Coventry City trial exclusion zones scheme

[briggcov]

PLAYERS' chief Gordon Taylor believes the time has come for an exclusion zone to be placed around officials.

The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association told The Sun newspaper that 'in the last week there has been a big campaign against dissent and respect for referees and I have made it clear referees should be a no-go area'.

His comments came after the issue of dissent leapt to the top of the media's agenda with high-profile cases involving Ashley Cole and Javie Mascherano.

A Football League spokesperson welcomed Taylor's call and revealed that Coventry City are already at the very heart of any new exclusion zone move.

He said: "While we have still to look at the specifics of such a scheme - the actual physical boundaries of any area etc, etc - we have already set the ball rolling by trialling an exclusion zone at Coventry.

"A few weeks ago Coventry's strikers were told that they are expressly forbidden from making any noteworthy contribution - physical or otherwise - within 18 yards of their opponents' goal.

"And I must say that the trial is going incredibly well. Far better, in fact, than any of us could have hoped for."