Football is not my favourite sport, however it is the Wee Man's so I watch the odd game.
Sometimes it is good, sometimes not so good, one thing, however, is beginning to annoy me greatly. Player's who fall down and roll around in agony as if shot by a sniper in the stands.
Now, I"m not saying players never get injured in the course of a game. They do, and sometimes the injuries are not pretty. However, it doesn"t take Einstein to tell when one of these actual injuries has occurred, and when one is taking the moment to audition for a post-football life in the West End.
So who is to blame? I blame the referee or at least the association to which they belong. It's a fast game and sometimes the official has to make a split decision on the fly. So use the technology and punish the players after the event. Either from the 4th official or from a video panel after the game. Clear HD slow motion on our televisions can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt when a player is faking it, which, sad to say, they are more often than not.
While I am on the subject of the poor referee. If anyone, other than the Captain, gets in the official's face screaming, book them. They will soon stop that crap.
I could go on but I leave you with this fine example of referee control.
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXoBNFOxlQM[/youtube]