FA to tackle player's Behaviour

[Guest Anders Honoré]

FA to tackle players' behaviour

 

The Football Association plans to step up its campaign against bad behaviour by launching a pilot scheme that allows only captains to talk to referees.

 

FA chief executive Brian Barwick says it will be introduced at grass-roots level and is part of a wider programme aimed at improving standards.

 

"It's not going to change the world but I am determined to make an impact - and I'll do it," Barwick told Radio 5live.

 

He added that the FA is still pushing strongly for goal-line technology.

 

Barwick says he has been "banging down the doors" of football's world and European governing bodies Fifa and Uefa to ensure referees are given extra help with crucial decisions.

 

"Goal-line technology will ultimately be delivered and the great part of it will be because of the work the FA has done," he said.

 

As for improving standards of behaviour in football, spectators and club officials will also be expected to conform as Barwick seeks to clean up the game from the bottom to the top.

 

The three main components of the pilot scheme to be launched in nine regions from next January are:

 

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Only the team captain will be allowed to speak with the referee.

 

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Roped-off areas will be introduced at junior matches so 'over-indulgent or abusive' parents cannot direct their bile at the referee.

 

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All players and club officials will be forced to sign a 'memorandum of understanding' noting the standards of behaviour that will be expected.

 

Barwick added: "These things are done better through discussion rather than a big stick but we want to stop the situation getting out of hand.

 

"There is a lot of emotion and passion in the game but you only have to look at a sport like rugby to see there seems to be a certain level of respect for the officials.

 

"That sets a marker down for our game because the treatment of referees is a really serious issue and something we have to deal with."

 

Barwick's stance has been backed by England coach Steve McClaren, who was once forced to resign as president of a local club because of the behaviour of parents.

 

"In my opinion, this thing has to start at the bottom," he said.

 

"In my experience, over many years of coaching, the players coming through are less disciplined every year and instilling the discipline required into them is getting harder and harder."

 

McClaren said a certain amount of dissent was inevitable in the heat of the moment, but insisted that players should be disciplined enough to know where to draw the line.

 

"You can't take passion away. We understand there are moments when passion boils over," he added.

 

"Discipline is the key word for me and my football team. If you don't have discipline in your team, then you don't have control and if you're not in control it can cost you a game.

 

"It should be one thing that you can control. It's one thing we work on every day."

 

As for goal-line technology, tests are currently being undertaken at Reading's academy on the Hawk-Eye system that has proved so effective in cricket and tennis.

 

Goal-line technology may help referees avoid controversy

 

The results will be evaluated by the Premier League and Fifa, but Barwick is determined to come up with a way of determining beyond all doubt whether a ball has crossed the goal-line or not.

 

"I would say we are market leaders in trying to do it and now the Premier League are taking it on in terms of experimentation," added Barwick.

 

"I absolutely buy the fact that when the ball crosses the line, these days it's absolutely imperative that we know it, the referee knows it and he's not the guy with a red face because everybody else at home knows.

 

"So technology, yes, the right technology, yes, goal-line technology, absolutely yes."

 

Barwick has also given his opinion on the current influx of foreign investors in the Premier League.

 

He has no major concerns about that situation but feels it is important such businessmen care about English football.

 

"You can't discriminate on the basis of nationality," he stated.

 

"It's a fantastic injection of capital and let's hope in five or 10 years' time we look back on it as a seriously positive moment in English football.

 

"I absolutely believe that you have got to care.

 

"I'm not naive enough to think that every person who has bought into a club in the last 18 months necessarily followed the fortunes of that club previously.

 

"But that might have been the case with other British owners down the years as well."

 

BBC

Edited October 2, 2007 by Anders Honoré

[Spike]

long overdue that the captains should be the only one to speak to the captain. I'd also like to see the refs miked up,as in rugby, so we can hear the basis of their decision and any unbecoming conduct of players that surround him.

[Cobs]

what's the point of launching it at grass roots level, ffs?

 

 

start it off in the premier league you useless fat c***stain.

[Stevie H]

what's the point of launching it at grass roots level, ffs?

start it off in the premier league you useless fat c***stain.

typical FA genius.

[cymrococh]

what's the point of launching it at grass roots level, ffs?

start it off in the premier league you useless fat c***stain.

bizarre isn't it?

[Tosh]

bizarre isn't it?

 

Tis rather. How many youngsters learned their "craft" from Ashley Cole, Rooney, Roy Keane, Drogba and the like? Get the top to set the example and the behavior will be copied.

[Cooldude]

Softc***s, they should do it and do it now in the league. Book any non-captain players who argues with the ref. I'm also of the opinion that no one should be allowed to touch the ref for safety and respect reasons, the way Terry tried to f***in' take the card away from the ref was embarrassing.

[_00_deathscar]

Wasn't the FA "looking" into that?

[John am Rhein]

what's the point of launching it at grass roots level, ffs?

start it off in the premier league you useless fat c***stain.

 

Probably find there would be stiff resistance there and this is the only practical way of advancing the initiative.

 

I reckon it's a good idea and hopefully will succeed. The PL will have to adopt it if it's seen to be a success.

[Cobs]

Softc***s, they should do it and do it now in the league. Book any non-captain players who argues with the ref. I'm also of the opinion that no one should be allowed to touch the ref for safety and respect reasons, the way Terry tried to f***in' take the card away from the ref was embarrassing.

manhandling the ref was always a sending off offence, i thought.

 

hence Bryan Robson should have been sent off in the 85 Cup Final, the cn*t.

 

 

s'up to the ref to do his job though - Terry should have walked for it.

[John am Rhein]

the way Terry tried to f***in' take the card away from the ref was embarrassing.

 

Captain of England, FFS

[Cobs]

Probably find there would be stiff resistance there and this is the only practical way of advancing the initiative.

 

I reckon it's a good idea and hopefully will succeed. The PL will have to adopt it if it's seen to be a success.

but who's gonna see if it's a success?

 

hardly anyone watches grass roots football and kids all take their lead from the stars of the Premiership

 

 

totally pointless exercise.

 

 

If it's a good idea, introduce it in the Premiership and let the rest of the game follow.

[John am Rhein]

Well from grass roots, I assume they'll move onto the lower divisions and eventually the Premier League

[Knox_Harrington]

hence Bryan Robson should have been sent off in the 85 Cup Final, the cn*t.

You'd have preferred Everton to do the double before us?

[John am Rhein]

If it's a good idea, introduce it in the Premiership and let the rest of the game follow.

 

The FA don't have the power, do they?

 

(actually I think that's a good thing, although not in this instance)

[John am Rhein]

You'd have preferred Everton to do the double before us?

 

Well I certainly would. Remember that day well - gutted by it, althouzgh Whiteside's goal was one of the greatest of all time.

[Cobs]

Well from grass roots, I assume they'll move onto the lower divisions and eventually the Premier League

a.rse about face, isn't it?

[Cobs]

You'd have preferred Everton to do the double before us?

did i say that?

[John am Rhein]

a.rse about face, isn't it?

 

Perhaps. But it's probably a matter of practicalities.

 

Also don't they have to get FIFA authorization to conduct such 'experiments' above a certain level?

[Knox_Harrington]

did i say that?

No but am Rhein did.

 

And he now disgusts me!

[John am Rhein]

No but am Rhein did.

 

And he now disgusts me!

 

No change there then!

 

TBH, it's hard to really be anti-Everton when you're not a scouser. Although these days the're doing their best to make it possible.

 

Everton would actually have won a treble if they'd won that FA Cup Final. Although we'd already done that of course.

 

Can you remember 85?

[Cobs]

Perhaps. But it's probably a matter of practicalities.

 

Also don't they have to get FIFA authorization to conduct such 'experiments' above a certain level?

feck knows

 

 

pretty sure they did it with 3 points for a win before the rest followed, i imagine goal line technology wont be given a run out at grass roots level.

 

a good idea, is a good idea. just introduce it and get on with it.

[Cobs]

No but am Rhein did.

 

And he now disgusts me!

it's the only game in 30 years i've wanted the mancs to win

 

 

Bryan Robson was the biggest cn*t going though and to see him sent off at Wembley (as he should have been) would have been hilarious

 

 

the mancs would have still won - it was one of those games where Everton were just destined not to win it

[John am Rhein]

Having said all that - I always understood there was once an implicit rule whereby it WAS only the captains who could speak to the referee - certainly as regards protesting to the referee. Although this wasn't in the actual rule book.

 

I always understood this principle was at the heart of Argentina's indignation at the sending off of their captain Antonio Rattin at Wembles in 1966 - as captain he believed he was entitled to complain to the referee.

 

At some point the practice seems to have fallen into disuse or was perhaps explicitly removed by some decision or other (?)

[Knox_Harrington]

No change there then!

 

TBH, it's hard to really be anti-Everton when you're not a scouser. Although these days the're doing their best to make it possible.

 

Everton would actually have won a treble if they'd won that FA Cup Final. Although we'd already done that of course.

 

Can you remember 85?

I can't remember that game. I can remember tiny little bits and pieces of 85. I remember the 86 final very well indeed considering.