The Football.....

[swee'pea99]

Don't start, I know nothing about soccer, but .....
anyone committing a deliberate foul should be off the field for ten minutes - as in rugby football. That will curb cynicism. Bad mouthing of the referee will incur a ten metre distance penalty / and loss of player for ten minutes etc...therefore giving the responsibility for behaviour back to the player - not adding to the blame of the referee and whatever the blokes who wave flags are called these days. Anyone writhing around / trying to gain unfair advantage etc to be reviewed by TV and stopped from playing in their next game.

+1 to all that (particularly the 'Don't start, I know nothing about soccer'). The sin bin seems a particularly useful innovation - a ten minute one man disadvantage is a far more worthwhile disincentive to bad behaviour than a booking which in truth means nothing unless followed by another. I'd also add full implementation of all technological aids to getting the best possible answer to crucial contentious decisions. I find it bizarre that in a game so utterly dependent on 'did it or did it not cross the line?' decisions, the technology long available and widely used elsewhere to give a definitive answer is still spurned.

 

[dellzeqq]

abandon hope....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/16/andre-villas-boas-liverpool-kenny-dalglish

 

[thom]

In soccer. the authorities have a mantra that the game is to be managed the same way, to the greatest extent, from top to bottom. Hence no video replay, no goal line technology and no post match citing. just about everyone else thinks that this is a mistake when people are able to pick over every decision in slo-mo after every televised game.

Yes, its a cop out.
Tif is right in much that he says. Add to the list a restriction of communication to the referee through the captain and start sin binning players for use of foul language.
Football has many issues over player conduct that both it's authorities and fans are spineless about addressing. A lot of the time it's a massive turn off for me and does contribute to a general level of crap about the game. I can understand Fran's comment. Also I can't understand how in a so called debate about football it is deemed acceptable to ridicule managers with speech defects or because their face looks funny. That is not debate either, it is abuse. It seems a general problem with football that it makes people tribal, humourless and is considered an environment where at times, different standars of behaviour are deemed acceptable.
That said, I'm a Spurs supporter and I like football. We had a season where we fell short of 3rd place by the smallest of margins but generally are thought to have brought panache to the PL this year at times. And I like the way our club is run.

 

[martint235]

I have NO lack of knowledge from the Shankly era. I saw my first game at Anfield in 1964 and have been watching them ever since and have had two season tickets for more than thirty years so I'll take no lessons about that from anyone. I meant FIFTY years so forgive me if I don't apologise all over the place for a teensy miscalculation.

I'm not going to get into an argument about it but when you're preaching to people you should at least be accurate. No one else on this thread would know that it was a "teensy miscalculation", they would only know it was wrong.

 

[dellzeqq]

PS And, as managers that get sacked for being useless at one team, seem to be saviours-in-waiting for the next managerless team that pops up, surely Liverpool will be looking closely at Average Villas Boas Sp? or what about Sven Eric Gordunsson / Fablon Capello - so many options for a team on the up!

Di Matteo got sacked from WBA and seems to be a success at Chelsea. How one explains that I've no idea.

Paul - your problem is this. You have an attachment to a team that is brought down by its own myth. I, by contrast, know that supporting a football club is always tragic. And here's the reason why.... http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/

 

[martint235]

Di Matteo got sacked from WBA and seems to be a success at Chelsea. How one explains that I've no idea.

And I hope that Roy Hodgson will be a success at England. I have my doubts but there are less about Roy and more about the expectation that the media generates about the chances of our second rate players competing for major trophies.

 

[Inertia]

Sacking Kenny Dalgleish is a Kop out. Should have sacked Gerard instead.

Don't start, I know nothing about soccer, but why do managers always get the sack for players obviously playing badly, lazily or in an uncommitted fashion, without team ethos or spirit?
Players perhaps should get 'the average wage' and only start getting paid by results. Spectators will benefit surely?

Good post, I agree that in an ideal world the players would pay but football is ruined sadly. Too much money, you cant sack an asset who cost you £20 million quid, you have to sack the one who bought the asset and couldn't motivate it. Its hard to punish someone who in the end can jusrt stop playing properly and walk to another club as there is always someone who will give them another shot (ie Barton)

Re playacting, diving and lack or respect, its so easy to solve its sad. Use recordings to punish playactors and book anyone approaching the ref to argue except the captain, make him have a purpose.

It will never happen of course, you will get experts claiming noone will be left on the pitch. B*llocks, they will soon stop after the first one gets an early shower and if they cant control their mouths its the best place for them.

Finally as for Liverpool its my club and I try to be as honest as possible about them. I would have given Dalglish next season to turn it around, however they were pushed into appointing him, he wasnt their choice and I guess they feel they gave him long enough.

Its sad though, the marketing men have won, teams and fans celebrate getting in the top 3 and champions league football. is that what we have come down to? celebrating winning some money and playing some european teams instead of actually winning something?

Oh well

 

[ceepeebee]

sin-binning players in football = bus parked for the duration of said binning, it's not going to make for a decent game really is it?

Thom's points on the ridiculous abuse meted out for stupid things = spot on. Perhaps that paper's vindictive attack on Hodgson's inability to pronounce his R's is a shark-jumping moment for it? Sadly I doubt it.

 

[ceepeebee]

I think the only answer to football's current travails is the introduction of the rush-goalie rule tbqh

 

[Durian]

Sacking Kenny Dalgleish is a Kop out. Should have sacked Gerard instead.

Don't start, I know nothing about soccer, but why do managers always get the sack for players obviously playing badly, lazily or in an uncommitted fashion, without team ethos or spirit?
Players perhaps should get 'the average wage' and only start getting paid by results. Spectators will benefit surely?
Also, anyone committing a deliberate foul should be off the field for ten minutes - as in rugby football. That will curb cynicism. Bad mouthing of the referee will incur a ten metre distance penalty / and loss of player for ten minutes etc...therefore giving the responsibility for behaviour back to the player - not adding to the blame of the referee and whatever the blokes who wave flags are called these days. Anyone writhing around / trying to gain unfair advantage etc to be reviewed by TV and stopped from playing in their next game. All this is already in operation in other team sports and soccer is scared of being exposed as deceitful it seems, relying on bluster, distraction or the Arsene Wenger defence <shrug of shoulders> "I did not see the incident but the referee clearly had a good view" or his other version "that was clearly a penalty and I think the referee made a poor decision. We will be interested in seeing the replays" etc. Often, when listening to the radio, people talk about being 'interested in seeing the replays'. Why, with such belief, does this sport drag its feet so badly. Millions of people really care about their teams - if it was made more accountable then everyone would care more about the sport. Even I might watch and learn something.
Good luck Chelsea, and may it be an enjoyable game for those who watch. Don't forget to cast an eye over Leinster v Ulster as a mouth-watering contest in the European Rugby Cup final at 5pm on Saturday. Ulster are achieving through teamwork. It may not be enough against Leinster...and if you're not doing anything on Friday evening there's more team sport in the Amlin Cup Final. Biarritz v Toulon.


PS And, as managers that get sacked for being useless at one team, seem to be saviours-in-waiting for the next managerless team that pops up, surely Liverpool will be looking closely at Average Villas Boas Sp? or what about Sven Eric Gordunsson / Fablon Capello - so many options for a team on the up!

I agree with all you say about cheating in the game and it's time more severe punishments are given for all the play acting that now goes on.

As to why Dalgleish was sacked. Firstly he finished light years behind the two Manchester clubs so not even the slightest challenge to win the Premier League.

Liverpool should be challenging for a Champions League place but Spurs but were so far ahead it was pitiful.

Dalgleish wasted more money on the likes of Carroll, Henderson, Downing and Adam than most Premier teams ever get to spend.

The way Dalgleish dealt with the Suarez situation brought shame on their once great club.

Those are just four of the reasons the Yanks said "enough is enough."

 

[Inertia]

Liverpool should be challenging for a Champions League place but Spurs but were so far ahead it was pitiful."

I think this played a huge part in his sacking, though I think he needed advice and he didn't get it. IMO this is another example of money causing issues, there is to much money invested in players to risk upsetting them.

They went too far though, the t-shirt thing had me cringing at the time but he is old school, someone at the club should have said it was a bad idea and reined him in.

 

[Andrew_P]

My nomination for Liverpool's next manager, seen here celebrating his finest moment. Apologies for the Daily Mail content of this slightly dated photo, I just couldn't find anything more suitable with a Liverpool connection.

Best game ever, remember it like it was yesterday. Even the first final game was dramtic!

 

[Aperitif]

not entirely serious surely - do we need fake blood capsules, eye gouging and whatever the hell they get up to in scrums in our wonderful game?

I'm not entirely unbiased though - don't know what it is about rugby but it just leaves me completely cold, I'll watch any sport, even crown green bowls, but put rugby on and I switch off completely, I tried to watch the WC final where Wilkinson kicked the winner - turned off after 10 minutes to watch masterchef.

I don't want to deflect the thrust of this debate about soccer, but the things that you mention about rugby football are precisely the things that are very closely scrutinised and accordingly dealt with. From Elite level through to 'grass roots', any behaviour prejudicial to the sport is taken very seriously. And sanctioned. This might be deliberately trying to blind someone, or acting recklessly while drunk on a rugby tour and sliding down an escalator belt, upsetting people along the way. Yes it matters in rugby - in football, the typical tosser-like behaviour is idolised and often copied. 'Role models' - my butt.
Don't get me started on journalistic propogation either - or the "celebrations" that involve sliding along the ground on the knees. Or somersaults and all that other obscene nonsense that is tolerated.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I think the only answer to football's current travails is the introduction of the rush-goalie rule tbqh

How about a playground approach to the whole thing, so:

All players assemble en masse - best two players choose in turn who they want on their team.
Whoever brought the ball gets special dispensation, despite ability, so they don't take it home.
Last 2 to be chosen are goalies unless there's anyone really tall.
No offside.
Goal goes all the way up into the sky.
If one team is streets ahead the 'last goal wins rule' can be brought in, only by suggestion of the losing team and only if they think they could win a fight.

 

[martint235]

I am anticipating getting excited about the European Championships. I like to fall for this one every time.

I'm thinking of giving it a miss this year. In fact I think I missed it for the last world cup too, I just couldn't look at the team and think "Yes this team of players is going to challenge Brazil, Spain et al for the honours". Then again in the Euros weird things can happen, just look at Denmark and Greece. However if you were to pull together a team of 11 plus subs from the qualified countries, just how many of the England team would be involved? Rooney, possibly, Gerrard possibly, Young outside chance. And yet the media will have us believe these are world beaters by the time they leave for the Ukraine.