Well, it’s finally got to the stage where I have to say something. I am steadily losing my respect for the “Beautiful Game”. I am finding it difficult to enjoy watching any soccer game lately…including these World Cup games. Actually, when I think about it, it’s been bothering me for years and I suppose it has finally reached a tipping point.
I’ve had just about enough of the diving, play acting and pretending by most of the world’s top players. Let’s be clear about this, it is dishonest, it is cheating. And it is spoiling the game.
I can’t think of one game I have seen on TV in the English Premier League, Champions League, World Cup and Euro Championships, in the last 5 years where there hasn’t been a plethora of diving and play acting. Players will fake a dive in the box in the hope of being awarded a penalty kick…cheating. Players will fake being hit in the face (Kaka incident) to get other players red carded…cheating. Players will appeal to the ref for a corner or throw-in when they know for a fact, they last touched the ball before it went out…cheating. Players will roll over 3-4 times on the ground pretending to be in agony when they were barely touched and not hurt…cheating.
This cheating is pervasive in soccer and it seems more so the higher the level of play. It is ruining the beautiful game and I am losing respect for it.
Obviously the players are okay with this. They don’t mind being cheated out of games and they don’t feel bad about cheating other teams out of games. Where is the respect between players? Where is the code of ethics? What about the fans? Seems like they are okay with the fraud and cheating going off with the players in the teams that they support. The usual response is, “It’s all part of the game”.
Well, no it’s not part of the game. Cheating, fraud, play acting and the rest of it, in an attempt to win, is NOT part of any game that I know of.
In golf, players will penalize themselves if they break a rule, even if others are not looking. In rugby, there is no arguing with the refs and no pretending to be hurt to get another player ejected. Heck, in tennis, before they embraced new technology, some players would tell the ref the ball was in, when it was called as out against their opponent…and a let was played. So, why all the cheating in soccer?
When I was a kid growing up in England in the 70’s, there wasn’t this play acting/cheating going on in games. It was actually frowned upon. When we played games, if we went down pretending to be hurt or embellishing a foul, even our own teammates would shout at us to stop play acting. If you went down, rolled over 3-4 times and pretended to be hurt, you would be looked at like an idiot…it was embarrassing to try and embellish a foul or being hurt…you would have been ridiculed In other words, you would be looked at as a CHEAT. So no one did this. I don’t even remember instances of this on TV during the professional games in those days.
But now, things have changed. I don’t know if the BIG money has made the difference or whether the influx of foriegn players in most leagues has made it a regular occurance.
The sad thing is it could be stamped out instantly and I blame FIFA for not doing so. Retroactive video evidence would practically put an end to all the cheating, fraud, diving, play acting, etc. overnight. But FIFA won’t even consider this. And the players just take advantage of the system.
Let’s take the World Cup games for instance. What if there was a panel of observers who viewed the tape of the game right after the game? And anyone who in their opinion, based on evidence in the tape, pretended to be fouled when they weren’t, dived to try and get a penalty awarded, held their knee in agony when they were simply pushed over or even appealed for a corner when they clearly touched the ball last for a goal kick, then they should be disciplined.
How they should be disciplined is a whole other topic, but they could be given points, like a red/yellow card system, could be banned from future games if the instance was severe, fined, etc.
So none of this stops the flow of the game…no complaint there. But it will have the effect of each player knowing their actions will be scrutinized in minute detail and from different angles.
And don’t say it can’t be done. It is done right now with every NFL game. Each NFL game is scrutinized after the fact. Players are even fined if they don’t get called on a foul during the game. The officials might miss the call (let’s face it, they can’t see everything), but if the player is caught on tape after the fact, doing a major foul on an opponent, especially if that foul is dangerous to the health of the opponent, then he is fined. There is just no reason that this can’t be done in all the major soccer tournaments and most of the major pro leagues throughout the world.
You could make the argument that this won’t be an option for some minor leagues and youth leagues. That might be so, but at least it puts a stop to it for the major games and all games on TV. And the other side effect is that our younger players will not see the fraud and cheating anymore from their role models and it will create a whole new generation of players who don’t have a tendency to cheat to try and win games.
Here’s a test. For the next World Cup game, count how many times, there is an instance of cheating, over exaguration, diving, pretending, etc. I would think there will be at least 20.
It’s a disgrace and it’s spoiling the “Beautiful Game”.
Coaching Community — Leave a Comment
Share your thoughts, questions or coaching tips below
I completely agree with your comments. While watching these games and trying to get others (NFL/Football fanatics) involved this year, I have been saddened by the focus that has been placed on the drama and theatrics. One friend of mine now refers to soccer as Pro Wrestling #2 because of all the fake injuries and what he calls lack of integrity. I like so many others, wish they would just play the game. As a player at the top level, I would want to spend my career competing rather than laying on the field. I assume that I would also be more dangerous on my feet than grabbing my ankle. I actually applauded the yellow cards given for diving this year…and will continue to do so.
The only problem with giving yellow cards for diving, is it puts the ref in a tough spot. It’s difficult enough to decide if it’s a foul or not, never mind trying to figure out if the player dived or over reacted. I have actually seen players yellow carded when they were actually fouled.
No, I think the best way is to view the tape of the game and catch the cheats then.
Video evidence is used in Rugby after the fact to view any controversy and the refs aren’t disciplined for missing those incidents.
This is how it should happen in football and no punishment should be given to the ref for missing it as he has his hands full as it is.
The cheating and simulation has grown because it wasn’t killed off in it’s infancy,usually in Latin European countries back in the 70’s and in fact it was admired for getting an edge over the opposition.
The only way to stamp it out is to over punish the cheats so that it will make players think twice before trying to con the officials.
There will be a plethora of wrong decisions but it will at least then force FIFA to act.
I agree with your sentiments Mike. Ever since referees started issuing red cards for elbows to the head the number of players who go down clutching their face in agony when they feel the slightest contact in that area has increased exponentially. Unfortunately what is seen on TV gets copied throughout the game and I am so disheartened when I see it happening on our local park pitches. It is frustrating knowing that those who control the game don’t appear to have the will to change it. Maybe it needs continual pressure from coaching organizations at all levels plus media coverage to get FIFA to take some action. As we have seen with the goal line technology issue it is only when everyone else cries out for action that Sepp Blatter jumps on the bandwagon.
Man you are the first person to write what I have been saying for weeks now!! — This is absolutely correct!!
Have a FIFA committee go back and watch tapes of the game – and if someone CHEATS — fine them, their team and dismiss them from the next game. The cheating will stop in an instance if the players know this will happen. Kaka’s card should have been recinded – and the fake actor dismissed from the next international competition and his team fined $100,000 for mocking the sport of soccer.
I have no problem with appealing offsides and corners – but the fake injury and diving is GETTING RIDICULOUS – the Dutch just displayed the dirtiest futbol I have seen in years!! I am burning my dam Dutch football training books and will NEVER again buy anything that has anything to do with Dutch football. That display during the FINAL was a disgrace to the game and every true Dutchman should hide their face in SHAME! A mockery of the game. These overpaid crybaby players are making a mockery of the game. FIFA must do something now!!