Premiership to axe 'injury break'

[Scottish Mag 3]

The Premier League has asked players, managers and referees to end the custom of the ball being kicked out of play when a player goes down injured.

 

Decisions on whether a break in play is necessary for treatment to be received will now be taken by the referee.

 

"There was a general feeling that this player-led convention had gone too far," Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson told BBC Sport.

 

But the Football League told BBC Sport it had no plans to make changes.

 

The custom has gradually established itself in football over the years, but has never been formalised in the rules.

 

But the feeling that this "gentlemen's agreement" was being taken advantage of has become widespread, with frequent breaks in play at the 2006 World Cup cited as the most high-profile abuse.

 

Managers and players complained of situations where the ball was kicked out for non-existent injuries in order to stop a team's attacking momentum.

 

And the arbitrary nature of the convention has led to several flashpoints in recent years.

 

Last season, Arsenal's crucial Premiership match against Tottenham was marred by scenes of managers Arsene Wenger and Martin Jol squaring up on the sidelines.

 

 

Sheffield United's players walked off the pitch after the controversial goal

 

Wenger was furious when Spurs did not put the ball out of play after Emmanuel Eboue and Gilberto Silva were injured in the build-up to Robbie Keane's goal.

 

Another example of the misunderstanding the convention can produce is Marc Overmars' goal for Arsenal against Sheffield United in their 1999 FA Cup fifth-round tie.

 

In that instance, the ball had been kicked out by United to allow their player Lee Morris to receive treatment.

 

But instead of returning the ball to the Blades on resumption of play, Arsenal striker Kanu released Overmars to score.

 

The incident led to the match being replayed, with the Football Association agreeing to the Gunners' offer to play the match again.

 

WHY DID THE PREMIER LEAGUE WANT THIS CHANGE?

 

Premier League spokesman Dan Johnson:

 

"There were certain incidents - like the Martin Jol and Arsene Wenger flare-up last season - that made us think it was time to place the decision back in the hands of the referee.

 

"Sometimes the demand for the ball to go immediately out - from both players and fans - was almost acting as an extra defender.

 

"If there is a serious injury then the referee can, of course, take immediate action in the interests of player safety, but if it's a run-of-the-mill knock then play should go on.

 

"It's never been part of the rules, so that makes it all the more important to get the League Managers' Association (LMA) and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) on board.

 

"We need both organisations' support to communicate this to their members - and fans also need to be aware.

 

"This will remove the pressure on players who are wondering at the back of their mind 'is he really injured?'

 

"What people don't like to see is when an attack gets stopped because someone goes down grabbing their knee and then, a minute later, he's sprinting around and putting tackles in.

 

"It's important for the integrity and honesty of the game, as well as the flow."

 

 

WILL THE PFA CO-OPERATE?

 

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor:

 

"I was at a meeting on Tuesday with the LMA and referees' representatives and lots of managers said they were confused and frustrated by the current state of affairs.

 

"From that point of view, it's vital to establish some clarity so everyone knows exactly what the situation is.

 

"If the ball is kicked out then it should be a normal throw-in, and if the referee stops play, then when play restarts with a drop ball possession should return to the injured party.

 

"Player safety has to be paramount. We don't want referees mucking about if there's any doubt - they can't take any chances because players can, for instance, swallow their tongue.

 

"It's about striking a balance between common sense and player safety.

 

"Some people have been rather cynical about this custom, and that is what we want to lose - but without losing the spirit of fair play."

 

 

WHAT ABOUT THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE CLUBS?

 

Football League spokesman John Nagle:

 

"We will not be issuing any additional advice to referees, clubs or players regarding the issue of kicking the ball out of play at injury situations.

"There is no evidence that this convention is being widely abused within the League.

 

"We will, though, continue to monitor the situation."

 

 

WHAT DO THE MANAGERS THINK?

 

LMA deputy chairman Frank Clark:

 

"We've had several meetings with managers from all divisions and there is a huge majority in favour of giving the decision to the referees.

"It worked very well for a number of years, but you only had to watch certain matches at the World Cup to see it's being abused now.

 

"Teams aren't giving the ball back in the spirit originally intended anymore and the whole thing's a mess.

 

"It's not a rule change, but because it's a convention which is ingrained in the game here, we need everyone on the same wavelength.

 

"To a certain extent, it's going to be a PR exercise, especially in terms of the fans.

 

"We definitely think a change is the way forward."

 

 

DOES THE FA HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY?

 

FA spokesman Andrin Cooper:

 

"There's obviously nothing in the laws of the game about it; it has just evolved over time.

"Our view is that if the referees, clubs and managers agree on one clear approach, then we're fine with that.

 

"If the participants affected - that is the players, managers and referees - agree, then it is absolutely down to them.

 

"In terms of grassroots football, I think we need to see how things progress in the professional game before any firm decision is taken."

[Papa Lazaru 0]

It should never have got to this stage. Just do what they do in rugby even if that is a sport that doesn't have hundreds of compete mincing tarts playing it like football does!

 

You go down injured in rugby and the game goes on, you get back up and play or the physio comes on but the game doesn't stop unless it was really serious.

 

If cheating footballers and managers know the game will not stop for them they will stop arseing about on the deck and get on with playing the game.

[Isegrim 9911]

I'd rather like to see they scrap the rule where injured players have to leave the pitch when they got treatment on it. It's a rule that doesn't make any sense at all. I always hate it when a player gets fouled, gets a free kick and then has to leave the field until it has been taken. Who gets punished here?

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I'd rather like to see they scrap the rule where injured players have to leave the pitch when they got treatment on it. It's a rule that doesn't make any sense at all. I always hate it when a player gets fouled, gets a free kick and then has to leave the field until it has been taken. Who gets punished here?

180079[/snapback]

 

Especially when they take the longest route possible off the pitch!

 

Also whena player is literally a yard or less from the touchline and the ref allows him to fanny about getting treatment for whatever imaginary injury he has on the ptich, stopping the game instead of just booting the fecker the extra couple offeet to put him out of play!

[Isegrim 9911]

I'd rather like to see they scrap the rule where injured players have to leave the pitch when they got treatment on it. It's a rule that doesn't make any sense at all. I always hate it when a player gets fouled, gets a free kick and then has to leave the field until it has been taken. Who gets punished here?

180079[/snapback]

 

Especially when they take the longest route possible off the pitch!

 

Also whena player is literally a yard or less from the touchline and the ref allows him to fanny about getting treatment for whatever imaginary injury he has on the ptich, stopping the game instead of just booting the fecker the extra couple offeet to put him out of play!

180080[/snapback]

 

Fair enough, if the referee thinks someone is faking an injury. He should be entitled to send the player off then. But I hate is when there actually was a foul, probably on your set piece specialist, and he has to get off after receiving ten seconds of treatment and isn't allowed to take the free kick.

[Papa Lazaru 0]

I'd rather like to see they scrap the rule where injured players have to leave the pitch when they got treatment on it. It's a rule that doesn't make any sense at all. I always hate it when a player gets fouled, gets a free kick and then has to leave the field until it has been taken. Who gets punished here?

180079[/snapback]

 

Especially when they take the longest route possible off the pitch!

 

Also whena player is literally a yard or less from the touchline and the ref allows him to fanny about getting treatment for whatever imaginary injury he has on the ptich, stopping the game instead of just booting the fecker the extra couple offeet to put him out of play!

180080[/snapback]

 

Fair enough, if the referee thinks someone is faking an injury. He should be entitled to send the player off then. But I hate is when there actually was a foul, probably on your set piece specialist, and he has to get off after receiving ten seconds of treatment and isn't allowed to take the free kick.

180083[/snapback]

 

Indeed, it can be that on the few occasions when somebody is actually injured and not faking it they get fouled and then have to go off the pitch so they (and their team) suffer twice!

[Kid Dynamite 7195]

Its spread right through the game now. At the Blyth match on sat robbie dale went down on 3 or 4 occasions, blatantly uninjured, kept having sly looks at the ref and refused to get back up until the ref stopped the game. 10 seconds after he did he was back up again pretending to limp.

[snakehips 0]

It should never have got to this stage. Just do what they do in rugby even if that is a sport that doesn't have hundreds of compete mincing tarts playing it like football does!

 

You go down injured in rugby and the game goes on, you get back up and play or the physio comes on but the game doesn't stop unless it was really serious.

 

If cheating footballers and managers know the game will not stop for them they will stop arseing about on the deck and get on with playing the game.

180077[/snapback]

 

Oooh, careful! I advocated this a while back and was var-nigh run out of town with the ridicules. Ahm just getting over it tbh

[walkinthedog 0]

Axe injuries? Eh, they gonna let lasses play now?

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3999]

The worst case I have seen of this was Owen Hargreaves against I think Sweden. He put in a tackle next to his own byline and gave away a corner. He was rolling around 2 yards off the pitch and while no one was looking crawled back on to it just in front of where the corner was taken.

[spongebob toonpants 4166]

Unless I am missing something really obvious, surely this problem could be solved immediatly and completely by letting the pyhsio come on while the match continues. It happens in both codes of Rugby without any problem and would mean there was no point in feigning injury.

 

I actually get much more annoyed by the game stopping for treatment which is plainly not needed than by diving

[Guest alex]

Unless I am missing something really obvious, surely this problem could be solved immediatly and completely by letting the pyhsio come on while the match continues. It happens in both codes of Rugby without any problem and would mean there was no point in feigning injury.

 

I actually get much more annoyed by the game stopping for treatment which is plainly not needed than by diving

180169[/snapback]

My Dad has been saying this for years and I'm pleased this kicking the ball out shite looks to be over and done with.