Is football becoming a wimps/Cheaters game?

Kingp35 · 27-06-2006 7:38pm #1

This might sound like a bit of a rant but I need to get it off my chest.

I am sick and tired of players diving and play acting in the modern game of football, so much so that I find myself wanting to turn off games because I get so annoyed watching them. Teams like the Italians just make my blood boil with the amount of diving and feigning injury etc that goes on and it totally ruins the game and takes any flow and excitement out of it. This just can not go on because its slowly ruining the beautiful game and turning it into an acting contest.

FIFA and referees are to blame also. There are so many free kicks given for stupid little things. If you tap the back of a players ankles these days he will hit the deck and role around in agony. FIFA should step in and stop this rubbish by telling referees to not give so many free kicks for stupid little things. It is a contact sport the last time I checked. The amount of Yellow and Red cards in this World Cup is a new record, not because it is the dirtiest World Cup we have seen, but because of all the play acting and diving and referees being far too strict.

The game is being ruined by a bunch of wimps running around the pitch. I love football, have played it all my life and watch it all the time, but its getting worse and less entertaining. Its starting to really get to me and something needs to be done.

Rant Over

Ruu_Old · 27-06-2006 7:49pm

I blame the Italians (the lot of them running around the referees waving their hands in the air), they started all this play acting. Stop taking the piss! Where have the hard men of soccer gone?

The referees should let the games flow a bit alright, sad.

Bungalow Bill · 27-06-2006 8:15pm

A wimps game? Have you ever tried to actually play proper football?

Nalz · 27-06-2006 8:18pm

A: No

Mushy · 27-06-2006 8:22pm

It has gone terrible now. Thats why, even during the World Cup, its always good to turn on a game of gaelic football. To see these lads run around and take the punishment is a breathe of fresh air. Its never a case of trying to get another player sent off, the players just get on with it.

Bungalow bill wrote:

A wimps game? Have you ever tried to actually play proper football?

I take it this is in response to the original post? He is talking about the players who play "proper football".

Kingp35 · 27-06-2006 9:00pm

Trilla wrote:

A: No

Very informative. A fan of players feigning injury and diving are you?

Another example in the Spain France match where Torres threw himself down in the box.

The Muppet · 27-06-2006 9:14pm

I agree with the OP. It's the main reason why I don't watch Spanish or Italian football any more , unfotunately it's creeping into the premiership too.

Mr. Presentable · 27-06-2006 9:18pm

creeping in, eh?

There has always been diving, and other forms of cheating in football. Yeah, and in England too. It is a popular anglo xenophobic notion to suggest Italians created cheating, or are the only ones. They do do it, but only also!

Edit to add:
Diving and play-acting were once seen as symptoms of a foreign disease, brought to Britain by overseas imports with no respect for the laws of the game, but it has become a more serious problem in British football than in the rest of Europe, according to Lars-Christer Olsson, the Uefa chief executive, who has become the latest figure to pledge his support to our campaign.

Olsson believes that the rules make sufficient provision to punish the offenders and that the problem has been addressed throughout much of Europe. However, he feels that there is room for a more serious clampdown in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the respective football associations, along with players, managers and referees, have a responsibility to pay greater heed to the laws of the game if the problem is not to get out of hand.

“Uefa is against any form of cheating in football,” Olsson told The Times. “We have understood that diving is now a big problem in the United Kingdom. However, it has not been reported a problem in other parts of Europe.

The Times Feb 15 2006

Attractive Nun · 27-06-2006 10:27pm

In many ways, I can understand the whole diving thing. Certain players have become so skilful in their simulation that the referee is never really going to spot the dive, so they are often virtually guaranteed to get a free kick. A free kick helps the team, helping the team brings you one step closer to winning, so it is somewhat understandable. Diving has become so much a part of the game, almost every team will have players doing it, so I don't blame individual players as much as most.

It is, at the end of the day, still cheating, however, and should not be part of the game. Sport is about winning, yes, but it's also about sportsmanship, fair play and honour. It has to be cut out of the game, and it's not something that's easy to do. With advances in technology though it's often painfully obvious when it goes on so I really think FIFA should introduce retrospective punishment to the worst offenders.