Roy Keane gave a hilarious reaction when he was told about a radical new rule that FIFA is trialling.
Keane was known for his ferociousness during his playing days. But since working in the media following his 2006 retirement, he has shown fans a more jovial side to his personality.
The Irishman is not usually afraid to give his opinion, especially when Manchester United are not performing to the standards Keane and several others set during a trophy-laden period at the Red Devils.
One of Keane’s former teammates, Gary Neville, voiced how the former United captain suggested that a ‘coaching challenge’ towards refereeing decisions could work if it was introduced in football.
“Roy’s [Keane] [suggestion for a rule change] was about having one challenge,” Neville told the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“Basically, like in cricket, you have three challenges [or reviews]. Roy was thinking rather than having every decision being challenged, just have one coach or captain challenge.”
Keane then explained how teams “do it in American football”. In the NFL, teams get two challenges, with a third added if they are successful in the two prior reviews.
Several other sports have adopted a review/challenge system, with tennis generally allowing three challenges per set in a match. Cricket first allowed reviews in 2008.
The Decision Review System (DRS) was introduced, allowing players to directly review an umpire’s call if they felt a decision was wrong.
Each team gets three reviews per inning, but they retain a review if an umpire’s decision is overturned. If a review is unsuccessful, it is lost.
Former Premier League referee turned Chief Refereeing Officer for refereeing governing body PGMOL, Howard Webb, then revealed how FIFA was trialling the idea.
Keane was visibly amused that his suggestion had already been put into action and joked about how he was “wasted” working on The Overlap.
“I should be working for FIFA or somebody,” he jokingly told the Stick to Football panel, which included Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Wayne Rooney.
Howard Webb is a former elite referee (Credit:Getty)
Webb then explained the current how the current trials are being carried out in women’s and youth football.
“We’d only really know by seeing [it] in practice,” Webb explained.
“At the moment, England are playing in the Under-17s Women’s World Cup, and we’ve just finished the Under-20s Women’s World Cup as well. They’re doing this as a trial – each coach has two challenges a game.”
In May 2024, BBC Sport reported how FIFA referees’ chief Pierluigi Collina discussed the challenge system as a cheaper alternative to VAR.
The report suggested that a trial had already taken place as “FIFA ran two youth tournaments, one male, one female, on two pitches”.
After 36 trial games, Collina explained how the results were “very positive”.
“Our aim is to continue to trial this new system, namely in our youth competitions,” he told a FIFA congress in Bangkok, Thailand in May 2024.
“We hope to be able to give all of you who have indicated an interest in the possibility to implement this system in your competitions.”