cheating or honesty?

[Im_Spartacus]

If the referee is worried about the consequences/abuse, then the FA have a simple rule which should be implemented If they complain, book each and every one stood around you. If they are still there 5 seconds later, start sending them off.

It will only happen once or twice more in that country, and it will be over - never to be seen again.

FIFA only need implement this rule, by the end of the first weekend, the problem will have gone, as managers will start fining their players for stupid sendings off and diving, cheating and abusing referees becomes self regulated

This might take care of the abuse from players, and another rule could be implemented to take care of any abuse that should come from the fans, ensuring the team of those fans loses the game 3-0 if they throw things at the referee or anything like that (it has happened, maybe not in England but it has, I remember a Champions League game between Roma and Dinamo Kiev where at half time the referee was hit by a coin thrown from a Roma fan, because he had sent Mexes off.)

The biggest problem, though, is that I think referees are afraid of being taken apart by slow motion replays, and generally by post-match analisys programmes, like MOTD and similar, and that making mistakes that will be highlighted by the TV will lead to a decrease of their reputation, and thus of their "importance".

Nothing can really ever be done about the crowd's reaction save for behind closed door games, which if an FA is serious about implementing sanctions to clean up the game, they will do - and again it becomes self regulating, because if I see someone acting a cunt in the crowd, I am more likely to raise the issue with a steward / police or tackle it myself.

In terms of referees making mistakes - promotion and relegation of match officials to me is all wrong. Just because someone fucks up in a game, they get relegated to the isthmian league for a week. What happens to Rooney when he has a mare - he plays next week because his manager wants him to get through it. A lot of refs in this country fear for their position - and this political game of avoiding making difficult decisions has become farcical. If the referees were secure in their appointments for a full season then they wouldn have the balls to make a decision, without a player falling theatrically to make it for them.

Sad indictment of our game this whole thread.

[pears12]

Yeah I hate how football has turned into ref's won't give a foul unless you fall to the ground. I think refs aren't looking for the foul but are looking to whether the play went down and there might of been some contact. I think refs just overawed by a big occasion and bottle it when there is a pressure situation.

Also shirt pulling corners and in general never seem to be given as a penalty but if attacker does it to a defending player it is a free kick.

[Vhero]

I hate the rags for always falling all the time whether it was a slight tap or they were hit with force as long as it gives them an advantage they will do it. They use it to their advantage and have done since I can remember it gets them points time and time again. The amount of times last season they "dived" outside the box so Tranaldo could do one of his wonder free kicks to save the game was unreal. I fucking hate divers with a passion and if we had one on our squad I wouldn't want him simple as. If we need to stoop to the rags lever we would be as bad as them and what's the point? We are City we are bigger that that and we should never stoop to their level.

[Im_Spartacus]

I hate the rags for always falling all the time whether it was a slight tap or they were hit with force as long as it gives them an advantage they will do it. They use it to their advantage and have done since I can remember it gets them points time and time again. The amount of times last season they "dived" outside the box so Tranaldo could do one of his wonder free kicks to save the game was unreal. I fucking hate divers with a passion and if we had one on our squad I wouldn't want him simple as. If we need to stoop to the rags lever we would be as bad as them and what's the point? We are City we are bigger that that and we should never stoop to their level.

But until the rules/refereeing approach change, surely we would be stupid and naive not to play to the rules that everyone else is playing to.

[Vhero]

I hate the rags for always falling all the time whether it was a slight tap or they were hit with force as long as it gives them an advantage they will do it. They use it to their advantage and have done since I can remember it gets them points time and time again. The amount of times last season they "dived" outside the box so Tranaldo could do one of his wonder free kicks to save the game was unreal. I fucking hate divers with a passion and if we had one on our squad I wouldn't want him simple as. If we need to stoop to the rags lever we would be as bad as them and what's the point? We are City we are bigger that that and we should never stoop to their level.

But until the rules/refereeing approach change, surely we would be stupid and naive not to play to the rules that everyone else is playing to.

Sure I mean if your fouled going down is fine but as long as we don't dive. I think that's the line for me.. I also hope we don't go down as much as the rags. Rooney was down every time a defender touched him and he wasn't in a goal position in the derby.