By Gasper Crasto,
Kuwait - June 2005
There has been a craze for competitive football always.
The triumphant run of players and supporters of AVC in the recently concluded KIFF League Final in Kuwait, to hug their goalkeeper after Navelim hit the penalty on the post in the sudden death, was one of the best sights seen live.
It was a privilege for having got to train under some of the best coaches in the country. Adapting myself as a Friday morning player at Kuwait's Sour Grounds, initially, was tough. I gradually came to understand that the sort of aggressive behavior I was used to playing with Salgaocars back in India would not be tolerated in an 'expat' world.
Still, it's hard to shake off in-built leadership qualities implanted over years of repeated coaching. Playing for top-most Indian football clubs, one realizes that coaches seldom waste time teaching basics. Most coaches concentrate on fitness, team formation and strategy, as I have noticed in some of the superstars I have played under.
- Late Fernando Abranches concentrated in playing standard football and capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes.
- T. Shanmugham emphasized, ‘Attack is the best form of defense’ and rarely allowed the ball to be played behind. He also demanded that the ball be clinched no sooner it was lost.
- Peter Valles - stressed on man-to-man marking and 'at any cost' defending the citadel, "goals will come automatically."
- Armando Colaco - Ball possession - trademark forte.
- Derrick D’Souza - Attack from the wings & stress on final touch.
- K.T. Chatuni - "Talking and f... (fooling) you cannot play football...don’t let the opponents have a sniff of your goal; and don't miss scoring when you get a chance."
- Shabbir Ali - Extra stress on stamina - "except for the sweeper back and goalkeeper, all others must attack and defend."
As I look back at these superstars and their coaching expertise, I realize each one of them was different in his approach and in tactical attributes... but never did I hear them advise anything about abusing a official, or instruct players to hit a opponent deliberately.
Players playing at top level are bound to use unfair ‘cheating skills’ which may even mean trying to brainwash the referee by being nice and friendly to him, or trying to scare his guts with fearful body language so that he works in their favor... I have often seen some referees succumb to this kind of deception.
Higher level of the game is not always a clean, gentleman’s game. Professional fouls, yellow cards and reds are all part of the sport... but the worst offence is when you see a player deliberately hitting / kicking an opponent with the sole intention of causing injury. In recent years of professional football, players are (leave alone red carded) fined / suspended after watching the intensity of their offence on TV replays.
Some individuals playing football, locally, forget they are noticed in life only because of football; they are ‘called’ football players although they just, just about know to kick a ball. Some of these players have played for donkey years while some are still to strengthen footing as humans on foreign soil. On the average, I have noted, not many understand footballing rules other than what they have learnt from watching European / World Cup football telecast on cable TV... But the ones to question the integrity of referees are mostly those who are highly ignorant about the game.
One can understand their brain power from the stupidity of actions and questions.
What actions... ?
Striking an officiating referee is the most cowardly, inhuman act in any sport.
I wonder what these crazy ‘hot-heads’ want to prove assaulting helpless referees. Do they think they are the only ones right, and all others, fools? Would they dare come near if a stronger man was kept in charge? This is not an era to give the other cheek; perhaps Gandhi had no other alternative when he was confronted by a six-foot South African. But if the giants knew who Gandhi really was, they would kiss his feet.
Most of the referees doing duty, I know, are learned people having vast knowledge of the game and life in general. I have played little football... I have seen few footballers who can pass a still ball with proper direction and the right momentum, few who can kick with their weaker foot... yet, they boast themselves to be Figos and Ronaldos of their teams... and when it comes to some perilous emergency they think with hands and legs...
Referees, who are mostly amateurs, somehow make themselves available to volunteer, out of love for the game and to support the sport they love. Many are well to do; they can very well enjoy their days with their families and in the comforts of their homes. Players who act crazy on the field would not dare look square in the eye if they knew who’s who behind the simple, humble Gandhian face of the official.
Kuwait - June 2005
There has been a craze for competitive football always.
The triumphant run of players and supporters of AVC in the recently concluded KIFF League Final in Kuwait, to hug their goalkeeper after Navelim hit the penalty on the post in the sudden death, was one of the best sights seen live.
It was a privilege for having got to train under some of the best coaches in the country. Adapting myself as a Friday morning player at Kuwait's Sour Grounds, initially, was tough. I gradually came to understand that the sort of aggressive behavior I was used to playing with Salgaocars back in India would not be tolerated in an 'expat' world.
Still, it's hard to shake off in-built leadership qualities implanted over years of repeated coaching. Playing for top-most Indian football clubs, one realizes that coaches seldom waste time teaching basics. Most coaches concentrate on fitness, team formation and strategy, as I have noticed in some of the superstars I have played under.
- Late Fernando Abranches concentrated in playing standard football and capitalizing on opponents’ mistakes.
- T. Shanmugham emphasized, ‘Attack is the best form of defense’ and rarely allowed the ball to be played behind. He also demanded that the ball be clinched no sooner it was lost.
- Peter Valles - stressed on man-to-man marking and 'at any cost' defending the citadel, "goals will come automatically."
- Armando Colaco - Ball possession - trademark forte.
- Derrick D’Souza - Attack from the wings & stress on final touch.
- K.T. Chatuni - "Talking and f... (fooling) you cannot play football...don’t let the opponents have a sniff of your goal; and don't miss scoring when you get a chance."
- Shabbir Ali - Extra stress on stamina - "except for the sweeper back and goalkeeper, all others must attack and defend."
As I look back at these superstars and their coaching expertise, I realize each one of them was different in his approach and in tactical attributes... but never did I hear them advise anything about abusing a official, or instruct players to hit a opponent deliberately.
Players playing at top level are bound to use unfair ‘cheating skills’ which may even mean trying to brainwash the referee by being nice and friendly to him, or trying to scare his guts with fearful body language so that he works in their favor... I have often seen some referees succumb to this kind of deception.
Higher level of the game is not always a clean, gentleman’s game. Professional fouls, yellow cards and reds are all part of the sport... but the worst offence is when you see a player deliberately hitting / kicking an opponent with the sole intention of causing injury. In recent years of professional football, players are (leave alone red carded) fined / suspended after watching the intensity of their offence on TV replays.
Some individuals playing football, locally, forget they are noticed in life only because of football; they are ‘called’ football players although they just, just about know to kick a ball. Some of these players have played for donkey years while some are still to strengthen footing as humans on foreign soil. On the average, I have noted, not many understand footballing rules other than what they have learnt from watching European / World Cup football telecast on cable TV... But the ones to question the integrity of referees are mostly those who are highly ignorant about the game.
One can understand their brain power from the stupidity of actions and questions.
What actions... ?
Striking an officiating referee is the most cowardly, inhuman act in any sport.
I wonder what these crazy ‘hot-heads’ want to prove assaulting helpless referees. Do they think they are the only ones right, and all others, fools? Would they dare come near if a stronger man was kept in charge? This is not an era to give the other cheek; perhaps Gandhi had no other alternative when he was confronted by a six-foot South African. But if the giants knew who Gandhi really was, they would kiss his feet.
Most of the referees doing duty, I know, are learned people having vast knowledge of the game and life in general. I have played little football... I have seen few footballers who can pass a still ball with proper direction and the right momentum, few who can kick with their weaker foot... yet, they boast themselves to be Figos and Ronaldos of their teams... and when it comes to some perilous emergency they think with hands and legs...
Referees, who are mostly amateurs, somehow make themselves available to volunteer, out of love for the game and to support the sport they love. Many are well to do; they can very well enjoy their days with their families and in the comforts of their homes. Players who act crazy on the field would not dare look square in the eye if they knew who’s who behind the simple, humble Gandhian face of the official.
The form of football played amongst Indian Expatriates in the Middle-East thanks to people promoting the game, fulfills its function to divert ones mind from reality. I wonder what the state of some of the youths abroad would be, if it was not for football. I am sure most would end up drunks or card gamblers, and psychos.
Instead of appreciating the hard work of the game’s administrators, there are some sick people who want to destroy one of the easiest form of entertainment expatriates can have abroad.
Many of the games in recent years have become disjointed, fractious affairs in which every decision by the referee is disputed and almost every tackle - and especially those near the penalty area - ends with one player falling down, clutching what can only be, from the expression of the face, a shinbone broken in three places. And if they are sane enough to peer through the pain and the agony, they're demanding the referee give the other player a card.
In fast-paced games it is impossible for referees to get the decisions right every time, but then, when players cannot be relied upon to be honest, the administrators of the game are the best judges to handle the reins and punish players / clubs who bring the game into disrepute.
As the new ‘season’ starts, governing bodies should identify crazy players and fickle minded club members as dangers to the game. Psycho players on the field should be BANNED and outcast from all soccer-related activities.
In conclusion I would wish to quote golden words of T. Shanmugham, of one of my most respected gurus in football who often stressed, "A verbal abuse in the heat of emotions maybe pardonable to some extent but striking a referee is one of the cardinal sins and the potential punishment price should be a life ban from the sport as a player or official or... a self exile in shame."