Football is often described as 'the beautiful game.' I must admit the aesthetics have escaped me thus far and I find it an incredibly boring game. (Heap coals of fire on my head if you must!)
I object to it being called England's national sport. Cricket definitely comes into that category and I would wish rugby to be placed far above football. The refereeing of football is appallingly badly received by players, management and crowd. In fact, I'm surprised that anyone volunteers to become a referee, for the way they are treated is quite dreadful. In any other sport a player being disciplined would be more stringently punished for arguing with the referee but in football the players seem free to intimidate the poor man in supposed charge of proceedings.
An item in the news amused me and neatly encapsulates the general lack of fair play in football, albeit in Sweden.
During a match a Danish goalkeeper playing for the Swedish team Gothenburg kicked the moveable goalposts, moving them inwards by several centimetres. The referee was told of this after thirty minutes of the match had been played and though the goalkeeper's actions were caught on film no sanctions were imposed later. The reason was that this would have been a yellow card incident had he been noticed by the referee while he was moving the goalposts. The Danish player stated that he had effected the same manoeuvre on other occasions after he had seen another goalkeeper doing it – and presumably getting away with it - some years previously.
Fair play? What's that? The beautiful game? I think not.
I also think rugby should be rated above football. Not only do the players seem to have a little more respect but the opposing fans are a lot more civilised towards each other.
ReplyDeleteVery true - the atmosphere at rugby matches is much warmer. At some football matches the fans take their lives in their hands!
ReplyDeleteThe behaviour of the players and fans can be quite appalling at times. If there is a home game being payed in one of our 'local' towns, most people tend to keep off of the streets, as the fans wreak havoc after the match. It doesn't seem to matter whether their team has won or lost, it is just an excuse for hooliganism.
ReplyDeleteI have never understood how all those men can find excitement in chasing a bag of wind around a field anyway!
sylvia - sadly that is the case in too many towns. Even 30 years ago when Gillingham (Kent) had a home match everyone kept indoors and Gillingham, though dull and boring, was hardly a hotbed of vice.
ReplyDeleteYes, Gillingham alway was a little boring. We lived there when we first returned to the UK from Egypt. The address was 145 Saxon Street, and I have often wondered if that old house is still standing!I hadn't realised that they had football hooligans too though.
ReplyDelete