James McClean has come up with a left-field suggestion on how to improve football: let the players fight.
The Wigan winger believes football should follow in the footsteps of ice hockey, where referees allow players to fight briefly before handing them a five-minute sin bin.
It is a much more physical sport than football that accepts elbows and shoulder barges as part of the game, even if these do occasionally spill over into on-ice scraps.
McClean feels this would be an excellent addition to his own sport, as he said on Instagram: ‘Just an observation… if football introduced the rule like in ice hockey where if there is on field issue then let two players involved have a 10/15 second tear up and then sin bin them, I guarantee there’d be far less handbags.’
The outlandish suggestion comes at complete odds with the current situation in football, which sees players dismissed and handed sizeable suspensions for violent conduct.
In a recent example, Manchester United’s Casemiro was sent off for appearing to grab Will Hughes by the throat in their clash with Crystal Palace during a mass confrontation earlier this month.
Interpretations of the incident differed wildly, with Erik ten Hag initially accusing the referee of inconsistency before later relenting, while former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor claimed the midfielder should have been arrested.
McClean has become known for speaking his mind on matters that polarise opinion.
The Republic of Ireland international has refused to wear a Remembrance Day poppy throughout his career, and opened up last year on the abuse that he has received as a result of his stance.
He also stood away from his team-mates during a minute’s silence for the Queen in September following her passing.
McClean’s proposal is certainly a controversial one, but his Latics team-mates may be keen to try anything that might free them from the Championship relegation zone.
Wigan sacked Kolo Toure as manager last month after going winless in his nine games in charge and, while they have improved under new boss Shaun Maloney, they still sit 22nd in the table after 31 games.
They have picked up two draws either side of a narrow win against Huddersfield since Maloney arrived, and are now just two points from safety.