Falling out of love with this modern game of football

[California Colner]

The game today is faster more skillful than it has ever been!
How come I feel that my love of the game is dying?
Things that go on in the game today are absolutely embarrassing, how the players can look at themselves after going down screaming as though they have been shot.
If our team wasn’t in the premier League I wouldn’t watch another game in the prem. One thing about our team we don’t participate in that behavior. The league should look at that as a example how players should act on a football field.
I know it’s good for Burnley FC to be in the prem financially and the town and long may it last!
The Italy game today there was some very good football played and there was some horrible sportsmanship or should I say cheating !! It drives me mad watching that S—t
What does everyone else think or are you satisfied with this modern game that’s being played?
One things for sure I’ll be 6ft under when I stop watching Burnley play UTC

[Taffy on the wing]

Have you just started watching football?
I haven’t seen cheating and diving anywhere near the levels of past tournaments ….. think Neymar.
The refereeing has been excellent & for the most part they’ve told them to get on with it.

I’ll take games like today …. Any day !

[CFS]

Spain started it now everyone is catching up. Players are entitled to go down when contact is made if they choose to moan and scream that's their choice. Contact is contact be it small or big imo.

[superdimitri]

One thing about our team we don’t participate in that behavior. The

We do, Barnes could be one of the biggest cheats in the league. We also play act with fouls, injuries etc and waste time.
We may not be at the same level as some teams, but we do it.
But we have to, because if we didn't other teams would have an unfair advantage.

[RammyClaret61]

Spain started it now everyone is catching up. Players are entitled to go down when contact is made if they choose to moan and scream that's their choice. Contact is contact be it small or big imo.

Wrong, they are not “entitled” to go down, they have to be brought down. This is the biggest blight on the game today.

“Contact is contact” omg it’s a contact sport ffs

[djemba-djemba]

We do, Barnes could be one of the biggest cheats in the league. We also play act with fouls, injuries etc and waste time.
We may not be at the same level as some teams, but we do it.
But we have to, because if we didn't other teams would have an unfair advantage.

Unsurprisingly people seem to think that it’s alright when he does it cause that’s his character and game. He’s a disgrace at times.

[CFS]

Wrong, they are not “entitled” to go down, they have to be brought down. This is the biggest blight on the game today.

“Contact is contact” omg it’s a contact sport ffs

If a player gets touched he can go down doesn't have to be physically dragged to the floor this isn't the 60's football has been like this a long time now. Contact sport or not you can't touch a player this is how the game is now. These players aren't learning their trade as they go along they know exactly what touching a player will do.

[Stockbrokerbelt]

Its cheating but seems to be ok for many people which seems to be normal in society & acceptable to many now. It only goes on because the clubs & football authorities are gutless & are not under pressure to clean the game up. They hate it here in Spain as well.

[Petersa]

Have a lot of sympathy with the op. All teams do it to some degree and authorities quite literally do nothing about it.
To make matters worse Fulham look about appoint the ultimate cheat of a coach in Marco Silva. That surely is behaviour bringing the game into disrepute

[CharlieinNewMexico]

If a player gets touched he can go down doesn't have to be physically dragged to the floor this isn't the 60's football has been like this a long time now. Contact sport or not you can't touch a player this is how the game is now. These players aren't learning their trade as they go along they know exactly what touching a player will do.

Wow.
Shocking post.

[northeastclaret]

We do, Barnes could be one of the biggest cheats in the league. We also play act with fouls, injuries etc and waste time.
We may not be at the same level as some teams, but we do it.
But we have to, because if we didn't other teams would have an unfair advantage.

It annoys me when people say Barnes is a cheat or diver. I don’t see that , Barnes plays a different game to those that go down off the slightest touch.
What I see him doing in most instances is trying to gain the space in front of a defender to receive the ball or similar when receiving a high ball to get in a position to best control the ball. This often invites a foul from the defender as they are trying to get into the same space to attack the ball.

I can never remember Barnes diving for a penalty, in fact it is usually the other way round , there have been several times when he has been fouled in the box and the penalty is not given.

[eastanglianclaret]

My Italian acquaintances don't call it cheating, they call it 'finding a way to win'. Very sad. I don't watch much football nowadays unless Burnley are involved, far too often I find it embarrassing to watch. The current Euros have exemplified numerous times however just how well the game can flow and how much more attractive it can be when diving and falling over due to minimal (if any) contact is ignored by referees. More often than not the players get up quickly when they realise they didn't get the decision. Such 'Lazarus' incidents are a real spoiler for me.

[bobinho]

The game as we know it now is an embarrassment. I really don’t know how it’s got to this stage tbh. Grown men yelping and rolling around banging the grass with their hands in apparent agony, only for them to run it off seconds later. All to gain an unfair advantage…. It’s absolutely cheating. No other words for it. As long as referees fall for it, they will continue to do it because modern day footballers lack character, they lack integrity and they lack morals.

I have waited a long long time for Burnley to be great again, so I won’t be giving this up anytime soon, but I absolutely HATE the blatant cheating that we see in every single game.

[Woodleyclaret]

OP is spot on Italy has some very skilful footballers who find it compulsory to cheat and con free kicks
Oliver was the usual incompetent fool ignoring blatant body checks,shirt pulling and trips by Italy
Playing out from the back is also killing the game passes across and back incessantly drives me insane
The sight of a flying winger skinning defenders and providing goal scoring chances is sadly lacking ,Adama Traore being one exception. The sort of player who excites and entertains.

[superdimitri]

It annoys me when people say Barnes is a cheat or diver. I don’t see that , Barnes plays a different game to those that go down off the slightest touch.
What I see him doing in most instances is trying to gain the space in front of a defender to receive the ball or similar when receiving a high ball to get in a position to best control the ball. This often invites a foul from the defender as they are trying to get into the same space to attack the ball.

I can never remember Barnes diving for a penalty, in fact it is usually the other way round , there have been several times when he has been fouled in the box and the penalty is not given.

Sorry, never meant to annoy you.
To me, Barnes is very clever with his play, one moment he will show strength, and the next he will drop to the ground. It makes it hard for the defender since he doesn't know whether to challenge, or stand off. Barnes also plays to the ref, and to the crowd. If we get a bad decision against us, he'll let the ref know and next time he has a chance to buy a freekick falling over, he will.
This ability to 'buy' fouls is no different from extending your leg deliberately, or leaving your foot behind to buy a foul.

Barnes may not be rolling around on the floor, but its still cheating. Honestly I can't see how you can't see this, he falls over way too often. In some games last season all he did when coming off the bench was falling over.

He also has had embarrassing moments where he's tried to buy penalties diving in the box. A bit of a nasty side, and he's no stranger to the usual shirt tugging and wrestling either.

I think personally you're looking at things through claret specs, the guy cheats and in the modern game that's only a good thing considering everyone does it against us, but you can't escape the truth.

[Burnley1989]

Unsurprisingly people seem to think that it’s alright when he does it cause that’s his character and game. He’s a disgrace at times.

Unfortunately, for me it’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Barnes, when on his day there a really good footballer in there.
I think I get as ****** off with it as opposite fans do, however some of our fans are very blinkered about it and simple call it ‘**** housing’ rather than cheating

[Vegas Claret]

100% with the OP. I've started watching non-league stuff and enjoy it more than 90% of the PL games

[DCWat]

Spain started it now everyone is catching up. Players are entitled to go down when contact is made if they choose to moan and scream that's their choice. Contact is contact be it small or big imo.

You’ve managed to sum up just what is wrong with football, on the field, in one post, CFS. How some appear to have accepted the phrase “entitled to go down” is beyond me. The worst phrase in modern football.

[martin_p]

The game today is faster more skillful than it has ever been!
How come I feel that my love of the game is dying?
Things that go on in the game today are absolutely embarrassing, how the players can look at themselves after going down screaming as though they have been shot.
If our team wasn’t in the premier League I wouldn’t watch another game in the prem. One thing about our team we don’t participate in that behavior. The league should look at that as a example how players should act on a football field.
I know it’s good for Burnley FC to be in the prem financially and the town and long may it last!
The Italy game today there was some very good football played and there was some horrible sportsmanship or should I say cheating !! It drives me mad watching that S—t
What does everyone else think or are you satisfied with this modern game that’s being played?
One things for sure I’ll be 6ft under when I stop watching Burnley play UTC

Italy have been doing that for decades, it’s not a modern thing, although I accept it’s only entered domestic football in the last 25 years or so.

[Zom Zom]

Spain started it now everyone is catching up. Players are entitled to go down when contact is made if they choose to moan and scream that's their choice. Contact is contact be it small or big imo.

I can't agree with the 'entitled' bit I'm afraid. Free kicks should be awarded not won or earned by theatrics. As much as I don't like it, it's part of the modern game. It is one of a number of things that are dampening my enthusiasm, many of which have been discussed before.

This beautiful game, a contact sport, is being transformed into quite the opposite. And it's a shame. Heck, you can't even celebrate a goal without casting your eye at the ref checking for VAR.

UTC
Come on England!

[Siddo]

Italy must have been rubbing their hands when they learned that Oliver was the referee. The screaming and diving is rife in the PL and also the awarding of free kicks for the slightest contact.
In my opinion, Oliver's performance was the worst of any referee in the tournament so far.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

OP is spot on Italy has some very skilful footballers who find it compulsory to cheat and con free kicks
Oliver was the usual incompetent fool ignoring blatant body checks,shirt pulling and trips by Italy
Playing out from the back is also killing the game passes across and back incessantly drives me insane
The sight of a flying winger skinning defenders and providing goal scoring chances is sadly lacking ,Adama Traore being one exception. The sort of player who excites and entertains.

You are quite correct about Oliver ignoring blatant body checks, shirt pulling and trips by Italy. He was in St Petersburg which was far enough away from Munich for him to be able to do anything about whatever Italy were doing.

[Rileybobs]

Haha. Hilarious. So nobody has an axe to grind with Michael Oliver. But here we have two people calling his performance in the Italy v Belgium game the worst of the tournament when he didn’t even referee the game. Comedy gold. Don’t change lads.

[Rileybobs]

Italy must have been rubbing their hands when they learned that Oliver was the referee. The screaming and diving is rife in the PL and also the awarding of free kicks for the slightest contact.
In my opinion, Oliver's performance was the worst of any referee in the tournament so far.

[Ashingtonclaret46]

Italy must have been rubbing their hands when they learned that Oliver was the referee. The screaming and diving is rife in the PL and also the awarding of free kicks for the slightest contact.
In my opinion, Oliver's performance was the worst of any referee in the tournament so far.

Except that he was not refereeing but don't let it stop the agenda against one of our PL referees.
Slavko Vincic refereed very well and did not stop the game for players feigning injury and doing all the things that modern players do.

Apart from games in which England have played, the worst game of this tournament so far has been Belgium v Portugal and this was the one that had the most Premier League players taking part in. It was the modern game at its worst.

[SussexDon1inIreland]

Haven’t watched the Euros don’t watch any football anymore except super Burnley but even then hate the way teams mainly foreign players cheat

UTC

[Lancasterclaret]

Very hard to see how you can fall out of love with modern football when we've had

- Spain v Croatia
- France v Switzerland
- Italy v Belgium

Three utterly compelling and brilliant football matches, and absolutely nothing to do with Burnley

Just enjoy it

[northeastclaret]

Sorry, never meant to annoy you.
To me, Barnes is very clever with his play, one moment he will show strength, and the next he will drop to the ground. It makes it hard for the defender since he doesn't know whether to challenge, or stand off. Barnes also plays to the ref, and to the crowd. If we get a bad decision against us, he'll let the ref know and next time he has a chance to buy a freekick falling over, he will.
This ability to 'buy' fouls is no different from extending your leg deliberately, or leaving your foot behind to buy a foul.

Barnes may not be rolling around on the floor, but its still cheating. Honestly I can't see how you can't see this, he falls over way too often. In some games last season all he did when coming off the bench was falling over.

He also has had embarrassing moments where he's tried to buy penalties diving in the box. A bit of a nasty side, and he's no stranger to the usual shirt tugging and wrestling either.

I think personally you're looking at things through claret specs, the guy cheats and in the modern game that's only a good thing considering everyone does it against us, but you can't escape the truth.

We will have to agree to disagree on Barnes. Burnley have an unfair reputation that we are over physical and we see a lot of teams way of responding to this is for their centre halves being very physical and coming through the back of our forwards. Fulham at home was a classic example of this when both our forwards got injured during that game and got little or no protection from the referee.

When you get smacked in the back as often as Barnes does, although I don’t think he played in that game, you don’t have to pretend to fall over. As I said he is trying to protect the space to best receive or control the ball.

[ClaretTony]

Italy must have been rubbing their hands when they learned that Oliver was the referee. The screaming and diving is rife in the PL and also the awarding of free kicks for the slightest contact.
In my opinion, Oliver's performance was the worst of any referee in the tournament so far.

Referee as the Slovenian who refereed our away game against Olympiacos.

On the subject of the modern game and players cheating, I was at a function at our football club back in 2006 when Jimmy McIlroy was asked about (foreign) players diving and rolling round to get decisions. Jimmy's response that he did it if he thought he could get a decision in his favour.

[claret2018]

It’s part and parcel of the game and has been for ages.

I think it’s brilliant at times, seeing what ludicrous stuff they can get away with. It’s a part of the game Burnley need to get better at.

[Steve1956]

A disgraceful cheat

https://fb.watch/v/GIg97C6i/

[DCWat]

A disgraceful cheat

https://fb.watch/v/GIg97C6i/

He should be banned for a game for that. Unless they start cracking down on blatant cheating, it’ll only get worse.

[Steve1956]

He should be banned for a game for that. Unless they start cracking down on blatant cheating, it’ll only get worse.

Bad enough the cheating....but the embarrassment he must feel when he looks back at that,do you think he will be showing his grandkids that one

[Burnley1989]

Bad enough the cheating....but the embarrassment he must feel when he looks back at that,do you think he will be showing his grandkids that one

Unfortunately, I doubt that type of human being has any shame

[bfcjg]

I would cringe if I behaved like that, retrospective bans and possible points deductions for persistent cheats, also more yellows and reds for dissent .

[Firthy]

The problem isn't so much that they do it, it's that they get away with it. The modern conception of "entitled to go down because they were touched" "he drew the foul well there very clever play" is part of the problem. We've begun to accept cheating and even condoning it on occassions yet more obvious fouls like holding and shirt pulling inside the box are just ignored.

There is no excuse for cheating but the fact that the punishment outweighs the crime seems to excuse it. It's far easier to get a penalty these days than score a goal and the result 99% of the time is the same, a goal on the scoresheet. I don't know the answer but we need to change the rules because dubious penalties and fractional offsides are ruining the game IMO.

VAR was supposed to be the answer but it has made the game even worse and taken a lot of excitement away from it.

[Funkydrummer]

Unsurprisingly people seem to think that it’s alright when he does it cause that’s his character and game. He’s a disgrace at times.

Complete and utter bo11ocks. He's robust, yes, cheat ? NO !!!!

[Siddo]

Except that he was not refereeing but don't let it stop the agenda against one of our PL referees.
Slavko Vincic refereed very well and did not stop the game for players feigning injury and doing all the things that modern players do.

Apart from games in which England have played, the worst game of this tournament so far has been Belgium v Portugal and this was the one that had the most Premier League players taking part in. It was the modern game at its worst.

Oops! I got that one wrong! Apologies guys.

[KRBFC]

The referees allow this stuff, stop and start game, it's gone downhill fast.

[minnieclaret]

I can live with the cheating and play acting. The ref can put a stop to that, not that they ever will.
It is the time wasting that pees me off. The sooner a stop clock is brought in the better. We are being robbed of game time.

[Claret]

What does everyone else think or are you satisfied with this modern game that’s being played?

Absolutely agree with you CC.
I love watching the footy whether it’s Belgium v Italy or a Sunday game on Towneley but to watch some of the ******** that goes on at the highest level is so annoying. The screaming, the falling over at the slightest touch, the phrases “won a free kick” and “entitled to go down”, the very fact that many, many people urge players to fall over when touched because otherwise the ref will not give a foul (that’s because it’s NOT a bloody foul!), VAR, stupid hand ball decisions, weak referees, too much money, greedy owners and corruption at the highest levels, to name but a few!

[RalphCoatesComb]

The Italy game today there was some very good football played and there was some horrible sportsmanship or should I say cheating !! It drives me mad watching that S—t

The Italians have always been good at cheating. Goes back a long way...

"Et tu Brute?"

There is a lot in the modern game that puts me off but I pay for 90 minutes football, not 50 minutes of passing across the back 3, or 4, with a further 15 minutes of rolling around the ground like a tart. Thank goodness for the Sean Dyche Way

[RalphCoatesComb]

Unsurprisingly people seem to think that it’s alright when he does it cause that’s his character and game. He’s a disgrace at times.

The problem with Ash is that he's not very good at it. His "crucifixion" fall has me cringing at times.

As someone has said, there's a good footballer in there trying to get out !

[Elizabeth]

I don’t know if it’s going to be too late for me but there is a recipe to restore at least some love for the modern game:
Burnley to try in the FA Cup;
A change to the VAR set up to remove the old boys club that exists;
Find referees that are as good as the European referees;
England to win the Euros;
The Americans’ to prove they are more than opportunists gambling with our club

That would do for me for starters

[boatshed bill]

Count how many go down faking head injuries to get play stopped.
I'd bring in a rule that if a player stays down after contact he has to go off for 5 minutes...they'd be up as quick as possible then.

[superdimitri]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/co ... liverpool/

Take those tinted specs off fellas.

[taio]

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/co ... liverpool/

Take those tinted specs off fellas.

Barnes does go down too easily at times when challenging in the air, with his back to goal and lots of distance from the goal, but it's following contact and is in no way comparable to some of the diving that goes on without any contact, especially in or around the box. This is well illustrated by your link.

[AfloatinClaret]

Given that VAR is here to stay, why isn't it being used/applied in both directions?
The on-field referees/VAR officials will watch the slow motion replays to help decide if a foul has been committed and also to assess just how serious a foul it's been; if it proves 'bad', then a yellow/red card will be issued as a result. I see no reason why if that replay shows that the 'fouled' player actually 'took a dive' that he similarly shouldn't be receiving a yellow card.

[Hipper]

The Italians have always been good at cheating. Goes back a long way...

"Et tu Brute?"

There is a lot in the modern game that puts me off but I pay for 90 minutes football, not 50 minutes of passing across the back 3, or 4, with a further 15 minutes of rolling around the ground like a tart. Thank goodness for the Sean Dyche Way

Stop paying then.

[tiger76]

Well if last night's display didn't reawaken your love for the beautiful game then nothing will. that's exactly what we've all been waiting for England to finally blow a team away in style, and boy we definitely did that against Ukraine.