What’s next, calling in a medical helicopter every
time a guy goes down to eat up more of the clock? FIFA
obviously hasn’t done enough to curb diving and
faking injury, because this has become a bad joke. And
has also overshadowed what should have been, and maybe
could be if anyone decides to play this game like a
MAN and stay on their FEET.
Just because you have a lead doesn’t mean that
you don’t have to keep playing soccer. If FIFA
doesn’t do something to stop this time wasting,
the opposing teams should just be allowed to forfeit
after the other team takes a lead as to spare us all
the embarrassing time wasting tactics.
Forget the stretcher from now on, and
if it does come out to take a player off the field,
here’s that FIFA should do: the player who gets
taken off in a stretcher because he feels he cannot
get up (because he feels the need to waste five minutes)
should be forced to stay off the field for five minutes.
The fourth official will keep time on the supposedly
injured player.
If the player INSISTS that he is fine to go back into
the game before the five minutes is up, he can do so.
But he receives a YELLOW CARD, because you can’t
get carried off in a STRETCHER one minute and be ready
to go back into a full-speed, world-class soccer game
a minute later unless you really weren’t that
hurt in the first place (which is most often the case).
FIFA needs to take these time wasting opportunities
away from the players and coaches right now. It’s
ruining this World Cup! How ugly and stupid was the
Holland vs. Portugal game yesterday? It’s an absolute
embarrassment to the game to have this continue. Guys
are flopping, stretchers everywhere, delay of game tactics
never stop once a team gets the lead and it’s
making me nuts. Don’t tell me that it’s
gamesmanship; it’s simply crap and nothing more.
It’s a poor way to play this game and it shouldn’t
be allowed to happen anymore. This tournament is about
finding out who the best team in the world is. It’s
not about finding out who can disrespect the game the
most.
Tomorrow: The Quirks of Europe
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Time
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