Saturday 28 February 2015 13:17, UK
Video replays, substitutes, sin bins and time-keeping will be discussed on Saturday morning as world football's lawmakers gather in Craigavad, high on the slopes of the Holywood Hills near Belfast.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has arrived for the 129th annual general meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) hosted, this year, by the Irish Football Association.
David Gill, former Manchester United chief executive, is a member of UEFA's executive committee but has travelled to Northern Ireland in his capacity as vice-chairman of the Football Association.
Gill, who is also campaigning to become a FIFA vice-president, is attending the IFAB meeting with FA chairman Greg Dyke.
Gill welcomes the debate about the proposed testing of video replays for match officials.
"We can't live in the past." said David Gill on the eve of the meeting. "Greg Dyke’s come out and said he embraces it, and I think in certain circumstances I would look at it. We’ve got to move forward. The game is getting much quicker.
"The television coverage, you know, 28, 30 cameras a game. Everything is replayed, replayed. So how do we use that? My personal view is yes, sensibly, but it needs to be done in a manner that doesn’t detract from the fast paced, quick action of football.”
I think in certain circumstances I would look at it. We’ve got to move forward. The game is getting much quicker.
Video technology will be discussed, along with sin bins, but IFAB will only decide whether to extend further trials.
The IFAB will also discuss a proposal from the United States for more transparent time-keeping during a game.
America's officials would like to see a visible clock, which stops and starts with play, so everyone knows precisely how long there is left in a match.
Officials will vote on a proposed introduction of a fourth substitute in extra time, and whether 'triple punishment', where a player concedes a penalty, receives a red card and subsequent suspension for one offence, is too harsh.
UEFA president Michel Platini once described 'triple punishment' as "stupid".
“It takes quite a long time to make changes to the laws of the game." Patrick Nelson, Irish FA chief executive, told Sky Sports News HQ.
"We’re a fairly conservative organisation. Some might criticise that, but realistically we've been running this now for 129 years. In 209 countries FIFA operates, and the laws of the game are universal in all of those countries.
"The four British associations have always been part of that. The laws of the game are set here, and we have to take the view of everything that happens from the World Cup Final to the local parks pitch. We try make the best decisions for the game worldwide.”
IFAB will also vote on whether to introduce 'return substitutes', where a substituted player will be allowed to play a further part in the same game, at grassroots and recreational level.
The proposal follows successful experiments in England and Scotland.
“We are considering the concept of return substitutions at a low level of the game." said Nelson. "That will be dependent upon every individual association. If we approve this, they can make their own decisions as to what level that is.
"The idea of being able to effectively roll substitutes on, and roll substitutes off. That will be a significant change if we pass it, and it will be great for recreational football.”
IFAB executives are scheduled to hold a news conference early on Saturday afternoon to discuss the outcome of the meeting.
