One of the most frustrating things about football is seeing 6ft + honed athletes going down as if they have been shot - this is no longer a "foreign disease", but is present through all 4 leagues in England (Ashley Young if you want an example). IMO refereeing is hard enough given the pace of the game without players also trying to con the ref. Maybe there is a solution!! I've just read in 4-4-2 that in Australia the FFA (Football Federation Australia) decided a couple of years ago to root out all divers. From 2009-10 a player would get a 2 game ban for episodes of diving that led to either a penalty or an opponent being sent off. Crucially the review would be done through the use of post-match video analysis. Players have already been banned for this - apparently in 2010 Michael Baird (Perth Glory) and Patricio Perez (Central Coast Mariners) were the first. Previously we have thought that FIFA would not allow it, but this is an official leauge, so anyhting they introduce must be approved by FIFA? Therefore why don't the FA introduce a panel in this country covering the top 4 divisions?? I appreciate the make up of the panel may be contentious as ex-pros must be included, but surely it's worth doing? Any thoughts?
Totally agree with the diving comment. Think that authorities just don't have the b***s to deal with most things, refs were going to clamp down on shirt pulling (automatic booking) but that went by the board! Use the oval shaped games example, cite players after the event and ban or fine them, mind you it took two years+ for world authorities to even start discussing goal line technology, so don't hold your breath
Fa and epl could deal with it here by clubs being allowed to cite divers in the opposition and refs looking retrospectively at games then banning people. this wont happen as it would need the Fa and epl to admit there is a problem with their product and that it is played by lot of cheating scummy ****s who shake hands before kick then look to cheat at any opportunity, respect was the big push!!!!! instead they are looking at goal line technology which is not needed.
Referees could clean this game up if they applied the rules which already exist. In every match we see diving, shirt-pulling, arms across the face, shepherding of the ball out of play which is really obstruction, metres being gained at throw-ins and so on. Yet referees wave play on. That's where inconsistency comes in; because one referee's degree of 'tolerance' is usually different from the next's.
Got to say, I think that this is already in progress starting in Euro 2012 - in a lot of games, the ref ignored players who collapsed in this manner and once said players saw that there rolling around antics were being ignored, they got up again pretty quickly... Lets hope that this was the pre-cursor to the banning procedure....
Technically, the appeal system in the Premier League is against FIFA rules as they state that the referees decision is absolute and all bans should be upheld. Adding post-match video refereeing is no problem for the Premier League/Football League.
diving i agree is wrong going down easilily i don't think is wrong i think one thing that needs looking at is stuff in box from corners and free kicks also jumping they need to losen some of the rules
Easy to sort out and make it count when players are found guilty by really making an example of them. Enforce huge fines and a 5 match ban for every offence, on a sliding (upwards) scale
