Traditional English fairplay is disappearing from the game

Football Food For Thought / Editor / 04 December 2007 / 2

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Dan "The Betting Man" Fitch tells us why the likes of Gerrard, Terry and Rooney are as guilty of foul play as the "Johnny Foreigners"

Football has changed dramatically over the years and it's not all for the better. There's so many things that I miss from football's past. I don't know why, but I preferred the game when footballers had moustaches and every team had at least one genuinely podgy player. Best of all, was when these two worlds collided and gave rise to a magnificent specimen of man, such as Micky Quinn.

I guess the appeal was that when someone who looked like Quinn could play professionally, it seemed possible that we could too. Now when someone like Ronaldo takes off his shirt at the end of a game, not only does it make it perfectly obvious that a wheezy, old has-been like me could never make it in today's game, but I also feel slightly less of a man.

But the most lamentable thing lost from the English game, is our well deserved reputation for fair play. Once upon a time, antics such as diving, shirt tugging and play acting, were the sole preserve of Johnny Foreigner. Now we have accepted such evils, as readily as we adopted other continental curses upon our culture; like coffee shops, goatee beards and Ikea. What's next? Our women growing their armpit hair?

Of late, the sheer haplessness of the England team has lead to much debate regarding the amount of foreigners playing in our domestic league. The focus, has been on whether the amount of foreign players in the Premier League, has had a negative aspect on our national team, but perhaps their greatest impact has been on the way that the English play the game.

Diving is not a foreign, or even a recent invention, as anyone that ever saw Franny Lee play would testify. However, I do feel that the influx of foreign players has lead to a culture where diving is now just the done thing, hence a generation of Englishmen (step forward Messers Owen, Rooney and Gerrard), ready to fling themselves on the floor at the slightest hint of contact.

Whilst though, diving may seem accepted amongst players, the fans have still not taken to this culture. Last season at Tottenham, Didier Zokora won a penalty against Portsmouth, with a ridiculous plummet to the ground. I was both surprised and a little proud to find that my fellow Spurs fans were genuinely annoyed at Zokora (though we did all go mental when the penalty was converted). My mate who sits next to me at Tottenham, still thinks Zokora should be sold for this foul play, though personally I think the fact that he's generally useless, is a more pressing reason to get rid.

Diving to win a penalty is one thing, but what I find despicable is when it's accompanied by the sort of writhing around that is designed to get a player sent off. Thankfully, I feel that British players are still less likely to do this than their foreign counterparts, though I'm concerned at how our clubs lead the way in another type of gamesmanship.

When it comes to intimidating the referee, English sides are world beaters. When a decision goes against them, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United players can be guaranteed to converge en-mass around the official (with the England skipper John Terry being the worst offender). This behaviour never changes the decision of the ref, but does it subconsciously influence further decisions?

The question is, when does a winning mentality go too far? Whatever you feel about our leading clubs, their results speak for themselves. Perhaps this win at all costs attitude, explains why Manchester United are [2.84] to win the league, with Arsenal at [2.94] and Chelsea are the [9.8] third favourites to win the Champions League.

The days when a manager like Brian Clough would not tolerate his side diving or arguing with the referee, seem to be gone. If the club's managers no longer care how their players behave, then only the officials can keep them in line. Though this may seem improbable, whilst I've been writing this article, Rob Styles has booked Ronaldo for diving. Is there still hope?

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Simon Barlow | 04 December 2007

While it is no doubt true that British players are also guilty of acts of unsporting behaviour on the field of play, the sense and understanding of what fair play constitutes is still a preserve of this country - the UK.

As you point out, the supporters are still uneasy with these acts of professionalism on the field and even Chelsea fans cringe a little when their heroes surround the referee to contest a decision.

As these players such as you mention were once fans in the stands themselves and surrounded by he same culture - where has the infection come from ?

Foreign managers...Wenger, Mourinho, Jol, Benitez, Eriksson - I would put them as the major influence on this change in behaviour. Even Ferguson has been 'outed' by Jaap Stam as a subscriber to this approach.
apal | 05 December 2007

I'm possibly being a little cynical but it is a fair bet that when a coach is weighing up a player's merits he does take into account if his intended signing 'dives well' or is 'very good at intimidating referees'.

In the modern game it would be folly for coaches to leave these factors out of the equation when deciding how much to pay for a player.