Yep, that's good. I mean it too, but there will be legions of retrospective action enquiries... Boo-hoo, he flicked my coiffure and the ref didn't see it..!
Suspect they will only use it for the dangerous and outrageous stuff. Remember, as in cricket, some things are not always clear...what looks like a dive may be someone unbalanced by a light touch at speed. They won't want to clog up their appeals system.
Indeed and it's possibly for the best all in all, would really open up a can of worms and would be mightily contentious as to where they draw the line, like there's some where there's just flat out no contact, others where there's as you say only a slight touch but people like Bale argue that at the speed they go at that's enough to send them off balance. It would certainly take a while to iron out and it would be a tumultuous issue for a few years if it was implemented until it was refined into the most effective model, much as they are doing with the topic of this thread. Frustrating that so little is being done about such a nasty part of our game though, fact is referees are ill-equiped and unable to identify at take sufficient action of divers during games, and as long as that is the case players will exploit it.
I do mean the obvious ones though. Like the ones that are blatent simulation and not the average contact/no contact ones. And for feigned injuries where they roll around, then peek for a second to see if the ref is watching, then continue rolling around.
Even if you implement it only trying to punish the 'obvious' ones there will be controversy and a line will still have to be drawn, what's obvious and what's not, that will mean different things to different people and there will be some that many deem obvious that would go unpunished, a few less obvious ones may get called up, and then all you've done is kick the hornet's nest. I'm torn personally, I think if it was implemented it would probably just get us embroiled in more contentious events, there'd be more uproar from fans and managers, but realistically once the punishments start getting handed out players will be much more cautious about treading the line. It would probably cause a lot of squabbling for a few years and then eventually it would settle into place, but then if the rules are different here than elsewhere, players may be more likely to favour leagues in which they are free to cheat at will, possibly a good thing but it would dent the quality on show. Some of the prime diving candidates in the league over the years have been among the very best players, are they more likely to reform or just go somewhere they will not be 'persecuted' (Case in point - Suarez). All in all I do feel something needs to be done and although it would be a messy process it's probably the only way, but unfortunately the fact remains I really doubt the FA will do anything about it soon.
I hope it really limits itself to nasty and dangerous play whether seen by the ref or not. Don't really want a witch hunt for other infractions, some of which could be a matter of opinion.
They are using the words, "truly exceptional" which basically means they aren't going to do anything about the stuff we all find very annoying, diving for example. If its only going to be used for the really obvious stuff like the McManaman then its going to be next to useless. Do they still have the rule about moving a free kick forward 10 yards for dissent etc? That worked well didn't it!?
Indeed we weren't suggesting that this change meant they are going to punish diving, just discussing what they could do in future. I worry that despite this change of wording a few are still going to get away with it, instead of arsing with the wording to hide behind it and protect the referees, wish they'd just be out with it and say they'd review decisions where referees did not to punish acts of dangerous or violent play, regardless whether they could see or 'assess' it.
I don't very often disagree with you Fran but on this one I do. I would welcome it becoming something of a witch hunt to really drive things out of the game. Diving has been mentioned but also shirt pulling, putting an arm across a player to stop a run, all the nonsense at corners, not getting back 10 yards instantly etc........anything really that the referee for whatever reason was unable to deal with. It won't happen though so you don't need to worry.
have you seen the training photos of Saints...arms across, exchanging shirts before the end...there would be no players left if things were dealt with retrospectively.
but that would go for all teams so if we try and 'play the game' then we would get done just as others. As for the players going to leagues that they won't be persecuted? They go where the money is not where they can get away with cheating. They don't stay away from the Premier League because the refs let more 'contact' or tackles go do they so why woiuld they go somewhere else because they can get away with more? I just worry that as has happened already a free kick or penalty isn't about whether it was a foul or not anymore. All pundits talk about is whether there was contact or not. That ain't the rules yet there is already a witLots of stuff needs addressing head on before the game is just a charade. As it is there is only 10 minutes of football a game with the rest being 'gamesmanship' or blatent cheating.
Yes, I've seen them and I have a lot of sympathy for Lff's view. Just because some of it appears to be allowed by refs doesn't make it right or that Saints players indulge in it. Every player in every team would be ruled against if they shirt pulled, dived, left a leg in there, tried to push or punch their opposition number if they thought the camera wasn't on them, etc. However, I have no doubt many of these things will be left to happen.
