Influencing youngsters.

[sinkov]

Just how much influence does the behaviour of professional footballers have on the kids ? Quite a lot if this is anything to go by.

"I coach an under 11s team. I'm amazed how kids are affected by FIFA and the Premier league. We have one lad, before he takes a corner he raises an arm above his head. Feck knows why as no one else knows what it means. Yesterday a boy lay on the floor behind a defensive wall."

FFS

[Balanbam00]

I also have coached an under 11s team, one day we had a game right next to the Lebanese border, To encourage the young ones I told them if they won, I would by all a creamy biscuit, but if they lost ,they had to buy me They won!!

Once I told this before, you have to use all your skills to win.

We had a game against a very good young team that play 11 a side ,we play 7 a side. Ok, the game started and after about 30 mins we were 3-1 down ,or 3-0. One young lad stood next to me and started asking ''Let me play,'' and again and again ,''let me play.''

I told him to go some 40 yards down the touch line and watch my hand signal ,telling him, to go on and play. I called one player at the other side of the field calling him to come here to me.(All eyes must have been watching him.) The player 40 yds down the line I waved ,to go on and play. As the player coming towards me, approached me I told him to shoot more and he went back on the field. So we were 12 against 11, nobody discovered that ,and we still lost!!

[Swissclaret]

Just how much influence does the behaviour of professional footballers have on the kids ? Quite a lot if this is anything to go by.

"I coach an under 11s team. I'm amazed how kids are affected by FIFA and the Premier league. We have one lad, before he takes a corner he raises an arm above his head. Feck knows why as no one else knows what it means. Yesterday a boy lay on the floor behind a defensive wall."

FFS

From what I have read, the parents of the youngsters are the worst - verbally abusing the officials, the players and even their own children.

When I was 10 and in the school side, we were taught sportsmanship as much as anything. I idolised Ray Pointer. I never saw him foul anyone, dive or get booked. Those were days when bookings were rare and a mark of shame - unless you played for Leeds, where it was a badge of honour.

Fast forward 60 years and yellow cards are given out like confetti, professional fouls are applauded and players go down like they’ve been hit by a lorry. Cheating is the norm and verbal abuse of officials is tolerated.

[Swissclaret]

The other element that has changed for the worst is the lexicon of the commentators.

Back in the day a player gave away a foul or gave away a penalty.

Now a player wins a foul or, worse still, wins a penalty.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

SD mentioned his amazement that the captain of England "fractured an eyelid" when he was gently pushed in the mush and then had to endure a concussion test. Good job he never ran across me. My team mates ran a book on my next sending off and even contributed to the fines I accrued.

I ran across an old mate of mine with my grandkids in attendance at the Blackpool home game, he rolled his pant leg up to show them in his words where " your grandad nearly took my leg off"!

[sinkov]

SD mentioned his amazement that the captain of England "fractured an eyelid" when he was gently pushed in the mush and then had to endure a concussion test. Good job he never ran across me. My team mates ran a book on my next sending off and even contributed to the fines I accrued.

I ran across an old mate of mine with my grandkids in attendance at the Blackpool home game, he rolled his pant leg up to show them in his words where " your grandad nearly took my leg off"!

I played two full seasons at full-back in the Burnley Combination for Teds Old Boys, not a single booking, like I said, firm but fair me. Scored two goals as well, but none of this wing-back nonsense, the only time I went past the halfway line was for corners.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

My nickname's "Chopper" - tells you all you need to know mon ami.

[sinkov]

Most of the wingers I was up against BT were spindly youths who thought they were George Best. Give them a good whack with the first tackle, for which you never got booked, and they're never a bother for the rest of the game. Championship full-backs dish out the same treatment to Benson, and as you've pointed out BT, it works.

[Supersub6]

Just how much influence does the behaviour of professional footballers have on the kids ? Quite a lot if this is anything to go by.

"I coach an under 11s team. I'm amazed how kids are affected by FIFA and the Premier league. We have one lad, before he takes a corner he raises an arm above his head. Feck knows why as no one else knows what it means. Yesterday a boy lay on the floor behind a defensive wall."

FFS

Sadly, sinkov, this is now becoming a common sight when watching football played by kids from the age of around 12 upwards.
I watch many local games, including Academy games, and I see the antics of PL players replicated week after week.
It is not a good trend, however, it is becoming more and more obvious that they are being coached in these things and that upcoming officials are being advised to clamp down on more and more physical contact, good tackles being penalised and players being cautioned because they have gone in too hard!

Sadly, the falling over has also spread to the Northern League this season with players falling over at the slightest touch and berating the officials if they are not awarded a free kick/penalty.

I do not see the situation improving at all and honestly think that we are getting closer and closer to the game becoming a non-contact sport.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Sadly, sinkov, this is now becoming a common sight when watching football played by kids from the age of around 12 upwards.
I watch many local games, including Academy games, and I see the antics of PL players replicated week after week.
It is not a good trend, however, it is becoming more and more obvious that they are being coached in these things and that upcoming officials are being advised to clamp down on more and more physical contact, good tackles being penalised and players being cautioned because they have gone in too hard!

Sadly, the falling over has also spread to the Northern League this season with players falling over at the slightest touch and berating the officials if they are not awarded a free kick/penalty.

I do not see the situation improving at all and honestly think that we are getting closer and closer to the game becoming a non-contact sport.

I watched Leeds get murdered today. Ward tackled Bamford in a 50/50 situation, Ward won the ball cleanly and made minimum contact on the follow through.

Bamford goes down hopping around like a one legged cat. Result = Ward gets a yellow card.

It's nonsense. At least Dirty Weeds got stuffed 5-1!