Football: Is the beautiful game being ruined?

[The Prince Of Darkness]

As I was watching the England match the other day, I was getting really pissed off with players of both teams falling over and rolling around like they had been hit with a baseball bat for the slightest touch.

 

I just wondered what all the football fans on the forum thought? Do you think it is part of the game, that a player should not make contact if he does not want the player to go down. Or do you think that the players should be punished for acting?

I understand it would be difficult to prove in real time and I am not suggesting play to be stopped for a "fifth umpire" to analyse slow mo' replay but, what if a punishement could be given post match. EG a Yellow Card.

 

As May be apparent in the poll, I am a fan of Rugby before Football. I personally prefer the way refs are treated and teams are punished for dissent to the ref in rugby.

How many footbal refs have been surrounded by arguing players and have actually said "good point fella's I'll change my decision?"

[classnotgas]

stick to egg chasing

[robio]

As a North American, I always thought the main reason for soccer's inability to penetate the N. American sports market was sports fans here demand tough, play to the whistles, athletes. The faking and stoppage of the game can be a real turn off for a football or hockey fan.

 

That said, I am watching a lot of the WC due to the magnitude of the event, and I cannot say I am surprised to see the dives because I expected to see them. To me, it is inconsistent reffing (especially on offside calls) that is ruining the experience.

 

It is a great game to watch when the stakes are high...I thoroughly enjoyed the Italy / Slovakia game the other night despite the diving, and will be cheering for Korea tonight.

[Craig_ozz]

I hate the actors - some of them should get an academy award

[The Prince Of Darkness]

stick to egg chasing

 

While the footballers continue to act like girls, I will

[The Seeker]

Nice post, PoD.

 

FIFA should impose harsher sanctions and the ref should be allowed to move the ball forward 10 yards if he gets any 'mouth' from players. The video ref is long overdue, even if the so-called 'experts' reckon it will slow the game down. Who cares about that? I want to see a fair game of football.

[Reaper_gfx]

bring back roy keane atleast when he went in for a challenge you knew the guy wasnt diving

[Mr David]

As a North American, I always thought the main reason for soccer's inability to penetate the N. American sports market was sports fans here demand tough, play to the whistles, athletes. The faking and stoppage of the game can be a real turn off for a football or hockey fan.

 

That said, I am watching a lot of the WC due to the magnitude of the event, and I cannot say I am surprised to see the dives because I expected to see them. To me, it is inconsistent reffing (especially on offside calls) that is ruining the experience.

 

It is a great game to watch when the stakes are high...I thoroughly enjoyed the Italy / Slovakia game the other night despite the diving, and will be cheering for Korea tonight.

 

I agree the offside rule does seem a pain at times but without it you would just have the strikers waiting by the goal the entire game.

 

As for N.Americans demanding tough sports, why has Rugby union never taken off? I believe American football was based on rugby but with added dynasty style shoulder pads and crash helmets for protection. Perhaps it just gives an image of being tougher?

 

FIFA should start using a sin bin system and any player arguing/protesting with the ref, falling over etc should be sin binned unless its in the goal area and then they should be sent off. I don't know why they have never done it. Players would soon change their attitudes and hopefully get on with playing the game instead of acting.

 

Any player abusing the officials either physically or verbally should be fined heavily and banned from several games. Clubs themselves should also pay a penalty for the stupid behaviour of their players. Ref's decision is final, get on with the game and stop moaning like spoilt brats.

Edited June 26, 2010 by DavidL

[GeeMan]

Yep, I agree that football (soccer) is a good game ruined by the players.

 

I'm a kiwi living in football mad London, never liked the game in NZ, don't like it here. But regularly I convince myself to give it another chance, just in case I've been wrong all these years and I'm missing out on something.

 

Sure enuf, it always starts well with me being impressed with the outstanding ball skills on display, but without fail sooner or later some poof takes a dive, writhing on the ground, while the replay shows an air gap of several inches between th player and the supposed infringer...shameful.

 

The thing that baffles me is that the FA could stop this instantly. You fake, you are out for a week first offence. Second offence a month. Bet the players would change their ways and stop this appalling CHEATING, for cheating is what this is. I've seen games lost from the other side cheating. So why do the football authorities put up with it? I can understand the players, as people in general (not the rule, just in general) tend to adopt the lowest common denominator i.e. he cheats, so I have to to compete.

 

But the FA, why can't they clean this shit mess up? It is an embarrassment and that is the reason I detest football. Overpaid primadonas.

 

Rant over

 

Peace

 

GeeMan

[doctorsam17]

It was a real treat to see the Japanese team play football: they realise that faking is for losers, and even when there was a foul commited on them, they stood up as fast as they could and continued the game.

A shame this is one of the only countries i have seen this.

[def1]

I agree the offside rule does seem a pain at times but without it you would just have the strikers waiting by the goal the entire game.

 

As for N.Americans demanding tough sports, why has Rugby union never taken off? I believe American football was based on rugby but with added dynasty style shoulder pads and crash helmets for protection. Perhaps it just gives an image of being tougher?

 

FIFA should start using a sin bin system and any player arguing/protesting with the ref, falling over etc should be sin binned unless its in the goal area and then they should be sent off. I don't know why they have never done it. Players would soon change their attitudes and hopefully get on with playing the game instead of acting.

 

Any player abusing the officials either physically or verbally should be fined heavily and banned from several games. Clubs themselves should also pay a penalty for the stupid behaviour of their players. Ref's decision is final, get on with the game and stop moaning like spoilt brats.

I don't think robio was complaining about the actual offside rule I think he was pointing out that has been some atrocious offside decisions by linesmen and referees alike.(have to agree with you 100% As for N.Americans demanding tough sports, why has Rugby union never taken off? I believe American football was based on rugby but with added dynasty style shoulder pads and crash helmets for protection. Perhaps it just gives an image of being tougher? also as for slowing the game down American football stops every 10 to 20 seconds most of of the time) video playback should be brought into football or at the very least give managers or Captains three video replays per match and half diving players should be treated to a Sinbin and referees should also be subject to the same scrutiny as there is absolutely zero consistency within the their game and fifa should stop backing them 100% of the time.

[Bam_Bam]

I think that the "Video Ref" could be introduced with little effect on the flow of the game, if only used when a goal appears to have been scored, but there "maybe" some doubt about whether an indiscretion, like a possible hand ball for instance, like what happened in the France v Ireland game may have occurred, that way the injustices that happen from time to time would be taken out of the game, with the low scoring that occurs on a regular basis wouldn't happen that often.

 

As for the divers, bunch of bloody girls, saw a university study done a while back, the author stated that there where 3 main indicators that almost always applied to "Divers" the most obvious being the clutching of the face, when the face was never anywhere near the action, definitely working from memory on that one though, so don't flame me if marginally wrong with the quote, but you get my drift, surely the Refs could be trained easily to spot these things and told to ignore the blatant cheating that is going on.

 

Heard a well known former NSW Rugby League hooker once say in response to a claim he was a cheat, "It's only cheating if you get caught" surely these guys are being caught every game, not by the officials but by the spectator, stamp it out, better for all concerned.

 

My worth

 

Ban Bam

[pipeman350]

Simple introduce post match yellow cards each time somebody dives in both rugby codes there is post match scrutiny by that particular competitions Judiciary because lets face it match officials are only humans and do make mistakes so somebody who gets Sent off doesn't necessarily get suspended.

 

With Yellow and Red cards make the penalties exponentially harsher for repeat offenders 1st suspension 1week 2nd 2weeks 3rd 4weeks 4th 16weeks with a punishment system like that and post match retrospective yellow cards the amount of diving and dangerous Fouls would soon disappear almost entirely and Dirty players would find it hard tom gain employment as who wants to employ a player who's suspended all the time

 

The reason NFL players wear protection is you need some form of protection in a sport where you have repeated heavy contact between players who may weigh in excess of 140 Kg(300 pounds plus)

Edited June 27, 2010 by pipeman350

[The Prince Of Darkness]

I think that the "Video Ref" could be introduced with little effect on the flow of the game, if only used when a goal appears to have been scored, but there "maybe" some doubt about whether an indiscretion, like a possible hand ball for instance, like what happened in the France v Ireland game may have occurred, that way the injustices that happen from time to time would be taken out of the game, with the low scoring that occurs on a regular basis wouldn't happen that often.

 

As for the divers, bunch of bloody girls, saw a university study done a while back, the author stated that there where 3 main indicators that almost always applied to "Divers" the most obvious being the clutching of the face, when the face was never anywhere near the action, definitely working from memory on that one though, so don't flame me if marginally wrong with the quote, but you get my drift, surely the Refs could be trained easily to spot these things and told to ignore the blatant cheating that is going on.

 

Heard a well known former NSW Rugby League hooker once say in response to a claim he was a cheat, "It's only cheating if you get caught" surely these guys are being caught every game, not by the officials but by the spectator, stamp it out, better for all concerned.

 

My worth

 

Ban Bam

 

 

I agree with you on the video ref, It just wouldn't work if a video ref was used every time a player took a dive.

Here's an idea, what if they introduced a three man panel watching the the game (like they have in the Olympic boxing), each with a button linked to the ref. If two of the three 'judges' hit their button within a second of the offence (dive), the ref sin bins the offender.

It would not stop the game as the ref would have already blown for the 'foul'.

If a player collects three sin bins, he gets a two match suspension.

I am sure the game would improve within a couple of weeks IMHO

[maimeepanhaa]

Plenty of ways to improve the game just dont talk to whitespider about them

[jcs]

Point 1 In UK they trialed the rule that the Ref could move the ball 10yds nearer- needless to say it was not taken up.

 

point 2 Post match disciplinary action can and is taken if the ref misses an incident during the game

 

point 3 Fifa has already said that they will not have a video(fifth ref) ref , it would slow down the game.

 

Point 4 YES they should introduce sin binning, with the ryder that all refs are consistent(difficult)

[Charly2007]

It was a real treat to see the Japanese team play football: they realise that faking is for losers, and even when there was a foul commited on them, they stood up as fast as they could and continued the game.

A shame this is one of the only countries i have seen this.

 

Yes,that's what I like to see!

[Bam_Bam]

I think that the "Video Ref" could be introduced with little effect on the flow of the game, if only used when a goal appears to have been scored, but there "maybe" some doubt about whether an indiscretion, like a possible hand ball for instance, like what happened in the France v Ireland game may have occurred, that way the injustices that happen from time to time would be taken out of the game, with the low scoring that occurs on a regular basis wouldn't happen that often.

 

Last nights England "NO" goal, I rest my case

 

As for the divers, bunch of bloody girls, saw a university study done a while back, the author stated that there where 3 main indicators that almost always applied to "Divers" the most obvious being the clutching of the face, when the face was never anywhere near the action, definitely working from memory on that one though, so don't flame me if marginally wrong with the quote, but you get my drift, surely the Refs could be trained easily to spot these things and told to ignore the blatant cheating that is going on.

 

Watch this video, very incidently, sent to me in an email this morning, check out how many of these guys clutch at there face when they go down.

 

 

Again the prosecution rests

 

 

Bam Bam

Edited June 28, 2010 by Bam_Bam

[The Prince Of Darkness]

The time for a video ref is well and truly nigh.

[melawny]

Last nights England "NO" goal, I rest my case

 

 

 

Watch this video, very incidently, sent to me in an email this morning, check out how many of these guys clutch at there face when they go down.

 

 

Again the prosecution rests

 

 

Bam Bam

 

 

these guys are clearly in agony, There should be a guy on the pitch ready to put them out of their misery, preferably with a firearm. Why was this not an option?