PC football

[mypost]

Political correctness has really taken over in English football recently, with team-mates scrapping on the pitch resulting in a court case, and now a proposal from the FA saying that swearing on the pitch will result in a straight red card for the player concerned. The PC brigade are wetting themselves over this, and think it's the greatest invention since sliced bread!!

Football, unlike tennis or rugby, is a predominantly working-class sport. Players get angry, frustrated, and will from time to time, swear at incompetent/inconsistent officials, and have done so since the game was invented. Fans repeatedly swear in the stands during a game. If you send players off for swearing, then combined with all the other offences, you'll be lucky to finish a game, with all the red cards shown. Then kids won't be wondering whether they should swear themselves, but will be upset that their club's game hasn't finished because both sides have had several players sent off for the relatively minor offence of swearing.

Instead of considering changes to the offside rule, punishing players for diving/time-wasting, or introducing video refs, all the FA can do is introduce rules to punish players for swearing. It's hardly the crime of the century. Have they gone completely bonkers this time? I really do think it's a step too far.

[Macy]

The FA/UEFA/FIFA should just introduce the rugby rule - only the captain can speak to the ref. Free kick/ 10 yard movement every bit of back chat - and have it that it becomes a penalty if it gets that far....

Referee's could've stamped this out long ago - they could've been dishing out cards for foul and abusive language the whole time. Would only take a few weeks and it would've stopped - instead the ref's bottle it and now we have a knee jerk FA ruling

btw They could also ban close ups of players, then it wouldn't matter anyway. Only become an issue recently because of all the TV close up's - it's always happened. Anyone remember that documentary late 80's early 90's where they miked up a ref for an Arsenal game?

[superfrank]

They already had the 10-yard rule but they scrapped during last season cos it was stupid.

But I agree that only the captain should be allowed to confront the ref.

However, I remember in Euro 2004 when Bulgaria played Denmark. Stilian Petrov, Bulgaria captain who was on a yellow card, confronted the ref over a dubious decision resulting in a yellow card for a Bulgarian player. He complained and the ref booked him for dissent and sent him off for a second yellow card!

Where's the sense in that? And how do you draw the line between complaining and dissent?

[Karlos]

They already had the 10-yard rule but they scrapped during last season cos it was stupid.

the ten yard rule hasn't been scrapped - it's still in the Laws of the Game and maybe it's not enforced as much but it still does occur.

[superfrank]

In World football it doesn't occur because they don't live in countries with big rugby connections. It only happens in the British Isles.

[Dodge]

In World football it doesn't occur because they don't live in countries with big rugby connections. It only happens in the British Isles.

It only happens in England. There's no such rule here.

[superfrank]

Well then why don't they just get rid of it? It makes no sense.

[Bald Student]

It only happens in the British Isles.

There's no such rule here.

And we're not a British Isle, so you two are in agreement.

Back on topic; fowl or abusive language has always been a red card offence and there's nothing PC about that. If you used fowl or abusive language towards your boss at work (wheather or not you're working class) you'd be told to stop pretty smartly. The football pitch is no different.

[superfrank]

And we're not a British Isle, so you two are in agreement.

Back on topic; fowl or abusive language has always been a red card offence and there's nothing PC about that. If you used fowl or abusive language towards your boss at work (wheather or not you're working class) you'd be told to stop pretty smartly. The football pitch is no different.

Agreed. It can be said that it is more important NOT to swear on live television with millions of impressionable youths watching round the world.

[Troy.McClure]

I also wouldnt call a multimillionaire, which most pro players are, working class

Give them a yellow, that should shut them up, but I think the rugby style rules should be brought in. Having played both sports it makes things go much faster: more time playing, less time listening to the team hothead yap on about some offside 5 minutes ago.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I don't think anyone should be entitled to confront a ref. He is the law and that's that. If he wants to talk to you then you do what he says and shut up and stop whining.

And yes I do ref the odd game occasionally.

[jockser]

i think swearing at ref should be punished

in the dublin league underage football and in the AUL if you even say "ah cmon ref" you get booked so the top flight football ´should be no different

[hamish]

I also wouldnt call a multimillionaire, which most pro players are, working class

Give them a yellow, that should shut them up, but I think the rugby style rules should be brought in. Having played both sports it makes things go much faster: more time playing, less time listening to the team hothead yap on about some offside 5 minutes ago.

Re that point, Troy. 500 RU referees left the game in England a season or two ago because they were getting fierce abuse, from players and fans. It seems to be everywhere, in all sports. There was a big article in The Guardian it about with one referee in particular interviewed. I think that 500 dropped out in one season, if memory serves me right.

[Macy]

And yes I do ref the odd game occasionally.

Still the ref's fault if they don't control the pitch.

Besides, the rugby rule is only the captain allowed to talk to the ref - not confront them in the football sense....

Any debate of the geographical term British Isles is for off topic.

[Aberdonian Stu]

And that's why refs should be ruthless, I have a policy of treating the slightest hint of dissent and aggro in a very direct disciplinary manner.

That being said there is never ANY excuse for behaving like a thug and screaming abuse at a match official.

[Éanna]

And that's why refs should be ruthless, I have a policy of treating the slightest hint of dissent and aggro in a very direct disciplinary manner.

And if referees did take a strong line on it like this, it would be eradicated very easily. Players will always try to get away with things, if they know they won't, they won't try it.

[Stevo Da Gull]

I figured that I'd throw my two cents in so here we go.
I think that all captains should be allowed to approach a ref over any decisions or to make a complaint and that the ref MUST explain any decision that he has made to the captain, at the moment many refs only entertain captains whe they feel like it.
If people are concerned about the kids pickin up bad language then maybe sky-sports should stop getting too close with their cameras when they know some1 is likely to be cursing.
I think it should be up to the ref to send players off for abusive language, if he feels that the player is being abuse towards him then he should have no hesitation in showing a red card, there is a difference between using swear words and being abuse e.g. ``he was pulling the f'n jersey off me back`` saying that too a ref is'nt exactly being abusive and I dont think it warrants a card however ``f off , are u even f'n watching the game`` is something that does .

What I want to be crcked down on is diving, if a player gets a peno and the replays show it to be a 100% stone-wall dive then I believe that the player should be hit with a 1 match ban, I know that sounds drastic but I think that diving ruins the game and I dont think that bad language is as bad.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I figured that I'd throw my two cents in so here we go.
I think that all captains should be allowed to approach a ref over any decisions or to make a complaint and that the ref MUST explain any decision that he has made to the captain, at the moment many refs only entertain captains whe they feel like it.

Like hell they should. The players should know to follow orders.

[Macy]

Like hell they should. The players should know to follow orders.

Yes Mein Fuher...

[mypost]

And if referees did take a strong line on it like this, it would be eradicated very easily. Players will always try to get away with things, if they know they won't, they won't try it.

Players have been swearing at games all over the world for 150 years. If you remove that aspect from the game, the sport becomes a haven for sissies. You can't tackle, you can't "over-celebrate", and you can't swear. It's all a nonsense. Issuing a red card for swearing isn't going to eradicate it, and I think the authorities have more important things in football to sort out than issuing "punishments" for swearing. They should do something useful about players cheating, diving, time-wasting, and the offside law instead, things that are really important.