The Football Sin Bin

The recent furore over Thierry Henri's blatant cheating in the World Cup Play off game between France and ireland has again reminded me of the changes to the game that have come about since I used to play. In my day if you, for example, pulled somebody's shirt it would result in the awarding of a free kick and possibly a booking for the offender. Nowadays it seems as legitimate an action as kicking the ball. Standard procedure in the rough and tumble of the goalmouth scramble.

Actually, at this point I should point out that also in my day the metatarsal didn't actually exist. We wore boots that you could safely stand on without so much as a twinge being felt by the wearer. Since the introduction of ballet shoes into the professional game, shoes that offer no protection whatsoever, a part of the foot called the metatarsal has been invented. Easily identifiable as the bone that breaks should somebody tread on your ballet shoe.

Anyway, I digress. Cheating, for that is what it is, has become more and more prevalent in the modern game. I don't understand why more progress has not been made in the introduction of electronic gadgetry in football as has successfully been adopted in cricket, rugby and tennis to name but three. Video playback and additional officials monitoring the game seem perfectly logical to me. Especially in these times when so much can be lost because of a bad decision. It's not as if the game can't afford it, at least at the top level where after all most is at stake.

Much as I find shirt pulling and the introduction of the metatarsal to be particularly frustrating the thing that really hacks me off is the play acting that the overpaid prima donnas in the game adopt. This usually comes about when your £100k per week superstar trips over a blade of grass and claims to have broken his leg in three places. He gets his free kick and then makes a miraculous recovery. Let's be clear here - it's cheating.

My solution to this particular problem is simple. A sin bin. If a player goes down and claims to have a life threatening injury he should automatically go to the sin bin for ten minutes. If he is genuinely injured he will be grateful for the opportunity to get it seen to. If he's faking it then ten minutes off the pitch seems to me a suitable punishment for cheating.

The other affliction affecting the game adversely is the appalling behaviour of some players. Of particular concern is the way players harass the referee following a decision they don't like. Have you ever known a ref to change his mind following protestations from players? No? of course you haven't because it never happens. The answer? Send any protesting player to the Sin Bin!

Now I do appreciate that introducing such an idea into the professional game would result, at least in the short term, in the Italian national side rarely having 11 players on the pitch at any one time. So be it. They and others like them must learn that their performances that would in the acting profession earn them an Oscar nomination will not be tolerated in football.