German referee Patrick Ittrich suggested a number of changes to the rules, such as a ten-minute sending-off to calm the players down, or an outright sending-off for those who are blocked by an official.

Bold proposals to change football refereeing

A member of the Hamburg Football Association, the 44-year-old German surprised with his proposals. Among other things, he would like to see tactical fouls in midfield that deliberately interrupt play be punished by a free kick from 17 meters, writes AS.com.

Ittrich also suggests that any player who skates on the field trying to bid time be removed from the field for three minutes pending medical attention.

Another measure, similar to handball, involves a ten-minute off-field penalty for players who insult the referee so they can relax and return to the field in peace.

Last but not least, and perhaps the most severe measure suggested by the German referee, would be red cards for footballers who surround the referee with the intention of pressuring him to get a favorable decision.

Patrick Ittrich has been a referee since 2003, and has been working in the Bundesliga since 2016.