Professional footballers and the example they set

[1879Rovers]

Time for the governing body to sort out the standards players set for youngsters today. You can often see them clearly swearing on the games on the TV, the surrounding of referees when a decision goes against them and the reason for my post - Spitting!

My 5-year-old lad spent the day with his gran in the week and she said was telling us when they came home, he stood there at one stage during the day and spat. I have never seen him do this but I sat him down that evening to have a word. I asked him where he had got it from, a kid at school, bigger kids in the park or grown-ups.

His response was, when I sit and watch the football with you dad, the players do it all the time!

Do they not realise they are setting this example?

[jonnydog]

I blame the parents

Seriously though, it's a point well made. These are role models to millions and I don't see the need for spitting, I used to play regular and never did it. The clearing of the nostrils is another one that grates me, though I see the need to some extent for breathing reasons on that one.

I looked at headlines this morning and saw this:-

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/video-premier-league-star-saido-3405798

I know it's not exactly doing a line of coke or owt but still not a good example, especially to, like you say, the younger and easily influenced.

[RobbieDRFC]

It's something which will never clamp out, their excuse will be to the swearing high pressure environment need to get a point across quickly etc, spitting, high intense exercise need to clear their airways. At least it's nit like baseball with the chewing tobacco and the spitting for the sake of it.

In terms of the surrounding the ref, they are always too weak to act on it, it should only be captains who can speak but you always get players who are above that for example when terry and lamps play in the same team they will both feel they can speak to the ref. same with Evra and Rooney.

[jonnydog]

If I were a ref I'd book any player at the first sign of dissent, disagreeing with me, arguing etc... Etc...

Some players will only learn respect that way.

[not on facebook]

The sole reason why iam trying my upmost to keep my two young lads away from football far as possible

Will not take them to a live game unless they beg me to and never
Have football on tv at home

[Dare to dream!]

Steven Gerarrd. The passion he has just shown, unbelievable.

[NickDRFC]

Spitting? Seriously? I for one spit when I'm playing football but its a necessity; I would never spit on the street it in a bar, though, as I know the difference. I'm sure your son would realise that if you told him as well. It's not like he's seen Daniel Sturridge spitting in the street and decided to copy that.

Swearing, though, I think is abhorrent - if I was a referee I'd warn the players before the game that I view swearing at me as dissent and that they'd be booked for it, then follow through with it and end up abandoning the game due to having too few players!

[not on facebook]

Spitting? Seriously? I for one spit when I'm playing football but its a necessity; I would never spit on the street it in a bar, though, as I know the difference. I'm sure your son would realise that if you told him as well. It's not like he's seen Daniel Sturridge spitting in the street and decided to copy that.

Swearing, though, I think is abhorrent - if I was a referee I'd warn the players before the game that I view swearing at me as dissent and that they'd be booked for it, then follow through with it and end up abandoning the game due to having too few players!

Recall a norwegian ref calling a pub team i played for out Here.

We had had This ref for last 3seasons and he called all our team to side
Before 1st game Of new season and said

'I Now  know what a cnut is'

[boro_rover]

With regards to spitting, I do it during a game. When I'm thirsty I find that my mouth gets dry, and to be honest spitting out sticky spit makes it better.
Could be the tabs that cause that though...

[Sammy Chung was King]

Just because players do the wrong thing,it doesn't automatically mean kids will follow,where did this role model crap come from,the players are on the pitch to win games,they are not there to create examples,that's parents jobs,it's a load of rubbish,i didn't copy what the players did when i watched,the tv has spoon fed everybody the idea that players are ''Role Models'' they are not and never were,they are just footballers.

[aidanstu]

I have been falling out of love with the game for quite a few seasons now due to the players/managers and the FA's behaviours. I can't stand the descent, the diving the shirt pulling; it boils my blood that managers condone it, defend it then, in the case of descent to the refs, replicate it.

What is worse is that it's a problem easily solved; give the refs video technology and send players and managers off immediately for decent  or players diving and give a penalty for shirt pulling.

It has never made any sense to me that the FA's attitude to giving a manager a touch line ban for decent after a match isn't extended to players during a match.

[1879Rovers]

Just because players do the wrong thing,it doesn't automatically mean kids will follow,where did this role model crap come from,the players are on the pitch to win games,they are not there to create examples,that's parents jobs,it's a load of rubbish,i didn't copy what the players did when i watched,the tv has spoon fed everybody the idea that players are ''Role Models'' they are not and never were,they are just footballers.

That is a complete load of tosh. Did you not want to be your favourite player in the playground. Did you not recreate his goalscoring celebrations and want to be like him in every way when you were playing.

Like it or not, they are role models whether they want to be or not. That is how high a pedestal they are put on.

[BillyStubbsTears]

That is a complete load of tosh. Did you not want to be your favourite player in the playground. Did you not recreate his goalscoring celebrations and want to be like him in every way when you were playing.

Like it or not, they are role models whether they want to be or not. That is how high a pedestal they are put on.

Agreed. As a kid, I wanted nothing in life but to be Joe Laidlaw.

Took me years of dedication and effort but I finally achieved a Laidlaw-esque physique.

[RedJ]

There's a few on this site that have obviously been watching Dave Kitson's career a little too closely.

[ravenrover]

I'm still trying to perfect The Charlton Comb Over, regrettably I still have a full head of hair

[1879Rovers]

Agreed. As a kid, I wanted nothing in life but to be Joe Laidlaw.

Took me years of dedication and effort but I finally achieved a Laidlaw-esque physique.

Ironically, so did I. I have also had a touch of the Michael McIndoe and Colin Douglas over the years. Thank god I stopped there. Imagine if my favourite player was Ronnie Robinson!

[Sammy Chung was King]

Just because players do the wrong thing,it doesn't automatically mean kids will follow,where did this role model crap come from,the players are on the pitch to win games,they are not there to create examples,that's parents jobs,it's a load of rubbish,i didn't copy what the players did when i watched,the tv has spoon fed everybody the idea that players are ''Role Models'' they are not and never were,they are just footballers.

That is a complete load of tosh. Did you not want to be your favourite player in the playground. Did you not recreate his goalscoring celebrations and want to be like him in every way when you were playing.

Like it or not, they are role models whether they want to be or not. That is how high a pedestal they are put on.


Yes i did 1879 i copied the skills or tried to,not the arguing i do see where your coming from,but kids have more sense than they are given credit for,the majority of kids know right from wrong,and will know that diving etc is wrong,footballers have never been a good example,back in the old days they will have got up to similar things,they just wasn't the tv coverage that is about now,like it or not kids will see bad examples throughout they're life nobody can protect them from that,just like we all faced the same.

[1879Rovers]

Unfortunately you are correct. Touchwood, I have yet to hear him swear. I suppose that is a miracle in this day and age.

[Filo]

Agreed. As a kid, I wanted nothing in life but to be Joe Laidlaw.

Took me years of dedication and effort but I finally achieved a Laidlaw-esque physique.

Ironically, so did I. I have also had a touch of the Michael McIndoe and Colin Douglas over the years. Thank god I stopped there. Imagine if my favourite player was Ronnie Robinson!

In recent years, I tried to copy Denis Souza, sadly my attempts were held back when I discovered I could kick a ball :-)

[SoundbiteBarmyArmy]

It's simple; instead of Sepp Blatter worrying about where his next wad of corrupt money is going to come from, he needs to get football officials and their gadgets the same as rugby league!

[RedJ]

And Union.


Rugby referees are far stronger and are far tougher on dissent and in particular swearing. They seem better backed by the RFL and RFU as well than football referees are from the FA.

[RJHeader]

I have been falling out of love with the game for quite a few seasons now due to the players/managers and the FA's behaviours. I can't stand the descent, the diving the shirt pulling; it boils my blood that managers condone it, defend it then, in the case of descent to the refs, replicate it.

What is worse is that it's a problem easily solved; give the refs video technology and send players and managers off immediately for decent  or players diving and give a penalty for shirt pulling.

It has never made any sense to me that the FA's attitude to giving a manager a touch line ban for decent after a match isn't extended to players during a match.

Swearing, yes definitley
Diving, yes to an extent.

But shirt pulling? You're falling out of love with the game for shirt pulling? Is it that big of a problem really?

[Belle_Vue]

I think what he means could be like when a ball is played to Sharp's feet and he gets wrestled all over. Never given by the ref

[hoolahoop]

I have been falling out of love with the game for quite a few seasons now due to the players/managers and the FA's behaviours. I can't stand the descent, the diving the shirt pulling; it boils my blood that managers condone it, defend it then, in the case of descent to the refs, replicate it.

What is worse is that it's a problem easily solved; give the refs video technology and send players and managers off immediately for decent  or players diving and give a penalty for shirt pulling.

It has never made any sense to me that the FA's attitude to giving a manager a touch line ban for decent after a match isn't extended to players during a match.

AidanStu I know that your use of  'descent' was merely an error however I also think that the word 'descent' is appropriate when looking at footballers behaviour.
When I was young I did look upto sportsmen as role models and didn't see the behaviour we are seeing now. We are indeed descendinghere to the lowest common denominator and no-one wants to resolve it.
Quite frankly the modern game is a disgrace............spitting, swearing, dissent, simulation and professional fouls are destroying the game I love. Perhaps they already have for many sadly.

[aidanstu]

I have been falling out of love with the game for quite a few seasons now due to the players/managers and the FA's behaviours. I can't stand the descent, the diving the shirt pulling; it boils my blood that managers condone it, defend it then, in the case of descent to the refs, replicate it.

What is worse is that it's a problem easily solved; give the refs video technology and send players and managers off immediately for decent  or players diving and give a penalty for shirt pulling.

It has never made any sense to me that the FA's attitude to giving a manager a touch line ban for decent after a match isn't extended to players during a match.

AidanStu I know that your use of  'descent' was merely an error however I also think that the word 'descent' is appropriate when looking at footballers behaviour.
When I was young I did look upto sportsmen as role models and didn't see the behaviour we are seeing now. We are indeed descendinghere to the lowest common denominator and no-one wants to resolve it.
Quite frankly the modern game is a disgrace............spitting, swearing, dissent, simulation and professional fouls are destroying the game I love. Perhaps they already have for many sadly.

Thanks for the correction. I know it cliche but the attitude and image of the players, in my opinion, has never been so poor. RJheader questioned whether shirt pulling is putting me off the game and if I see it as a big issue. The answer is yes, it's cheating and that sort of stuff is killing the game.

[Sammy Chung was King]

I Hate the diving as much as anybody,but swearing i'm not so bothered about,it's a man's game,as long as your not swearing directly at the referee then for me it's part of the game,it's just letting frustration out at times that's all,spitting if it's done at somebody else disgusting,i'd rather somebody punch me than spit at me,spitting on the floor while your playing,sometimes you need to do it to clear the old airways,Professional fouls are only called that because FIFA made the term up,what is an Unprofessional foul or amateur foul?,years ago it was just called Cynical,the Italian's invented Cynical fouls.

Sometimes you see a ref send somebody off for a ''Professional foul'' and you think is that really fair,that's it game over,i don't particularly like taking things from other sports,but wouldn't it be fairer to use Sin bin that they have in rugby,put somebody in it for half an hour for fouls that are serious but not really a sending off?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

From what I gather from what's been said and talking to mates, many of us are fed up with aspects of the game and the behaviour that is tolerated on the pitch.

Let's not paint a false picture, the game in past eras were perhaps more physical, more dirty than what it is now but there was a 'Get on with it' attitude from officials and players alike.

The referees job is infinitely more difficult now as every touch, tackle, collision, decision is scrutinised. It's like the refs are under so much pressure not to let anything go and ordinary fouls are being punished by yellow cards etc. Some of the sendings off these days are laughable when you look at the severity of each offence.

I'm sure we'd all like to see the 50/50s, when you can't tell who's fouling who, played on instead of the ref feeling obliged to give a foul one way or another. Half the time it's guess work.

In other sports, the governing bodies seem to have control of the game, whereas in football the legislators are behind the game and have to play catch up to keep up with the antics.

"You can't raise your hands" We all know interpretation of the rule was supposed to prevent fisticuffs, but in reality we have players dropping to the ground like they've been shot makes a mockery of the integrity of the game.

Until we get on top of obvious 'simulation', whether punished at the time or on review after the event then cheats will always prosper.

That's what really annoys us is the cheating. Referees can't deal with it on their own. They need to be backed up and the punishments need to be much harsher.

       

[aidanstu]

From what I gather from what's been said and talking to mates, many of us are fed up with aspects of the game and the behaviour that is tolerated on the pitch.

Let's not paint a false picture, the game in past eras were perhaps more physical, more dirty than what it is now but there was a 'Get on with it' attitude from officials and players alike.

The referees job is infinitely more difficult now as every touch, tackle, collision, decision is scrutinised. It's like the refs are under so much pressure not to let anything go and ordinary fouls are being punished by yellow cards etc. Some of the sendings off these days are laughable when you look at the severity of each offence.

I'm sure we'd all like to see the 50/50s, when you can't tell who's fouling who, played on instead of the ref feeling obliged to give a foul one way or another. Half the time it's guess work.

In other sports, the governing bodies seem to have control of the game, whereas in football the legislators are behind the game and have to play catch up to keep up with the antics.

"You can't raise your hands" We all know interpretation of the rule was supposed to prevent fisticuffs, but in reality we have players dropping to the ground like they've been shot makes a mockery of the integrity of the game.

Until we get on top of obvious 'simulation', whether punished at the time or on review after the event then cheats will always prosper.

That's what really annoys us is the cheating. Referees can't deal with it on their own. They need to be backed up and the punishments need to be much harsher.

     

Must say I agree with every word of that.