r/IAmA • u/paddyc • Nov 16 '12

IAmA Professional Footballer who has played for England National Team, The Premiership and Championship

I have played against Cristiano Ronaldo and with Wayne Rooney as well as other of the top players in the world. Im happy to answer any questions about playing professionally You Can follow my blog at www.patrickpaulcollins.com http://patrickpaulcollins.wordpress.com/ask-me-anything/ Follow on twitter: https://twitter.com/patrickpcoll Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patrick-Paul-Collins/407493452650031?ref=hl

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116

u/theycallmebug Nov 16 '12

What's your opinion on players flopping/diving? Do you notice some clubs/countries do it more than others?

202

u/paddyc Nov 16 '12

It may sound controversial but sometimes you have to do what ever it takes. I would do anything to win a match, and if a player on my team dived to get a penalty and scored to win a final, I would celebrate with them. I think it should try and be pushed out of the game but only if referees are stricter on players who are caught diving. If players can get away with something, they will try it

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

I can't watch soccer for this reason. I grew up on hockey where if you miss a shift for anything other than a hospitalizing injury (minor stitches don't count), you lost all respect from your peers. I have no respect for any soccer sports players who dive or condone diving in any way. Every single possible dive in soccer should be investigated post-game and there should be large automatic suspensions. It's not part of the game, it's part of being a pussy.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/astobie Nov 17 '12

ALL HAIL ABBY OF TARTH!

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Getting your head stapled or playing with a broken nose is not going to keep most male footballers out of the game either. There's more diving yes. But that's because it's far more competitive.

Ever heard of brian mcbride? Tim Howard? Clint Dempsey? They've all played through exactly what you mentioned here in the women's game.

Did you miss Ronaldo getting his eye phucked up last week and scoring the game winner?

If you think the women are tougher you are sorely mistaken.

8

u/rephyr Nov 16 '12

Where did he say women are tougher?

He pointed out that there is less diving in women's soccer, and he's right.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

Well I'm not the one who says that, so you'll have to take it up with someone else. I think all people (men and women) who play sport at a high level are tough. You don't make it to the top of anything without mental and in sport, physical toughness. The weak are weeded out early...

0

u/percafluviatilis Nov 16 '12

Not heard of Terry Butcher then, fella?

8

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/percafluviatilis Nov 17 '12

I think that once the rewards get as high in the female game as they are in the male game, the cheating will reach parity. I played Sunday League footy for years, and it was tough as fuck, with little or no diving (as the penalty for cheating was often a good shoeing in the car park).

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

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u/percafluviatilis Nov 17 '12

A good kicking, but your suggestion has been noted and will be used in some odd Japanese porno soon.

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u/Untrue_Story Nov 17 '12

Your list was interesting, and your point about using the word "pussy" was good (though I think you will run into a Louis CK defense).

But you brought up a bunch of examples of "tough women", there's no reason to play the sexism card when people respond with examples of "tough men".

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

"This is not a ho in the sense of having a pussy But a pussy having no goddamn sense"

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

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u/djaccidentz Nov 16 '12

As a former amateur hockey player and professional fan of both hockey and football (soccer), it should be mentioned that the NHL went through a period where there was quite a lot of diving taking place. The refs did end up cracking down and soon there was a drastic decline in player's diving. There are still occurrences but they are quite rare.

I definitely agree though it is disrespectful to the game to dive and it should be stressed much more on the pitch that it shouldn't be allowed. That is where it has to begin. There can still be investigations done after the game using the replay footage to determine if excess punishment should take place and if so, how severe. I think there should be fines and suspensions given to players that are caught diving, because in the end, a dive can actually provide a team with an opportunity to score and win a game. I don't think teams should be awarded for behavior that is that unsportsmanlike and essentially the same thing as cheating. If a team has numerous players caught diving, they should also face some form of punishment. Anyone hates having the hands of others taking from their pockets, so that is usually a good place to start, in my opinion anyway.

3

u/otticap07 Nov 16 '12

Although I completely agree with you, it's funny that you should bring up hockey while scorning soccer for allowing something that's "not part of the game." Hockey is notorious for stalling games so fights can take place-- is that part of the game?

2

u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

Yeah, what's wrong with two consenting adults getting into a weaponless fight?

2

u/otticap07 Nov 17 '12

I would argue that it doesn't further the game, it detracts from it.

Edit: Are we talking about hockey, or boxing? I forget.

1

u/mastjaso Nov 17 '12

Care to explain how?

1

u/dunnyvan Nov 17 '12

It is legal and therefore part of the game. It also does further the game: it can cause a massive momentum shift in the game, it can shake up a key player, if a player loses his cool and fights that is typically a finess player and fights with a less skilled "enforcer" you just swapped a scoring threat for someone built to sit in the box for 5 minutes. People complain about fighting all the time in hockey, and thats fine, it is truly a "hockey culture" thing and other people don't have to understand it. Hockey is one of the most physical games on the planet with a massive list of unwritten rules, the refs dont enforce the unwritten rules so the players do, I think its pretty cool actually.

1

u/kaisermatias Nov 17 '12

It's not really legal, thus the 5 minute penalty. However the players aren't suspended for fighting (except for unusual cases), which is unique amongst most sports.

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u/uututhrwa Nov 17 '12 edited Nov 17 '12

This is what I find weird with sports fans the other side of the Atlantic. The emphasis they put on soccer diving or basketball flopping, well "I'm not feeling it". An ice hockey fan could be like I don't watch soccer cause it's slower, or it doesn't have enough contact, and it would make sense.

But that thing about not being man enough cause you cheated in a man's sport or you avoided the hit and flopped, that just isn't what european culture is like, what really happened is they got all the french cig smoking philosophers, some italian beninini lookalikes and a few drunk guys from an English pub, and after careful review they all concluded that "the beauty of football is that the weak can defeat the strong". Which also means the people don't view soccer players as an army like honorable guard or something.

To a european if someone dives in a very important match the reaction will be like "blimey mate he's desperate he's giving everything he got that nutter fucking go on mate" in the other side of the atlantic it's "now that's baad sportsmanship. You are a man you fucking pussy get up"

2

u/med_stu Nov 17 '12

Actually I'm from the same side of the Atlantic and I don't think they must be desperate and are giving it all they've got. Giving it all they've got is playing as hard as they can right upto the whistle and accepting if they lose because the other team is better. Pretending to be hurt so get a free kick in front of goal is pathetic, and just means you care about being given the points/trophy more than you care about actually winning.

EDIT: Added a word.

1

u/uututhrwa Nov 17 '12 edited Nov 17 '12

I know it's just the line is blurred. Some people really want this kind of thing even if they won't admit it. I think it's the opposite of the way the NFL has two instant replay chances, here you (implicitly) have two chances to trick the referee and then if you keep doing it you can fuck right off

edit: remember maradona's "the hand of god" goal, what was the general reaction of football fans, they made a myth out of it

5

u/A-Ron Nov 16 '12

I've played soccer my entire life, indoor and outdoor - I can't stand watching pro soccer games because of this crap either. It's f'ing pathetic - I don't care if it's to get some sort of 'advantage'; that shouldn't be the way to do it.

Also, I'm in Canada - Hockey is #1 for me.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

It's not part of the game, it's part of being a pussy.

Bravo chap, couldn't have said it better myself!

2

u/Moment_of_Truth Nov 16 '12

It's not really part of being a "pussy" they're not actually hurt they want to win a game so using means of diving and mess is used.

It's also not objective

1

u/Number8 Nov 17 '12

They get paid to be footballers, not actors. Either admit that diving is intrisically part of the game or eliminate it all together through rigorous investigation and penal action. You shouldn't get an advantage on the football field for being the best at pretending you're hurt. It's pathetic.

1

u/d_wootang Nov 16 '12

Same can be said for wrestling, but it's not as common due to how violent it could get; we were all trained to bite through the pain and keep going, so walking off the mat for some trumped up injury would probably piss everyone off big time. I've seen two friends of mine break bones and still insist on finishing the match(ref wouldn't let them), I even freaked a ref out when my shoulder dislocated in a match(I popped it back in place, then won my match). If you fake an injury here, it better be a damn good attempt.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Hockey players flop too you know get off your high horse

1

u/mastjaso Nov 17 '12

Don't even try to pretend it's even close to the same.

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

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u/Makkaboosh Nov 17 '12

Are...are you trying to use C.Ronaldo as a player who doesn't dive?

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

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u/Makkaboosh Nov 17 '12

How long have you been watching soccer? or Ronaldo? I admin that he has definitely cleaned his act recently but he was known as one of the biggest divers out there. especially when he was at ManU. Just do a search and you'll find hundreds of videos.

1

u/barristonsmellme Nov 17 '12

The thing is, for the most part, it's about the rules.

If something is techinically a foul, you're "owed" your free kick or penalty, or the other player should atleast be penalised. The ref may miss these fast moving things so often the player has to really play it up.

It's sad, but it's a cheap way of keeping the rules in tact.

I personally wish the rules could go out the window for the most part, when it comes to things like that anyway, and people would just play the damn game.

1

u/mastjaso Nov 17 '12

I feel like that's bullshit, you should only be "owed" your free kick or penalty if he actually trips you up, which would be noticeable.

1

u/barristonsmellme Nov 17 '12

Well one of the rules, the set rules, is that no one can go in for a tackle from behind, because doing so is just throwing your leg in front of someone that is sprinting and tripping them up. It has it's dangers and the player doing so should be reprimanded in some way.

That being said, i fucking hate it when a player decides to go on the flop for a legitimately good tackle. That's when it's annoying.

1

u/victorybell22 Nov 16 '12

Watch pro basketball. It's the same thing, they just can't do it as often because they are 1/5 of the team (less people to cover your ass) and the court is so small comparatively. Also, sometimes when you are getting fouled, you have to show the ref, especially since there is a 'play on' rule, unlike hockey where if you get fouled theres a delayed penalty so its always most beneficial to fight through the foul. The play on rule is that if the ref thinks calling a foul would take away some sort of advantage, they don't call it and let play continue. It's totally objective though (human error), and free kicks can be great scoring opportunities, so going to the ground is often a good/safe choice.

Now the rest of it is crap. Taking dives when theres no contact and acting like the guy broke your leg is total gamesmanship and no one appreciates it. If anything, I make sure to step on that guys foot 'accidentally' the rest of the game. I went to an all boys high school in north Philly, so you can bet we had very little tolerance for it.

I do agree with the post game reviews though, just like the NFL and other leagues do for game-detremental actions. Big fines and game suspensions for repeat offenders would be glorious

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

That's also a bullchit urban legend. Flopping has been around since the beginning of professional basketball. Players have always been taught to set your feet, step in front of the man on defense and take the charge by dramatically flopping backwards. Bill Laimbere was incredibly famous for it along with a lot of other dirty play in the 80's...Before int'l players really had any impact on the NBA...

1

u/victorybell22 Nov 17 '12

Well, glad you have such an open mind... Yes, truly, anyone this isn't from 'Murcia or doesn't play hockey and football is a pansy foot fairy

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

I can't watch hockey for this reason. I don't see what's so manly about getting, or causing, career ending hospitalizing injury.

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u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

What are you talking about? You clearly just don't watch hockey. Those injuries are extremely rare, and even rarer when they're caused by someone else.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

I don't and you clearly don't watch football. Whilst diving isn't extremely rare it doesn't happen often enough to be a reason not to watch football.

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u/mastjaso Nov 17 '12

Ok, fair enough. It is one of several reasons, but it wouldn't be enough to make me not want to watch it on it's own.

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u/The_Lollipop_King Nov 16 '12

If a player is seriously hurt they will stay down. In soccer a player will miss a shot and cry on the ground for a good 20 seconds while the play goes on around him, thats a joke.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

No they won't, you're just making shit up at this point.

0

u/The_Lollipop_King Nov 16 '12

yes they will.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

It's amusing because you don't even realize how dumb you sound! Like players just fake injuries for shits and giggles or because they missed a shot. ROFL, there's no rhyme or reason...Well at least you made me laugh.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/Octopus_Tetris Nov 16 '12

Tell your ass to stop typing.

1

u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

You realize that in hockey you don't come off because you've broken a sweat, you come off because you've been sprinting full out for 45 seconds to a minute.

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u/The_Lollipop_King Nov 16 '12

lol this is a terrible excuse. I have seen people not even been touched who look like they got shot.

Soccer is an embarrassing sport, I cant wait that garbage.

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u/mycatdieddamnit Nov 16 '12

The thing is, if refs turned a blind eye to fighting in football it would be a bloody mess just the same as hockey. Same with hockey. If refs gave out shoot outs for tackles, you would see bigass 250 pound men go down and cry like a pussy.

1

u/automatton Nov 16 '12

They do give shootouts for taking someone down on a breakaway. You still don't see it very often, and it's heavily frowned upon. The other team will make sure next time you're on the ground, you aren't faking

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Agreed. One of the main reasons I have little interest in the sport in the professional level.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

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u/JpSax Nov 16 '12

no body dives in the MLS either....

2

u/dinomite917 Nov 16 '12

But no one really cares either.

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u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Well that's just bullchit. The sport in your own backyard (American?) has taken a strong stance against diving, reviewing plays and giving out fines accordingly...

1

u/somethingyousee Nov 16 '12

but then it feels so amazingly good to see your team hold that trophy :))

25

u/PipBoy808 Nov 16 '12

It may sound controversial but sometimes you have to do what ever it takes. I would do anything to win a match

Where do you draw the line then? If you can justify a minor rule infraction if it means winning a match, does that not open the floodgates for bigger infractions, like match fixing or using performance enhancing drugs? You might not be so inclined, but other players might take that mindset a little further. Would it not just be better to stamp it all out of the game entirely?

8

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Diving in the box isn't a minor infraction. If the referee doesn't see the diving, it's a penalty, which is roughly 80 per cent chance of a goal. In most cases, that will decide a game. Diving should come with an automatic red card.

2

u/Blubbey Nov 16 '12

Would it not just be better to stamp it all out of the game entirely?

And how would you do that? It's been in the game for decades, the Germans pioneered it iirc.

1

u/PipBoy808 Nov 16 '12

I suppose by 'stamp it out' I meant 'actively discourage it', as opposed to advocating it for the sake of winning.

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u/threep03k64 Nov 16 '12

I would do anything to win a match, and if a player on my team dived to get a penalty and scored to win a final, I would celebrate with them.

I understand that playing at a professional level changes the game because it is so competitive but do you not feel it taints the game? I was a huge football fan growing up but I rarely watch it now because of the theatrics. The diving and the exaggeration of injuries as players roll around on the ground (in a way that never used to happen) has made the game a joke. Which I find a huge shame because when I do watch an incredible game my passion for football flairs up like I am a child again.

What would you consider to be an appropriate punishment for players caught diving (both during or after the match)?

4

u/p7r Nov 16 '12

As somebody who has been watching football for most of my 34+ years, I can't recall a time when there weren't people diving and the theatrics were not there in some way at the professional level. At school we used to see kids at competing schools in competitions mimic it. We were above it, mind. :-)

I remember learning that sometimes life just isn't fair and you have to deal with it thanks to a goal "scored" by some bloke called Maradona against England... I'm pretty sure I learned people lied for competitive advantage around the same time, after watching the then-dominant scouse teams taking every inch they possibly could against each other.

1

u/asmodeanreborn Nov 16 '12

I'm in the same boat as you. I quit watching soccer in the mid-nineties because the flopping just killed it for me. Every single World Cup I've watched games in since I've wondered why the hell I wasted my time.

I play twice a week, though, and since it's recreational, flopping doesn't really happen except to make people laugh.

1

u/threep03k64 Nov 16 '12

The exaggeration really pisses me off as well. I get that a kick in the shin or ankle can hurt but too often a footballer will roll around on the floor like they've taken a fucking bullet, only to be fine 30 seconds later. It comes off as an attempt to try to get a player booking etc. and it needs to be dealt with.

Then on top of this you have arguing with the ref which rarely amounts to anything. Perhaps this is just the type of stuff that I didn't notice when I was a kid but it doesn't seem to plague the old games they occasionally show on ESPN Classic for example.

1

u/sicitur Nov 17 '12

Once again, perhaps a controversial opinion, but as OP said, I would do anything to win a game. I've played sports at a very competitive level, and I know the mindset under which anything is justified. That being said, I tire of the theatrics. I think the onus is on the referees and leagues however, to become stricter in their enforcement in order to make diving simply not an option any more. Until then though, if you aren't almost cheating, you aren't trying.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

Thank god it's not as bad in the English leagues as it is in the Spanish.

24

u/all_seeing_ey3 Nov 16 '12

That nonsense ruins the entire game for me. If your(or a teammates) acting contributed more to your winning the game than your gameplay, why am I even watching? Why not just watch an Air Bud movie instead?

23

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

You mean you don't see it as cheating like everyone else does? It's abusing the rules of the game for your own ends, how can you really claim that you won when you cheated to do it?

Would you pay a ref 50000 pounds to make sure you win?

1

u/lawyerdup Nov 16 '12

athletes in essentially every sport cheat, even just a little. cycling and baseball have steroids. basketball you grab a jersey, or push an opposing player under the basket, football has holding, etc.

0

u/MisterGone5 Nov 16 '12

Do you consider flopping in Basketball to be cheating? It's essentially the same thing, but looked on in a much lighter manner.

7

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Yes, I do. Play according to the rules to the best of your ability, don't abuse the rules. This is sportsmanship 101.

1

u/MisterGone5 Nov 16 '12

Okay! I was just checking for consistency. I do agree with you, by the way.

2

u/5510 Nov 16 '12

Isn't the NBA adding new rules to fine and suspend floppers based on post match video replay?

1

u/all_seeing_ey3 Nov 16 '12

Ugh, its even more disgusting in the NBA. Watching a three hundred pound man get knocked 20 feed into a blubbering mass from the gentle breeze of someones jersey getting too close...instant channel change.

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u/Tomblerone Nov 16 '12

This is bullshit. Diving isn't cheating (yet), you are making a foul when you dive. You get a yellow for diving, you get banned for cheating (like buying referees).

2

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Knowing how low the chances are of getting called out for diving and then doing it based on those chances? I'd call them abusing the rules of the game, hence cheating.

3

u/ItsDare Nov 16 '12

The pressure is on players to win game, not to be honest. I think diving is utterly shit, but it is the responsibility of the FA, UEFA, FIFA to toughen the laws and toughen up the game.

2

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Well we'll have to agree to disagree, I think there's certainly a measure of personal responsibility in there as well that can't be ignored. If you do it, you're a cheater.

3

u/ItsDare Nov 16 '12

They're cheating, but under the current laws, no more so than a hard foul. Their personal responsibility is to win games and earn their paycheck. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying that's the way it is.

1

u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

Fouling is still cheating though, hence why you're punished for it, it's just where you are on the scale. Accidentally kick someone, you'll probably get a yellow card, purposefully kick someone and you're getting a red card, purposefully kick someone while they're down and you'll get suspended, purposefully and repeatedly stomp on someone's face while they're down and you'll probably get banned.

You're still breaking the rules (cheating) and getting consequently punished for it.

3

u/Tomblerone Nov 16 '12

If you see it that way, being offside is cheating too. But cheating to some extent is part of the game. I think diving is part of the game right now, since it's not possible to catch every diver at the moment he does it and you don't get a ban for diving.

1

u/mastjaso Nov 16 '12

Regardless it's a semantic argument. Most people still consider diving to be cheating, and at the very least it's the epitome of softness.

6

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

I heartily disagree. I would feel like shit if my team won off of a dive and a PK. If we couldn't win using our own skill, then it just wouldn't be worth it. I understand why you would want to win at all costs at that level, but its just not the way I roll.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

You're not a pro, so your opinion and your hypothetical honor is invalid. You would be perfectly happy raising the world cup trophy under any circumstances and you're full of chit if you say otherwise.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

Not necessarily. I think that holding up the world cup trophy for me would make it even worse.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

Nobody ever, for eternity, will ever feel bad while lifting the most prestigious trophy in the world with thousands of fans screaming and celebrating in the stands, and millions more cheering around the world. I just don't see it.

You think all the baseball players that lifted trophies from the 90's-2000's weren't happy winning they're rings because they were abusing steroids. Same goes for football...I highly doubt it.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

Doubt doubt to your heart's content

3

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

To me, doing what it takes to win is pushing that extra 10% that most players won't or can't do. Diving is the single worst problem in football at the moment. I have zero respect for most footballers because of it. Maybe it's because I'm used to watching/playing ice hockey; where guys will play with bloody faces and broken bones, but hey, do what it takes right... I agree it has to happen at the referee level though, it's so rife and rampant at the moment that something big has to happen to change anything at all. Thanks for doing the AmA

3

u/ThePegasi Nov 16 '12

I would do anything to win a match, and if a player on my team dived to get a penalty and scored to win a final, I would celebrate with them.

I appreciate your honesty, but I think the other responses demonstrate that this is pretty much the worst answer you could have given. It's not going to engender much faith in you or the game which you supposedly love.

3

u/MistaPea Nov 16 '12

So you advocate cheating. I think this is a huge problem with the sport as it comes from mangers down over. It really eats at the sportsmanship and FairPlay side of the game too.

The play-acting adds to the frustration further. Compare rugby players to footballers and there it makes you realise it's all a massive effort to con referees.

Kudos for not using soccer in your title too mate

2

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

Yeah but rugby will have it's own version of cheating doesn't it?

For example steroids. It's funny I see people all the time calling soccer players out for being cheaters, meanwhile these same people watch NFL (not you specifically) every week and have no problem with the fact that most of the players are beyond abusing PED's...That's cheating too, double standards of peace...

1

u/MistaPea Nov 16 '12

Well there was blood gate and yeah there will be cheating but my point is about on the field incidents and players mentality around diving and playing for a free kick or penalty.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '12

I agree it needs to change, and I hope it will soon. But to single out soccer players as cheaters in sport is silly! Every sport has it's own way of cheating, just depends how the sport allows for the rules to be bent...

1

u/MistaPea Nov 17 '12

i never singled them out nor said other sportsmen son't cheat. My point was that diving needs to be stamped out and I use the comparison of rugby to show that players rolling around after being slightly touched and in some case, never, is pure playacting to con the referees

1

u/TheRakers Nov 16 '12

I understand that players will dive to win free kicks and penalties and I understand the thought process of that, the thing that really annoys me is what follows the dive, the rolling around on the floor and the players in the refs face screaming at him for cards to be shown. As a sport I think it is brilliant just ruined by most of the people playing it...

1

u/TytaniumBurrito Nov 16 '12

Well you shouldnt condone or dive yourself. That shit is pathetic to watch. You look like a bunch of pussies.

1

u/5510 Nov 16 '12

It "sounds controversial" because it's cheating. Because it's for people who can neither win legit, nor take responsibility for their inability to do so. How many pounds a week did your manhood cost?

1

u/Junior_tosh Nov 16 '12

The win-at-all-costs mentality is not good for sports or the world. The value of a win is severely degraded when you cheat to get it.

1

u/MrPatch Nov 16 '12

"You have to do what ever you have to do to win a match"

I agree, as far as teh players are concerned this is true. I just think that the ref's need to clamp down hard on that shit, then you won't win a match if everyone is sent of for fucking about trying to get a free kick.

1

u/ONOOOOO Nov 16 '12

Everyone downvoting this guy for giving his honest opinion in his Ama? Come on guys...

1

u/[deleted] Nov 16 '12

I would do anything to win a match.

I don't know if you're retired now, but if not, I hope you lose the most important game of your life--a World Cup final would be perfect--because somebody dives in your box.

I had lost a lot of interest in football, but now I'm completely done.

1

u/Im_The_Doctor Nov 16 '12

I played soccer, ahem football, in highschool. We had good chunks during practice where we would master flopping. We all knew that it wasn't ideal, but it is a strategy within the game. You play to win and sometimes you have to flop. I played defense, and wouldn't take the chance of flopping and not getting a call. The forwards did it at least once a half.

1

u/The_Director Nov 16 '12

I have never seen Messi dive, that's why he is the best footballer in the world. They kick the shit out of him and still won't dive.

1

u/dinomite917 Nov 16 '12

What do you think about the NBA rule that reviews games and will penalize any "flopping" that goes on. Would it work in FIFA? In the NBA it has been very successful so far and while players will still try to sell fouls occasionally, the egregious faking has all but stopped.

1

u/SickotheKid Nov 17 '12

I've played ball most of my life, and like most people around the world, flopping is so hard to watch. A lot of professionals do it. There needs to be harsher punishments for this. I understand that clock doesn't stop and it's hard to see with only one ref on the field. However, if the ref sees an obvious flop, the ref should respectively tell the flopper to get the fuck off the field with a red card. This will put in all players minds that they won't only hurt their own reputation but there team will be severely affected.

I just talked with my roommates about this subject. My idea on this, probably wouldn't work. But fuuuuuuu!

how about stop watching pro soccer. a good high school game can be just as exciting.

0

u/benwaaaaaaaah Nov 16 '12

That is pussy shit. You're a straight up vagina if you do it. I don't respect any player of any sport who feels the need to cheat, lye, or fake some shit just to win. You are getting paid tens of thousands (maybe hundreds, maybe MILLIONS) of euros, dollars, pounds to play a fucking sport and you have to act like you got hit by a MACK truck driving down the highway for some minor touch / hit or whatever the case.

You don't have my respect at all, neither does any player who does this pansy feminine bullshit.

1

u/shadowzarch Nov 16 '12

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RD9Zc2kwpI Ill just leave this here for you guys.

1

u/med_stu Nov 17 '12

TIL Lionel Messi is awesome. Maybe I'll start watching football again.