Who's ready for the World Cup?

[Pass]

Originally Posted by mithrilG60

Until FIFA wants to enter the modern world by allowing video technology, expect and enforce both compete/fair ref'ing AND fair play without all this pansy diving and acting for advantage (read: cheating and dishonourable play) soccer is just going to continue on being more and more of a joke. That's why I say the member nations need to step in. If you have the major soccer nations of the world coming out and publicly saying they won't participate in test soccer until FIFA pulls it's act together then they'll be forced to act. Blatter may be kept in power by pandering to the 3rd world nations, but the money is still in Europe and parts of South America and a boycott by France, Brazil, England, Argentina, Spain, Germany, etc will send the message really quickly.

The reality is that would never happen, but it really needs to if test level soccer wants to retain any legitimacy as a real sport. Either way, this World Cup does serve a purpose.... it's something to kill time and talk about at work, and something to take the piss out of the World Cup starts in 13 months.

Unfortunately, the diving is integral to the sport. There is usually no way to tell that you were fouled unless you go down. Why would you not want your penalty if your were fouled?? It's an advantage.

Granted... I am NOT referring to the bullshit diving and wallowing when no one touched you to either waste time or get a free kick when YOU screwed up. That's one of the reasons that I have so much respect for the Japs and this USA team. They consider it dishonorable to dive. Of course, there were a few times... but nothing like the S. Americans, Ghana, the French or Italians. Which is why the refs are supposed to book players for acting... they just don't do it b/c they don't want the game to get out of control.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by Pass

Unfortunately, the diving is integral to the sport. There is usually no way to tell that you were fouled unless you go down. Why would you not want your penalty if your were fouled?? It's an advantage.

If you have to dive to get a penalty you weren't fouled and you're not entitled to the penalty in the first place, it's as simple as that. Staying that it's ok if it gains you an advantage is exactly the same as saying it's ok to cheat on school exams, that gains you an advantage too. One of the major thing that turns me off about soccer right now is the lack of ethics and honour with which it's played (at least at the elite level).

Originally Posted by Pass

Unfortunately, the diving is integral to the sport. There is usually no way to tell that you were fouled unless you go down. Why would you not want your penalty if your were fouled?? It's an advantage.

This is unfortunately very true. I once had a ref tell me 'if you want the call go down' in a local competitive league. I couldn't believe it.

The other issue is that players will go down easy to prevent injuries too. If someone comes in hard and you don't go down easy you take a much harder impact...so players prefer to take the foul and preserve their shins rather than go for it. I know Ronaldo and Pires have even mentioned this in press conferences when being accused of diving in games.