I used to love that Italian beseeching gesture he would do. Far more theatrical and dramatic than the English in the face stuff. Used to convince me too. I suppose that's the last we'll see of Jose's fabled Portuguese gestures as well. Ah well.
They tried several years a go to introduce the 10 yard rule but refs bottled it and it was dropped. Bring it back. Enforce it strictly. This will lead to free kicks closer to goal and or penalties and goals conceded. Managers will then bollock their players so hard it will stop. Six weeks max and it'll be all over IF they show a proper set of balls. Get the Premier League and the LMA together with the refs and get the managers to back it. Should have been done a long time ago.
For these to take place it is VITAL that the refs enforce them in the first few weeks of the season. Will be interesting to see how the 'at least one player yellow carded when 2 of more surround the referee...' one - how the ref decides which player(s) get the yellow card. Particularly if one or more are already booked....
Your last sentence sums up what has gone wrong with the yellow card system. The yellow-red cards evolved from the old "booking" system where a player's name was taken and he was cautioned "next time, you're off". If the refs would only show consistency in applying not just the second yellow but the first as well, we might begin to see players behaving better.
I'm looking for the small print that says, "No, not you Man Utd, Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, only the smaller clubs, obviously!"
Looking forward to seeing the first player running in a non aggressive Louis Spence style, towards the ref.
I think the best way to handle that is when players surround a ref is for the ref to raise his hand and count down from 5 using his fingers so it is visual and he does not need to speak and any player other than the captain standing around him at the end of the count down him gets a card. It may look like a primary school teacher showing little children how to count but given the low intellect of most footballers - they could probably do with the maths education in any case.
http://sportwitness.co.uk/manager-unhappy-southampton-transfer/ Italy manager unhappy with Pelle. Not surprised really....has waved goodbye to his international career if another striker appears who is in a decent league.
Why do we still act like there is a major discipline problem in England. It's fine, the refs are doing ok, just get on with it.
I don't agree Qwerty. Too many players still chase and surround the referee. Anything done to support the refs in stopping that has to be a good thing. This isn't about the refs, it's about the players.
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/saints/news/14631055.Pelle_scores_in_China/?ref=rss Pelle and Cisse both score first goals in China....fish and barrel comes to mind.
Referees have been far too lenient when it comes to player reactions. Now they have no excuse not to show a card or cards when players protest in an aggressive manor.
The egg chasers have it right. Only the Skipper can talk to the ref... Treat the ref with respect and there is a chance it will be reciprocated. However, we do need a generally higher standard of refereeing. Refs need more help, just as they have in Rugby Union. The use of a sin bin would be a move forward. The use of the 'time off' instruction and all being able to see the time would also clarify things.
