enhance the role of the captain as part of moves to improve behaviour and increase respect for referees.
Rugby union already operates a system in which the captain speaks to the referee on behalf of the team.
David Elleray, the former referee who is now Ifab technical director, told the BBC: “We’re going to be agreeing a major strategy focus on player behaviour. We want to look at whether we can enhance the role and the responsibility of the captain to take some degree of responsibility for the behaviour of his or her players.
“Can we say for a major incident [only] the captain may be able to talk to the referee. If that stops six players from each team going to talk to the referee that will enhance respect and improve respect for the game.
“We want to work with the captains and this is the message we get across the world. Captains are people that respond positively to help.
“We see, in other sports, the captain does have a greater responsibility. If you look at cricket, the captain of the English team is almost more important than the coach. We wouldn’t want to move in that direction but certainly we believe the captain could play a much stronger role.”
Elleray tried to play down the influence of a rugby-style system, suggesting the idea that it was coming from another sport might deter those who make football’s laws.
“I don’t think we have very clear ideas to do what rugby does,” Elleray said. “Sometimes, if we say what rugby does, football immediately says, ‘No, well don’t do it.’ I think everybody agrees the captain could play a better role in the image of the game and the behaviour of players in his or her team.”
The strategy will also look at ways at cracking down on time-wasting, which is already an offence that carries a caution but is still a regular occurrence.
It is expected that the Ifab — which is made up of members from the four British football associations and Fifa, and manage the Laws of the Game — will agree on a decision in principle today and then launch a wide consultation process across all areas of the game.
It is also likely that the FA will apply to Ifab for permission to trial video technology in one of its competitions next season, perhaps the Community Shield, but it is unlikely to feature in the Premier League.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/plan-to-restrict-referee-contact-v6xcc2bsw
Only captains will be allowed to talk with referees
Martyn Ziegler, Chief Sports Reporter
March 3 2017, 12:01am, The Times
Football’s lawmakers are considering introducing a rule that only the captain can talk to the referee after “major” incidents in an effort to stop players surrounding match officials.
The annual International FA Board (Ifab) meeting at Wembley today will hear proposals to enhance the role of the captain as part of moves to improve behaviour and increase respect for referees.
Rugby union already operates a system in which the captain speaks to the referee on behalf of the team.
David Elleray, the former referee who is now Ifab technical director, told the BBC: “We’re going to be agreeing a major strategy focus on player behaviour. We want to look at whether we can enhance the role and the responsibility of the captain to take some degree of responsibility for the behaviour of his or her players.
“Can we say for a major incident [only] the captain may be able to talk to the referee. If that stops six players from each team going to talk to the referee that will enhance respect and improve respect for the game.
“We want to work with the captains and this is the message we get across the world. Captains are people that respond positively to help.
“We see, in other sports, the captain does have a greater responsibility. If you look at cricket, the captain of the English team is almost more important than the coach. We wouldn’t want to move in that direction but certainly we believe the captain could play a much stronger role.”
Elleray tried to play down the influence of a rugby-style system, suggesting the idea that it was coming from another sport might deter those who make football’s laws.
“I don’t think we have very clear ideas to do what rugby does,” Elleray said. “Sometimes, if we say what rugby does, football immediately says, ‘No, well don’t do it.’ I think everybody agrees the captain could play a better role in the image of the game and the behaviour of players in his or her team.”
The strategy will also look at ways at cracking down on time-wasting, which is already an offence that carries a caution but is still a regular occurrence.
It is expected that the Ifab — which is made up of members from the four British football associations and Fifa, and manage the Laws of the Game — will agree on a decision in principle today and then launch a wide consultation process across all areas of the game.
It is also likely that the FA will apply to Ifab for permission to trial video technology in one of its competitions next season, perhaps the Community Shield, but it is unlikely to feature in the Premier League.
