Robbie gives Graeme a big smile
Robbie gives Graeme a big smile
The debate concerning trial by television has raged for a long while now. The reason we will never see American Football-style replays, where officials can haul play back to penalise incidents they, through human failing, missed, is two-fold. One, American Football is crap, and dragging the game out only serves to make it even more painful. Secondly, and most importantly, unless you can provide cameras at all levels of the sport, it won't work. It can't.
I have campaigned tirelessly for referees in our own local & regional arena, to apply the same rules that we have to witness on Match of the Day etc. Why? Because we all play the same game, with the same rules as laid down by World governing body, FIFA.
It became apparent a long time ago, that officials were prepared to take the abuse from professional players, but in our amateur game, to slip carelessly into the vernacular to express disappointment to a linesman, would probably result in a red card, suspension, and the obligatory fine payable to the Sussex F.A.
The ridiculous antics or Messrs Fowler and Le Saux once again highlighted the perceived need for a fourth official, an all-seeing umpire, no doubt sponsored by Sky, Cable, or some other such medium who feel the need to cover everything, from every angle.
Robbie Fowler's gestures were, perhaps, distasteful. Certainly childish, but he realised that Le Saux (for all his intellect, a fiery brat) would react, and thus, an excellent player is distracted and chooses to involve himself in a "handbags-at-dawn" confrontation.
That Liverpool AND Chelsea requested that Match Of The Day showed nothing "out of context" proved, to me at least, that both clubs were highly embarrassed by their stars, both being paid in excess of £30,000 per week to do, what? Bicker like schoolgirls in a playground?
It was the story of the week. Referees were again under pressure, questioned as to whether, if they had seen a TV replay, would they have sent either man off?
Please, if any self respecting football fan had seen Le Saux's flying elbows, then England's first choice wing-back would have taken an early bath.
Is the solution to pause, dissect each and every incident, and like some footballing caped crusader, make good the injustices we see on TV? Do we ask for the 1986 World Cup to be replayed from the quarter final stages onwards, because we were lucky to spot the Maradona handball?
This cannot work. By definition, if TV can see everything that the referee can't, and all that he can, why have referees at all? Whatever rules and facilities to improve our national game you introduce at the top, must be able to filter down to kids playing in the park.
Morally, I have to agree with the Lynams and Wilsons who cleverly instruct pundits to deplore cheating. And any way the cheaters can be caught is fine by me. The worrying factor is that, followed through to it's logical conclusion, if a player is found to be cheating, and his remaining on the field of play has a detrimental effect on the opposition, then the game should be declared void and started again. My, what a backlog of fixtures we would have then.
If Fowler was bringing the game into disrepute, through pretty harmless "name-calling", what did Alan Hansen think of his Liverpool team-mate Bruce Grobbelaar performing his "jellied legs" during a penalty shoot-out? Bruce's theatrics obviously affected the concentration of the kicker, and won Liverpool the European Cup. Was this different to Fowler's anal posturing?
Football has moved on to another level - it's gone.......SEXUAL!!!
Political correctness has crept into football this past ten years. Racism has all but been stamped out (possibly because the current Premiership boasts the largest single melting pot of integration since Europeans landed in the Americas) and it would be remarkable now if a coloured player were to suffer abuse when surrounded by an onion-toting French defender on a bike, a goose-stepping German midfielder, or an Italian striker who changes sides after 45 minutes, halfway through the conflict.
These (not my) bigoted views on the foreign imports have, at least, diverted attention from black stars like Andy Cole (who would blame his missing of three sitters on taunting from the stands).
Homosexuals playing football? They haven't arrived from outer space, so where is the story, Mr Tabloid Newspaper? Tragically, Justin Fashanu will not be remembered for his goal of the season for Norwich against Liverpool, but the fact that he "came out". Perhaps Le Saux and Fowler might do well to ask themselves, "What do I want to be remembered for?" If the best they have to offer is their puerile display a fortnight ago, then Kevin Keegan will do well to find suitable replacements for them in the England set-up now. Your country needs you, but not like this.
On the sexual theme, there is now a place for women in professional football. Arsenal ladies lead the way, England are doing well in the international arena, and girls are invited to play at schools up and down the country.
And now I have to be extremely careful. I admire women who want to play the game, (and rugby ladies too), but I hope that, as with all other trophies of emancipation (like the vote) women will become bored and seek out some other weekend activity. Where I firmly believe women have a place in any football club, is in the bedroom. Sorry, boardroom. As a Crystal Palace supporter, I would happily say goodbye to "business tycoon" Mark Goldberg, and would welcome in a lady like Karen Brady (Birmingham City's glamorous but clued-in Chief Exec.) If I have any concerns about the fairer sex getting a foothold in the game I love, it is that they will have their own version of MOTD, and the panel will discuss team colours, hairstyles and accessories rather than tactics.
Much to the chagrin of lady footballers, cameras might pick up on visible pantylines, off-the-ball scratching and instead of dissent, players could be carded for gossiping. A whole new world of advertising would ensue; platform heeled Predators, shin-pads - with wings!!
There is plenty of room in football for women, whites, coloureds, homosexuals, and bow legged Chinamen (like we have at Palace). I think we should limit the amount of Scousers and Channel Islanders , and we should certainly say no to Trial By Television. Get on with the game.