Image source, Getty Images

There's still loads of football to be played before we even get to the start of the men's Uefa Nations League in September 2024, but the draw for the tournament took place in Paris on Thursday.

England have been drawn against the Republic of Ireland, Finland and Greece in their League B group for the men's 2024-25 Nations League.

Scotland, who feature in the top League A groups, will face Croatia, Poland and Portugal.

Wales have been placed in the same League B group as Iceland, Montenegro and Turkey.

Northern Ireland are to play Belarus, Bulgaria and Luxembourg in their League C group.

Leagues A, B and C each have four groups of four teams, while League D has two groups of three teams.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is coming up shortly - how many questions into his press conference do you think it'll be before he's asked about blue cards? I'll guess four.

BBC Radio 5 Live

More from former Premier League referee Peter Walton speaking to 5 Live Breakfast about the blue card suggestion: "Clearly it will have another layer of subjectivity to it because it's down to the individual referee to decide whether or not that action deserves a blue card. But ultimately, again, I'll go back to the points that it has made a difference in grassroots football in terms of dissent from players towards referees. It has encouraged referees to continue in the game and continue their enjoyment of the game as well.

"And I think that if it’s introduced into professional football, yeah, it can only be good for the game. Look, let's just see how it goes on in these trials."

BBC Radio 5 Live

Former Premier League referee Peter Walton speaking to 5 Live Breakfast about the blue card suggestion: "I think anything that will help a referee manage a game of football is good for the game and the lawmakers are acutely aware of the image of the game as well. So if I had that in my armoury, yeah, I'd have been thankful for it.

"I think at the moment though, the trend of introducing new technology is just taking a bit of a backward step with the some of the negative publicity surrounding VAR recently. I think that's why we're having such a debate today."

So, what happens if a player is a multiple offender? Thank you to BBC Breakfast sports presenter Mike Bushell for the explainer in this video. , external

If a player picks up two blue cards, that means they're off - and for the remainder of the match.

Red card. Get 'em walking.

A player will also be off the pitch for good if they receive a blue and a yellow card.

Gareth Southgate was asked about the blue card news at the Nations League draw in Paris last night, but the England manager said he didn't have enough information to go on yet. "I would have said the game has worked quite well for a long time," said Southgate.

"I suppose we always have to modernise with certain things but yeah, I'd have to really understand how that would have to work before I could give a really strong view."

Former Blackburn striker Chris Sutton wrote his thoughts on X,, external saying Ifab have picked the wrong scheme to focus on: "Well done IFAB for complicating the game even more and prioritising a blue card over the outdated head injury protocol which doesn’t put players first…"

Please remember to leave your name in your messages!

But hang on, should we all be holding our horses when it comes to blue cards? Yes, according to football's world governing body, Fifa.

Fifa media wrote on X, formerly Twitter:, external "FIFA wishes to clarify that reports of the so-called 'blue card' at elite levels of football are incorrect and premature.

"Any such trials, if implemented, should be limited to testing in a responsible manner at lower levels, a position that FIFA intends to reiterate when this agenda item is discussed at the IFAB AGM on 2 March."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Ifab (International Football Association Board) is scheduled to hold its annual meeting at Loch Lomond in Scotland in March and sin-bin trials at higher levels of the game are listed as a topic for discussion in the agenda.

Sin-bins were piloted in 2018-19, with the Football Association reporting a 38% total reduction in dissent across 31 leagues.

They were introduced across all levels of grassroots football from the 2019-20 season in an attempt to improve levels of respect and fair play.

The rule change was then implemented up to step five of the National League system and tier three and below in women's football.

"I think [there is] frustration for fans watching games when they see a promising counter-attack that's ruined by that [a tactical foul]," FA chief executive Mark Bullingham previously said.

"The question of whether a yellow card is sufficient for that has led to us looking at whether that should be involved in the protocol as well.

"The starting point was looking at player behaviour and dissent - we're then looking at whether we should extend it into other areas, such as tactical fouls, as well."

A referee brandishing a blue card and sending a player off the pitch for 10 minutes - could it really be a success in the world of football?

The floor is yours on this one.

Are you open to the idea of introducing this new blue rule into the game?

Or do you think yellow and red cards are absolute fine, and this 'naughty step' is the wrong fit for football.

Get in touch via #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Football's lawmakers Ifab are to trial sin-binning players and issuing blue cards, it will be announced on Friday.

Sin-bins have been used at grassroots level for dissent but their use could be extended to cynical fouls as part of a trial.

A player would spend 10 minutes in the technical area after being given a blue card by a referee.

It is not yet clear when the trial will start and which competitions it will involve.

The Premier League has already ruled out being part of the initial roll-out of any trial, while football's world governing body Fifa said "reports of the so-called 'blue card' at elite levels of football are incorrect and premature".

It added: "Any such trials, if implemented, should be limited to testing in a responsible manner at lower levels, a position that Fifa intends to reiterate when this agenda item is discussed at the Ifab AGM [annual general meeting] on 1 March."

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is doing his pre-match presser first this morning, so we get to hear his thoughts on their trip to Nottingham Forest on Saturday nice early.

Which is great.

Image source, Getty Images

The rest of the bosses? All between 1-1:30pm, so get ready for an avalanche of words about the title race, relegation battles and top-four ambitions a bit later on.

The Times

If England perform well at this summer's Euros in Germany, could Gareth Southgate stay on as manager and lead the side through to the 2026 World Cup? That's what the England boss has hinted, writes The Times.

Image source, The Times

'Three Lions pair in an Irish stew' writes the Daily Star, adding will Jack Grealish and Declan Rice - who both played for the Republic of Ireland before switching to England - 'face boos in Dublin' when the sides meet each other in the Nations League.

Image source, Daily Star

The Daily Mail

Over at the Daily Mail, the paper leads with story that Gary Neville and Roy Keane have alleged that some of the teams Manchester United faced in Europe under Sir Alex Ferguson were guilty of doping.

Have you watched the new Gladiators on BBC One? Former referee Mark Clattenburg says he is loving his new role on the TV show, although John Anderson will always be number one for me.

Image source, Daily Mail