British sportsmanship and an end to cheating

[degsy]

Personal integrity has no price x

and sadly for some people no value

 

[Fuleco]

This is a good article:

http://www.theguardian.com/football...4/aug/28/football-coach-banned-players-diving

 

[Billy Dean]

I would like to see retrospective punishment for cheating. Sometimes it's obvious and shouldn't go unpunished. Some players even admit it afterwards and get away with it FFS (eg Robben). As long as there is impunity it will carry on IMO.

 

[Smudge1985]

That's the problem. You can't fix it in-game until the culture changes. To get a reversal in culture, you would need to see retroactive punishment for cheating. It would start small, but it be effective. Simple things like cards given after the match for blown calls (diving, use of hands outside the box...) can be effective enough to start some movement in the opposite direction.

Fans dont help themselves. A couple of weeks ago, Celtic won 3-0 at St Johnstone. At 1-0, a Celtic player dived under a minimal brush from a defender who was sent off. The red card was overturned on appeal, and the Celtic player was given a two game for 'causing the referee to make a wrong decision via simulation.' I thought it was brilliant, brought it up on another message board and asked would the Prem have the balls to do the same this season. The next day I think it was, Diego Costa got booked for diving against Burnley. And the vast majority of pundits and fans Ive talked to about it since think it wasnt a dive because of the mythical 'there was contact.' Too many nobheads always looking for an excuse and a reason for diving to try and justify it, when its just wrong.

I cant influence what Everton players do, our own players do it as well sometimes, though thankfully not as much as most. But while I cant have any influence on our players taking a dive, the least I can do is be honest about it. Most cant even do that.

What's driven me mad over the years is the practice of 'taking out' our influential players. Not by injuring them but by diving or rolling around after robust but fair challenges to put them on a yellow. Barry or McCarthy on an early yellow nullifies their influence for the rest of the game. It must come from the manager which suggests they don't have the wit to counter such players fair and square.

I recall Wiltshires 1st game at GP when he was clearly told to fall over every time Cahill went near him, it was almost comical at times but was sowing doubt in the refs mind, although Webb wasn't biting other refs might.

Hmmmm it seems I'm basically talking about Wenger.....(Although Hansen being allowed to put together a montage of Barry's unpunished tackles on MOTD takes ref baiting to whole new level)

Hate all that. Remember Allardyce talking up how dirty Cahill is before we played Blackburn, and the ref gave a foul every time Cahill got within 5 feet of anyone. Samba actually got him in a headlock and threw him to the ground and one point and still got the decision. Cue the camera panning to Fat Sam's grid as he laughs and winks at someone. Hate it. Was it City away when they beat us 2-0 a couple of years ago too where all 5 of our midfielders were booked in the first half for first tackles? So basically we werent allowed to challenge them for the rest of the game?

 

[Nashtbs]

Was it City away when they beat us 2-0 a couple of years ago too where all 5 of our midfielders were booked in the first half for first tackles? So basically we werent allowed to challenge them for the rest of the game?

Is that the game where Rodwell had Silva in his back pocket then the ref booked him for a nothing tackle?

 

[Muggins]

The stakes are too high these days in terms of monetary return.

 

[Durham Toffee]

I think there is a case for unsportsmanlike conduct in the 93rd minute of an FA Cup final...

I'd go down easy in the penalty area about then...

 

[peteblue]

It could be brought back within weeks if they post reviewed games and issued reds and yellows in abundance for unsporting behaviour. The managers would get it stopped immediately. It just takes moral fibre and balls.........

 

[Prevenger17]

The only language they understand.

 

[chrissyjack]

Any player who feigns an injury to get the play stopped as Everton are attacking at GP should be hurled from the Top Balcony

 

[bignev23]

Its not even about money, the players still get paid the same if they dive or not.

 

[Smudge1985]

Is that the game where Rodwell had Silva in his back pocket then the ref booked him for a nothing tackle?

Yeah think it was, Rodwell was definitely one of those who got booked. Just checked on Soccerbase and BBC, October 2011. City had only Toure booked. We had Osman, Rodwell, Neville, Jagielka and Cahill booked! Ironically, Fellaini wasnt! Osman, Neville and Rodwell were all booked within 10 minutes in the middle of the first half!