Footballers are right tarts!!
Discussion
Justin Cyder said:
Thought process the wrong way round I think. Rather than judge the players on observations of behaviour, better to wonder why they display that behaviour in the first place.
Now, I'm sure some wheezy, resentful poster who habitually got picked last at school & would rather have been spending quality time with his Dungeons & Dragons will be along presently to contend that it's because the players are a bunch of overpaid nancy boys. I look forward to this original line of argument.
Instead, I would suggest that you have three reasons. The players are under scrutiny as never before with multiple cameras, millions of people watching & acres of analysis in the media. It becomes more important to win.
Secondly, the stakes are enormous as compared with just thirty years ago. So much money has poured into the game that the consequences of relegation are measured in the millions & are life threatening to clubs. Just look at Leeds or Wolves for recent examples of catastrophic failure.
However, most relevantly are the rules. You cannot blame players for poncing around like hot house flowers when the laws of the game have been tightened to the extent that the contact side of the game is a shadow of what it was a generation ago. When you consider the money & pressure to win, players are going to use any situation they can to their advantage & that includes diving, writhing around on the floor & whatever comes to mind. Referees now habitually stop the game for what most of us fans would recognise as minor to non existent infringements several times a half.
The players are by & large elite level athletes in the premier league, they are fast, strong & tough. You're looking at the wrong suspect, blaming the players but I expect this will never stem the flow of people queuing up with hair splitting assessments, homosexual references & all the rest of the never before seen, brilliantly thought out brickbats thrown at football on a depressingly regular basis.
Valid points there to be honest and I do agree with much if it but my frustration came within 90 seconds of the Cardiff game when one of the Cardiff boys flew through the air as soon as someone attempted to take the ball inside the box. If he were in the field of play i imagine he would have battled on as there would have been less advantage to gain. What i would have liked to see is a continued attempt to keep hold of the ball and score a goal but as you say the rules now reward him for going down at the slightest waft of another player.Now, I'm sure some wheezy, resentful poster who habitually got picked last at school & would rather have been spending quality time with his Dungeons & Dragons will be along presently to contend that it's because the players are a bunch of overpaid nancy boys. I look forward to this original line of argument.
Instead, I would suggest that you have three reasons. The players are under scrutiny as never before with multiple cameras, millions of people watching & acres of analysis in the media. It becomes more important to win.
Secondly, the stakes are enormous as compared with just thirty years ago. So much money has poured into the game that the consequences of relegation are measured in the millions & are life threatening to clubs. Just look at Leeds or Wolves for recent examples of catastrophic failure.
However, most relevantly are the rules. You cannot blame players for poncing around like hot house flowers when the laws of the game have been tightened to the extent that the contact side of the game is a shadow of what it was a generation ago. When you consider the money & pressure to win, players are going to use any situation they can to their advantage & that includes diving, writhing around on the floor & whatever comes to mind. Referees now habitually stop the game for what most of us fans would recognise as minor to non existent infringements several times a half.
The players are by & large elite level athletes in the premier league, they are fast, strong & tough. You're looking at the wrong suspect, blaming the players but I expect this will never stem the flow of people queuing up with hair splitting assessments, homosexual references & all the rest of the never before seen, brilliantly thought out brickbats thrown at football on a depressingly regular basis.
I dont dislike the game, i just dislike the way it is played today, nothing else to it really.
I think most football fans agree with you and are fed up with it. The most talented players seem to dive the most. Bale, Januzaj, Suarez, Rinaldo (doesnt seem to dive any more but when he does get fouled he does add an extra few roly polys). I think most people were defending football from this who didn't get picked at school and therefore like to say how much they hate football.
I love playing football & rugby, both are great sports & have their own merits.
Football could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
Football could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
RWD cossie wil said:
I love playing football & rugby, both are great sports & have their own merits.
Football could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
Last time I checked my loaf (law book) the referee does not have to stop a football game for anything other than a head injury. Play may continue if he deems the fouled/ injured players team to have an advantage. Football could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
RWD cossie wil said:
I love playing football & rugby, both are great sports & have their own merits.
Football could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
ExactlyFootball could learn a lot from a Rugby, regards respect to the referees, respect to your opponents & fans respect for each other. The other difference is play can carry on in rugby if a player is injured, unless it's a head/neck injury. This has the benefit of stopping people rolling around like they have been shot when they have not actually been hurt/ have a very minor problem, as the game continues so there is no advantage to gain by breaking the game up etc.
I went to a derby rugby union match last night (Leinster vs Ulster) with some of my mates. There was no segregation of fans, we all had a few pints and hot whiskeys while watching, we had a bit of banter with the "opposition" who were sitting in the row behind us, quite a few families brought their kids along to watch without fear of them being shocked by anything, the ref put up with zero nonsense (only the captains are allowed talk to him generally), and despite a little bit of trouble on the field there wasn't one incident off it with the 17,500 supporters! This is nearly always the case even at matches with over 80,000 fans
I've been to quite a few football matches (Old Trafford, Anfield, Goodison, Ewood, Hull) and the difference is huge, and not for the better IMO
Also, anyone who thinks there is no skill in rugby has obviously never tried to play at any level
eltax91 said:
The whole point from the OP is that he is sick of it being assumed he likes football, why, because most people do, because its the most popular game
It's not. I'm not sure why you're struggling with the distinction between most popular sport to watch and most popular sport to participate in, but I certainly sympathise with the OP. As I've said, football is the third most popular sport that people participate in in the UK. Funnily enough it irritates me as well when people assume I'm interested in footie. I think it's possibly the fact that footie is everywhere you look and you couldn't avoid it if you tried that leads its supporters to wrongly assume that everyone is interested in it. Easy but thoughtless mistake to make.Justin Cyder said:
Thought process the wrong way round I think. Rather than judge the players on observations of behaviour, better to wonder why they display that behaviour in the first place.
Now, I'm sure some wheezy, resentful poster who habitually got picked last at school & would rather have been spending quality time with his Dungeons & Dragons will be along presently to contend that it's because the players are a bunch of overpaid nancy boys. I look forward to this original line of argument.
Instead, I would suggest that you have three reasons. The players are under scrutiny as never before with multiple cameras, millions of people watching & acres of analysis in the media. It becomes more important to win.
Secondly, the stakes are enormous as compared with just thirty years ago. So much money has poured into the game that the consequences of relegation are measured in the millions & are life threatening to clubs. Just look at Leeds or Wolves for recent examples of catastrophic failure.
However, most relevantly are the rules. You cannot blame players for poncing around like hot house flowers when the laws of the game have been tightened to the extent that the contact side of the game is a shadow of what it was a generation ago. When you consider the money & pressure to win, players are going to use any situation they can to their advantage & that includes diving, writhing around on the floor & whatever comes to mind. Referees now habitually stop the game for what most of us fans would recognise as minor to non existent infringements several times a half.
The players are by & large elite level athletes in the premier league, they are fast, strong & tough. You're looking at the wrong suspect, blaming the players but I expect this will never stem the flow of people queuing up with hair splitting assessments, homosexual references & all the rest of the never before seen, brilliantly thought out brickbats thrown at football on a depressingly regular basis.
^ all of this.Now, I'm sure some wheezy, resentful poster who habitually got picked last at school & would rather have been spending quality time with his Dungeons & Dragons will be along presently to contend that it's because the players are a bunch of overpaid nancy boys. I look forward to this original line of argument.
Instead, I would suggest that you have three reasons. The players are under scrutiny as never before with multiple cameras, millions of people watching & acres of analysis in the media. It becomes more important to win.
Secondly, the stakes are enormous as compared with just thirty years ago. So much money has poured into the game that the consequences of relegation are measured in the millions & are life threatening to clubs. Just look at Leeds or Wolves for recent examples of catastrophic failure.
However, most relevantly are the rules. You cannot blame players for poncing around like hot house flowers when the laws of the game have been tightened to the extent that the contact side of the game is a shadow of what it was a generation ago. When you consider the money & pressure to win, players are going to use any situation they can to their advantage & that includes diving, writhing around on the floor & whatever comes to mind. Referees now habitually stop the game for what most of us fans would recognise as minor to non existent infringements several times a half.
The players are by & large elite level athletes in the premier league, they are fast, strong & tough. You're looking at the wrong suspect, blaming the players but I expect this will never stem the flow of people queuing up with hair splitting assessments, homosexual references & all the rest of the never before seen, brilliantly thought out brickbats thrown at football on a depressingly regular basis.
Nicely put.
goldblum said:
eltax91 said:
The whole point from the OP is that he is sick of it being assumed he likes football, why, because most people do, because its the most popular game
It's not. I'm not sure why you're struggling with the distinction between most popular sport to watch and most popular sport to participate in, but I certainly sympathise with the OP. As I've said, football is the third most popular sport that people participate in in the UK. Funnily enough it irritates me as well when people assume I'm interested in footie. I think it's possibly the fact that footie is everywhere you look and you couldn't avoid it if you tried that leads its supporters to wrongly assume that everyone is interested in it. Easy but thoughtless mistake to make.theres a difference between popping out to the local baths for a few lengths and taking part in competitive swimming when it does become a sport.
I think the original poster of these stats is getting a bit confused.
Also these figures were from 2012 when the Olympics caused a huge surge of interest in sports in general. i've heard several reports this year suggesting this 'legacy" has not continued at all unfortunately.
I think the original poster of these stats is getting a bit confused.
Also these figures were from 2012 when the Olympics caused a huge surge of interest in sports in general. i've heard several reports this year suggesting this 'legacy" has not continued at all unfortunately.
Edited by stuartmmcfc on Sunday 29th December 22:06
marsred said:
Where on earth is this research that suggests more people participate in swimming than football? Because I don't believe, for one nanosecond etc
Apr 2012 - Apr 2013. Sport England statistics. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/22806853Swimming 2.89m
Athletics 1.96m
Football 1.94m
'Sport England's figures - which are compiled twice a year, for the 12 months to April and the 12 months to October - are for the number of people aged 16 and over playing at least 30 minutes of sport at moderate intensity at least once a week.'
I would consider the number of people pissing about on the inflatables & flumes a spurious stretch in sporting terms versus the number playing water polo or competitively racing or any other water borne activity that could actually be construed as sport rather than exercise or just something to do down the municipal baths on a Saturday afternoon.
I would further suspect some lazy b
d statto has added up all the admissions & called them sport before knocking off early one Friday.
I would further suspect some lazy b
d statto has added up all the admissions & called them sport before knocking off early one Friday.Doing 20 lengths of breaststroke at David Lloyd on a Saturday morning is not sport. Neither is jogging round the block, which I suspect accounts for much of the "athletics" figures. Don't get me wrong, it's positive that people do those things, but that doesn't make it sport, just exercise. They might as well list Zumba.
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