Life coach corner... (From Worcester News)

Life coach corner...

10:35am Monday 24th March 2008

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What is wrong with footballers? It is a sad reflection on our society when some of our greatest role models for kids are spoiled over-paid egotistical big-heads. Now i love football but footballers (and some fans) need to have a long hard look at themselves. Take the Ashley Cole incident.....


He committed a bad late tackle and complained bitterly to the ref who had dared to attempt to reprimand him. Then as he was being spoken to by the said ref he turned his back on him in an act of petulence. He may as well have stuck his fingers in his ears and shouted "CANT HEAR YOU!".

Now it has been a long held belief of mine that referees in the premiership are pretty weak generally speaking, often star-struck, swayed by home crowds (ok 70000 mancunians baying for your blood can be pretty daunting experince) and generally take the wrong option in 50/50 decisions. BUT...... saying all that we do nothing to help. Crowds barrack the ref when he gets a controversial decision wrong (or even right) so he is really on a hiding to nothing.

Look at rugby how well the players behave on the pitch towards the officials and if they do give back chat or refuse to move back 10 yards the ref moves the free kick or pen forward 10 yards. This rule WAS introduced in football about 4 years ago but i only ever ONCE seen it enforced. The idea is being banded about that only captains should be able to speak to the ref as in rugby - but i fail to see how the high profile captains such as John Terry, Steven Gerrard who are among the worst ref-abusers will adapt.

And the worst bit of this..... is that time and time again we see the same behavior from kids on the playground and even the parents on the local pitches. What chance have the kids got if parents and role models dont teach the difference in right and wrong ways to behave.

james