Ffs, I've heard it all now!!!

[Jetpilot]

for all their size, penetration is not as big as you think it is. And I'm sorry but its not a sport that leads the best example to the young people taking it up.

 

Children watch the adult players abuse ref's, parents at youth games abuse the ref's managers other children. They see its fine to cheat, dive, bite, fake injury all to get ahead in the game. Punishment for poor behaviour is menial.

 

For all the good intentions that many people have in the game, the hard work coaches and good players put in. The amount of kids who take it up etc etc, its all let down by the fact that the core of uk football is rotten. And until its cleaned up its not a sport i'd want to five my money too or encourage my kids into.

 

Rigby and boxing may not have the social penetration, but the ideals they install in the youth that take the sport up is far more wholesome.

 

Uk football has the potential to be a great ambassador for the youth and could really become something great that we could all be proud of.

 

But not until alot of changes are made.

 

Governing body needs replacing, agents need to be taken or reduce roles given in the sport, salaries need to be capped, limits on foreign players set and about 20-30% of a team max if mot less. Refs need to be given more powers, and more respect, bigger punishments and fines for poor behaviour. More investment into grassroots and youth training. Modern technology needs embracing to confirm good decisions and weed out bad choices. I'm sure more could be done

 

I went to the park with my 7 year old nephew, he got playing with another lad, he got tackled, threw himself to the ground clutching his knee, rolling around and shouting ref, ref, foul, foul! There was nothing wrong with him obviously, in my day unless your leg was hanging off you would have been called a p***y and get on with it and that was by the teachers, let alone your mates!

 

I couldnt be too harsh on a 7 year old as he is only emulating what he sees and sadly this is the way they see the game played. Its not going to change which is the pity, just a new generation to the way the game is played. Much like F1, you never got the whining like you do these days!

[Stutopia]

for all their size, penetration is not as big as you think it is. And I'm sorry but its not a sport that leads the best example to the young people taking it up.

 

Children watch the adult players abuse ref's, parents at youth games abuse the ref's managers other children. They see its fine to cheat, dive, bite, fake injury all to get ahead in the game. Punishment for poor behaviour is menial.

 

For all the good intentions that many people have in the game, the hard work coaches and good players put in. The amount of kids who take it up etc etc, its all let down by the fact that the core of uk football is rotten. And until its cleaned up its not a sport i'd want to five my money too or encourage my kids into.

 

Rigby and boxing may not have the social penetration, but the ideals they install in the youth that take the sport up is far more wholesome.

 

Uk football has the potential to be a great ambassador for the youth and could really become something great that we could all be proud of.

 

But not until alot of changes are made.

 

Governing body needs replacing, agents need to be taken or reduce roles given in the sport, salaries need to be capped, limits on foreign players set and about 20-30% of a team max if mot less. Refs need to be given more powers, and more respect, bigger punishments and fines for poor behaviour. More investment into grassroots and youth training. Modern technology needs embracing to confirm good decisions and weed out bad choices. I'm sure more could be done

 

If rugby is being held up as an ideal, because they don't swear, it's worth looking these role models fighting each other on rugby pitches. Swing for someone in rugby and you get a sin bin, do it on a football pitch and it's a minimum 5 game ban for violent conduct.

 

It's easy to see what you want when getting stuck in to footballers.

[Ekona]

Dylan Hartley got an eight week ban for biting an opponent. Luis Suarez got four months, so double that.

 

I'm sure there's other biting offences worse than Hartley's, but that was the first link I could see. Biting seems to be a fairly common misdemeanour in rugby, so much so that they have specific punishments for it. Then there's eye gouging, the aforementioned punching, it's not always the gentleman's sport.

 

 

Football could learn a lot from rugby with regards to the respect given to refs, but sometimes it's worth remembering that rugby players are not all angels.

[rtbiscuit]

Rugby is a contact sport, its part of the game, but if you do it expect to get sin binned.

 

But you can watch a 7ft bloke take his punishment from the ref who might be half his size without any agro. Because the players respect the authority of the sport.

 

Rugby teaches far more about respect than football. And if you throw a punch expect that the other person will give as good as he gets. And no one falls over like a ballet pre Madonna.

[rtbiscuit]

Dylan Hartley got an eight week ban for biting an opponent. Luis Suarez got four months, so double that.

 

I'm sure there's other biting offences worse than Hartley's, but that was the first link I could see. Biting seems to be a fairly common misdemeanour in rugby, so much so that they have specific punishments for it. Then there's eye gouging, the aforementioned punching, it's not always the gentleman's sport.

 

 

Football could learn a lot from rugby with regards to the respect given to refs, but sometimes it's worth remembering that rugby players are not all angels.

 

Its the old saying "football; played by gentlemen; watched by thugs, rugby; played by thugs, watched by gentlemen."

[Stutopia]

So the lesson for the kids here is that punching is okay, as long as they punch you back? After that, get some eye gouging going lad, it teaches the oppo to respect you. Bloodgate anyone? Regular heroes these guys, whiter than white, cos their sentence starts with, "What-ho Sir!" and they don't use foul language.

 

Anyone remember the England cricket team being p!ssed for a month after winning the Ashes for he first time in ages? The press are all fun and frolics and "look good old freddie drunk at number 10, what a guy!". I'm sure they'd be the same if it was Wayne and Co.

 

FWIW - I don't think football is wonderful but I think it gets the kind of spotlight attention that no other sport does abd. I don't think sportsmen (or actors or pop stars for that matter) are supposed to be role models. Role models should be closer to home, people with which you can have two way communication.

[glrnet]

Dylan Hartley got an eight week ban for biting an opponent. Luis Suarez got four months, so double that.

 

I'm sure there's other biting offences worse than Hartley's, but that was the first link I could see. Biting seems to be a fairly common misdemeanour in rugby, so much so that they have specific punishments for it. Then there's eye gouging, the aforementioned punching, it's not always the gentleman's sport.

 

 

Football could learn a lot from rugby with regards to the respect given to refs, but sometimes it's worth remembering that rugby players are not all angels.

Agree to an extent Dan but this was Suarez's 3rd offence. Previous history, not learnt from it, grow up, take your punishment and move on or see a head quack pronto!!

[rtbiscuit]

Having played rugby for many years, I've not come across anyone use the phrase what-ho. Its not a public school boy sport, every comprehensive school in the country plays it, same as football. There are rugby clubs in most towns just like football clubs. Never said rugby players are whiter than white, what I said was the sport has far more respect built into the game than football does.

 

I'd rather see my kids take up rugby or boxing than football.

 

its a physical sport, o enjoyed it for that exact fact, it is what it is, it does try to hide it or be anything else, which sadly in football they don't. They fake injury, dive when no ones near them. At least in rugby if someone gets hit, you no its for real.

 

Unlike football which seems to be populated by pansies, fakers, liar's and cheats.

 

You're telling me what I already know about rugby, while trying to convince me, football is the messiah sport.

 

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

[Stutopia]

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

 

That's what I love about it, ultimate form of social mobility.

[rtbiscuit]

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

 

That's what I love about it, ultimate form of social mobility.

yes its great, if they're lucky, some get 10 years at the top before being cast aside, where most then spunkall their hard earned cash, turn to drink and file for bankruptcy.

 

There has been a big issue with lack of player support, lack of financial guidance, being helped to plan for the future. Sommuch so they are starting to get an issue with ex players not being able to cope outside the lime light when their careers over that many suffer from depression, suicide, drugs and alcohol.

 

That's the kind of social mobility I like to see

[Stutopia]

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

 

That's what I love about it, ultimate form of social mobility.

yes its great, if they're lucky, some get 10 years at the top before being cast aside, where most then spunkall their hard earned cash, turn to drink and file for bankruptcy.

 

There has been a big issue with lack of player support, lack of financial guidance, being helped to plan for the future. Sommuch so they are starting to get an issue with ex players not being able to cope outside the lime light when their careers over that many suffer from depression, suicide, drugs and alcohol.

 

That's the kind of social mobility I like to see

 

It's a good job those things don't happen to people in other walks of life, just footballers.

[rtbiscuit]

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

 

That's what I love about it, ultimate form of social mobility.

yes its great, if they're lucky, some get 10 years at the top before being cast aside, where most then spunkall their hard earned cash, turn to drink and file for bankruptcy.

 

There has been a big issue with lack of player support, lack of financial guidance, being helped to plan for the future. Sommuch so they are starting to get an issue with ex players not being able to cope outside the lime light when their careers over that many suffer from depression, suicide, drugs and alcohol.

 

That's the kind of social mobility I like to see

 

It's a good job those things don't happen to people in other walks of life, just footballers.

not really apart from music stars and actors and other sports I can't think of many professions where you have an average career span of 5-10 years where you earn 90% of your lifes income

[spursmaddave]

Most of them of they couldn't kick a ball would be stacking shelves in Tesco.

 

That's what I love about it, ultimate form of social mobility.

yes its great, if they're lucky, some get 10 years at the top before being cast aside, where most then spunkall their hard earned cash, turn to drink and file for bankruptcy.

 

There has been a big issue with lack of player support, lack of financial guidance, being helped to plan for the future. Sommuch so they are starting to get an issue with ex players not being able to cope outside the lime light when their careers over that many suffer from depression, suicide, drugs and alcohol.

 

That's the kind of social mobility I like to see

 

It's a good job those things don't happen to people in other walks of life, just footballers.

not really apart from music stars and actors and other sports I can't think of many professions where you have an average career span of 5-10 years where you earn 90% of your lifes income

 

Banking

Oil rigger (possibly)

High end prostitution

 

[Ekona]

The length of the ban from the game is fine, I think that will get upheld. I think that they will be told that the total football ban is against his human/vampire rights, and that he will be allowed to train as usual.

Well, I don't want to say I told you so, but...

 

/smugface