No Apologies needed nick. as we have all stated in this thread (and there is plenty of evidence that it happens in ALL sports) it's being good at it that counts.......We either live with it, or do we all want American Football style refereeing (8 refs plus), where the game lasts 3+hours !!?

How much more frustrastion can club fans,managers,and owners take???

Im sure the owners would like it to go that way....seeing that more and more yanks are taking over the top clubs.

3 +Hour matches........i mean how many burgers can you feed your kids in that much time.

Sorry about the rant........but, anyone see my point ??

Yes and i believe it's called Americanisation! Also i totally agree, cause as you know i'm not America's biggest fan!

Football NEEDS video referees, it's behind all other major sports because of this, the Roy Carroll incident for example. How easy would it have been to allow the goal?

Ok, maybe not on things like diving, but things like fines after game for crucial incidents that have had the wrong decision could be handed out. (Eg. Ronaldo diving to win a penalty that turns out to be the match winner)

na diving can be part of the game i think and if u've got a little chance at goal and someone gives you a little knock you'll obviously play for the penalty

The problem is football has changed so much since the birth of the Premiership, and it is becoming more American with the clubs making more money through television revenue than gate receipts. This is bringing a decline in traditional support and atmosphere - instead we have a rise in things like shared season tickets and cheer leaders.

Bringing in retrospective punishments for cheating (simulation) would be simple (video evidence is already used for certain instances), will make referee's job easier and will cut out cheating. The main argument against is that the PFA don't want it - this is player's having too much power.

Also having additional linesmen (4) has been seriously discussed. Consider how many officials exist for tennis, what's the problem of additional officials? It shouldn't slow the game down if implemented correctly.

stellaman, I agree with your point about not extending the game. Keeping the game flowing is a must consider for any changes.

One question is would people be happy to win through blatant cheating? 15 years ago the answer would be different to now.

nope, they get paid what most earn in a year in just one week, so they shouldn't have to dive, to get paid a ridiculous amount like that you have to be good at what you do so they shouldn't need to dive, we can all do that but we don't get paid for it.

i am a huge man u fan and i think ronaldo is a amazing player and awesome to watch very entertaining but the diving spoils it for him ( my opinion ), but to be fair to him, if you look how many time he has dived this season compared to last i wouldn't be suprised if it's half the amount.

I think a video referee, like you have in rugby, would be a good idea in certain situations, but the FA want to be punishing the bad behaviour, i think a new card system would be a good idea. If someone get's caught simulating then send them off for 10mins. When the ref has given a free kick, and all the players are swearing at the ref, give the oppossition another 10 metres, if they swear at the ref off for 10mins etc etc! It works in rugby, how many times do you see a rugby player swear or argue with a ref? I can't really think of a particular incident, and if it did happen the player would be ostracised from the world of rugby for some time.


Edited at 08:42 Wed 28/02/07 (GMT)

yes it is great watching rugby refs, they get respect from the players and thats the way it needs to be in football. as for some of the arguments in this thread there shocking, just as u have the oppertunity to do something in no way justifies it, i have a crowbar in my shed but it doesnt justify me going and robbing the corner shop. football needs video refs or harsher punishments to cheats

Has anybody seen Hueblo Riocondo yet? Amazing player, already on a par with Ronaldo, and only 17. I think he will go on to outshine anything we've seen in decades.

Edited at 23:16 Wed 28/02/07 (GMT)

The video referee idea wouldn't work in all cases. Often there are incidents that still aren't clear even after endless replays and it's often a matter of opinion whether it's a foul/penalty/goal etc.

Refs would still cop for it for making the wrong decision!

Ronaldo is top quality. He is the best player in the world at the moment IMO. His pace, skill and his attitude to football is the best i've seen for a while. If he didn't dive, he would be a specail. Martin, is it possible to get a link so we can see Hueblo Riocondo in action?

No, because I made the name up on the spur of the moment.

lmao

Martin, thats my footballing name

edit.

Edited at 00:30 Mon 5/03/07 (GMT)

lmao