The only downside with the enforced leaving of the pitch is it might discourage some players from admitting their genuine head injury. I cannot see a problem with waving the physio onto the pitch for the head injury though. Not something we've seen in football before but no particular reason not to in the case of head injuries. It's all about disruption and having a physio running onto the pitch is less disruptive than stopping play.
It's getting harder and harder to ref games though. You've got 22 players plus both benches trying to cheat for 90 minutes to gain any advantage they can. The blame lies firstly with the players and management for cheating. Secondly, it's with the law makers for not stamping out the cheating.
Exactly this. Plus managers and staff deliberately whipping fans up into a frenzy with after match interviews and posts on forums berating officials. It's an absolute disgrace the disrespect football clubs show officials. Compare and contrast with Rugby. Are Rugby officials any better? No, they're human just like football officials, but they're given respect.
Once again, and I know I keep banging on about this, but we as fans all know what's wrong with the game. We all know what we dislike about the game. We all (nearly all) despise the cheating. The powers that be are well aware of this too. And yet from the game itself; powers that be, pundits, players, managers there is zero, absolute ZERO effort to eradicate it. If they all got together and agreed to tackle it 90% of diving, cheating, faking could be eradicated within a season.
Completely agree. Feels like something that will never happen though. Every Club is now in this vicious cycle of 'if you can't beat em, join em'. Sounds draconian, but the only way to break the cycle for me now, is to go heavy on the punishments. The culture of the game is just too far gone, for players and Clubs to voluntarily stop doing it. Doesn't stop there though. PGMOL and the FAs also need to step up. The officials need to be massively more accountable than they currently are. It can't all just be on the players.
Agree with absolutely all of this, but if Tedic falls over in stoppage time at Wembley and wins us a joke penalty that takes us into the Championship, I reserve the right to go back on anything I've said.
I understand a ref stopping play for a head injury - it’s potentially dangerous. But it’s wrong if the player just gets back up & carries on. Every head injury should be assessed by a medic (ie physio) via a concussion protocol (& leaving the pitch). Proper medical assessment. I’ve seen players go down clutching their heads & the physio coming on & treating an ankle or knee - book the chest! I’d also book players who are limping profusely only to sprint forward - book them mall
Just make players serve a 5-minute break if play stops due to a supposed head injury to them. Concussion break or summat. Up to the manager if they're subbed. Stop the pissing about overnight.
Remember when Shearer did it against us in the Prem season, and especially in the Fa cup Qtr final. Chris Waddle described it as " using all his experience there to gain an advantage over the defender, and earn the free kick ". Barry Davies meanwhile was more honest and to the point, saying it was " clear gamesmanship! ". Which is a nicer way of saying diving or cheating. But that's where the ref should do his job properly and not keep giving into it, whether it involves a big club or a big player.
Get some rugby refs in for a few games. That'll sort em. Anyone claiming a head injury goes off for a head injury assessment, if it is passed they can come back on, if failed they are allowed a free substitution. Anyone arguing with the ref or trying to tell the ref how to do his job gets a proper telling off and if they do it again they get 10 mins in the sin bin and if they do it again they get a red card. Yellow cards have no value as they don't help the team who were wronged, make yellows 10 mins in the sin bin with a repeat yellow being a red card. Allow tackles. Don't allow dangerous tackles. 50/50s are ok as long as you don't go off feet.
You're right about yellow cards. They're pretty meaningless. There was an incident a few weeks back where Andersen "took one for the team". The opposition player was breaking on goal and Andersen climbed on his back and went for a piggy back ride to bring him down. Result. A yellow card that amounts to almost zero justice. Should have been a straight red.
Can't see that happening, more likely is that he's wrestled to the ground and stamped on and the ref waves away penalty appeals. Oh and McGeehan get a 3 match ban.
I've always wished that the refs could be given more options, instead of having to just follow the letter of the law. For example like when Mads got sent off against Bolton, if its a clear professional foul and the attacking player is in a goalscoring position. Why not allow the ref to suggest that the offending player be subbed instead of the red card. That way the offending team aren't punished by going down to 10 men, which then ruins the match for everybody. And also allow them to give a pen even if its outside the area, so the other team keep their chance of a goal as well.