Professionalism in the modern game

PROFESSIONALISM IN THE MODERN GAME

Reflecting on the Sunderland v Chelsea game, and indeed the season overall with a couple of friends in the pub this week got me thinking about what the general consensus is on “professionalism” in top level football.

I’m sure most of you will know immediately what I mean by the term, but for the avoidance of doubt, I am referring to all of those little actions modern day professional footballers take that are designed to give them an edge in any given match. Things like;

• appealing for a throw, corner, free kick etc. In the knowledge that the decision correctly should go to the other team;
• standing over the ball to prevent a quick free kick;
• not retiring 10 metres from a free kick when forming a wall
• conning the referee by “simulating” a foul in the box – it’s so endemic in the game we’ve now made up new terms to mask the fact it is basically just cheating;
• “jogging” off the pitch when substituted at a pace slower than an octogenarian on his way to the dentist to have root canal surgery
• holding/blocking in the box at set pieces
• placing the ball outside of the arc when taking a corner (Why???????)
• feigning injury only to miraculously recover moments later

The list is just about endless and the above examples are in no way exhaustive - I’m sure we all have our personal favourites.

I admit to being a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to my football, although I embrace many of the developments in the modern game, but, professionalism is really starting to give me the hump – and all teams do it to a greater or lesser extent. I know it has always existed to some extent in competitive sports but I think it now pervades our beloved sport and tarnishes the spirit in which the game is played as it has become the norm.

I’d really like to see what the rest of you think about this, and to canvass views from a broad cross section of supporters young and old. So:

Is it just me?

To what extent do you feel that these types of actions actually really influence the outcome in games?

Could the authorities do anything about it?

What are your own personal bug bears?


I look forward to your thoughts.

 

What gets me is when I play rugby and get tackled hard, I get straight back up. If i get tackled whilst playing football, and its a fair challenge and they get the ball - I get right back up and try to win the ball back. Lying there like a wounded fairy is counter-productive to maintaining the ball in the final-third and piling on the pressure. Ive seen some horrific injuries in rugby and the guys just want to get back up and play... broken finger or no broken finger. In football, I am ashamed to see guys who haven't even been knocked fall to the ground like they are acting in a Christmas pantomime.

When slagged off by my rugby mates for prefering a sport in which guys act like great big Girlie-Men, I have no retort. I only have to agree with them... and that's something I hate doing when it comes to the battle of the sports.

 

Excellent post BlackCat – I think the same frustrations every game I watch.

However, If you think the Premier League is bad, try watching teams in the Bundesliga, Seira A, La liga......
To be honest, I can’t watch any of these matches – thier blatent un-Professionalism is on display in every Champions League game, for all to watch.

But...Look at our game – yellow card for over zealous celebrations – shocking referee decisions, every week, that impact the result, on a far too regular basis.
I have no idea how this can be fixed. Answers on a post card.

KTF

 

Thank you for the early replies boys, and for the feedback Lucas. You raise a great point about the relative position in some of the other european leagues, i watch very little outside of the EPL and international football these days, but I'm not surprised to hear that things are no better abroad.

I posted earlier in the week about refereeing . . . grrrrrr

 

My personal bugbear is when people like Mark Lawrenson use the word " professional" to describe a foul as if mitigating it somehow as a grade of foul....He`d baulk about saying This is how we learn to cheat in training....or do a feature about it on Football Focus ...Hes far too savvy for that ....as it must be practised Or the cheating managers that instruct their fullbacks to stop somebody at any cost and then disown their players .....Its naiive to say you could ever do anything about it really but the real sad thing is theres an age when you first see a boy do it in park football.....and you know hes seen it on TV or heard its an option....everybody`s outraged !

 

As has been mentioned, other European leagues are even worse, the forward rolls with triple salkos.

The marking of players in the box when the defenders are not interested in the ball only in grabbing the attackers is one of my big hates.
It's time the referees stamped it out, easy to spot just look for the player looking the wrong way.

The corner thing makes me laugh, what possible advantage do they think they are getting by having the ball 2" outside the quadrant?

I'm old enough to have watched a certain Bob Wilson in goal for Arsenal!
The guy was an embarrassment, if bumped into he would lie flat out as if poleaxed. one game I saw him catch a ball fumble it, then pretend he was injured when the opposition scored.

 

I was absolutely disgusted that Bosingwa was allowed to leave the feel so slowly. How he wasn't carded i just don't know. I've never seen a player take so long to get off the field. If a Sunderland player had tried the same thing, he'd sure have been booked. Bosingwa should have been whipped off! Makes me angry just thinking about it.

Sportsmanship doesn't exist in top-end football. There's too much pressure on and too money in the game. It's a shame, really.

 

interesting stuff boys. While it might be nigh on impossible to stamp out everything surely refs could deal more effectively and condistently with some of it - like shirt pulling on set pieces and slow pitch exits?

 

it works if you play for a top four team

 

I'm old enough to remember Francis Lee. Scored lots of goals, but a good proportion from penalties which he "won" for himself. This isn't new even in the English game, but has certainly got worse.

 

i taylors hand ball for the mags when he went down holding his chest was class like acting like

 

Trev - Classic

 

I think you are being very unfair mate the ball was travelling supersonic, therefore the concussive effects of the air on his chest area.

 

Well yes something can be done about it, allow technology and if it someone has dived for a penalty, just as for a defender who gives a foul away can be red carded, so can the attacker.

Just as in Rugby if a player bad mouths a ref, send him off 10 mins/yellow/red card him.

If a player as with Williamson at the Fulham game has arms around an attacker, its a pen.

Unless players get punished for unsportmanlike behaviour, as with the Chelsea place taking ages to go off, they will continue to do it. Regarding this I think Halsey asked permission off Terry to do something about it and Terry said no, leave it out ref'

 

Sunderpitt agreed. Just watching the England v Wales 6 nations rugby and the difference in player - referee relationship is nothing short of astounding.

Also agree your point about Terry and Halsey. He was totally dominated by Terry all night - shocking.