Watched it and got sicker as the game went on, are soccer players turning into the biggest bunch of wusses known to mankind? What does the like of Ruby Walsh, Tony McCoy or BOD make of these overpaid wimps rolling around in agony if they get so much as a finger touching them. Does your average soccer player have any pride?.
Used to be an Arsenal/Cork City fan, and still keep an eye out for them, but frankly, if there was a major soccer match on across the road, I wouldn't go to see it if I was getting paid to, it's an embarrasment at this stage.
To be quite honest the pace and skill levels were frightening and the tackles were robust.
All 5 of us that travelled felt privileged to see players like Messi - his opening goal was a reminder of why so many of us love the game and Abidal is a giant of a defender and I could watch Xavi & Iniesta all day.
Sure players dive & roll but it's really a small price to pay in terms of Barca's overall brilliance.
Torn between Scobies & the Michael Collins for the Spurs game !
Agree about Messi's first goal. The touch deserved much more credit than given by the pundits. When I first saw it, I thought it deflected up off the keeper but it was pure genius. Barcelona are one of the finest club sides of all time. I still think their win over Madrid earlier in the season was the finest performance I have seen.
To be quite honest the pace and skill levels were frightening and the tackles were robust.
Watched it and got sicker as the game went on, are soccer players turning into the biggest bunch of wusses known to mankind? What does the like of Ruby Walsh, Tony McCoy or BOD make of these overpaid wimps rolling around in agony if they get so much as a finger touching them. Does your average soccer player have any pride?.
Used to be an Arsenal/Cork City fan, and still keep an eye out for them, but frankly, if there was a major soccer match on across the road, I wouldn't go to see it if I was getting paid to, it's an embarrasment at this stage.
I'd agree. Soccer at its best really is a beautiful game but really good matches are few and far between. Overall the game has become toxic in terms of the way it's played, the low lifers at its forefront, and the complete absence of any sort of moral code.
Everyone sees diving and overreacting as a real frustration, but then you sit back and realise that these guys are playing flat out for 90 mins covering over 10/12 kms per match amid flying tackles etc. The game has changed, it is more physical now if anything, supreme fitness is a given for all sides at the top level.
Low lifers are in all sports, footballers tend to get extra flak, but go into a pub with a bunch of GAA or Rugby boys and you'll realise that although they might come from 'fine families' they are well capable of dropping the tone.
Running 10km in a match is not a justification for diving and/or feigning injury to get a free or to get an opponent booked/sent off.
I'm no particular fan of rugby but I am at least impressed by the way in which they at least have some respect for the status of the referee. One aspect of football I fiind particulalrly distasteful is the aggressive pursuit of the referee by a bunch of players of a team when a decision goes against them (Man U, Liverpool, etc they all do it.) The behaviour of the players and club officals in the old firm games is another example. There are few other sports that seem to tolerate or foster these kinds of low standard.
Football gets the bad press because of the money involved
but it is no different to any other sport.
The problems in other sports do not in any way lessen sham of the diving/simulation aspect of professional soccer.
I have gone right off the game over the last few years
Bringing the problems that other sports have doesn't detract from the hugely negative impact that diving etc has had on soccer over the last few years so I don't see why they have to be brought into it.
Nonetheless diving is an on-field action which impacts on the game itself. Drugs & illegal betting etc don't actually detract from the spectacle of watching the sport live. Sure they impact later but they don't actually spoil the flow etc of the match itself.
I really enjoyed last nights game and didn't feel that there was much diving at all but in general, it is rampant in the game and it is ruining the game.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?