A School takes action against football cheats.

**manrow** · 22-07-2010, 04:41 PM

I admire the headteacher who took this action; it is of course a shame that they are not able to play the sport they love, but I believe the head to be correct in her action.

The problem is that football is so big in this country that most players and supporters don't even notice most of the foul language and dreadful fouls that are used in the name of the game, described by a parent as merely 'feisty'! Note how the sympathy comes from a local parent:-

Carpenter Dave Bunker, 44, whose son Tom, 11, attends the school, runs a local under-11s football team.

He said: 'I can see why football has been banned because we have got such a small playground that it can get a bit feisty.
'But when you have got all the boys wanting to play football it becomes a difficult situation. I feel for those boys because they just love the game.
'The final of the World Cup was just bully tactics and when children see that they naturally want to copy it. The diving and fouling was abysmal.'

Read more: School bans playground football after pupils copy 'cheating, fouling' World Cup players | Mail Online

**Streetwalker** · 22-07-2010, 07:09 PM

Children learn some of lifes most important lessons,those of respect,fair play and honesty through sport.Not to mention the fitness benefits.Maybe instead of banning football,there is no mention of any replacement activity,the school should have considered a bit of supervision instead of sitting on their backsides drinking tea in the staff room.What do the kids do now on their break ? Stand around as if in the prison yard.

Some society we have created here.

**manrow** · 22-07-2010, 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Streetwalker

Children learn some of lifes most important lessons,those of respect,fair play and honesty through sport.Not to mention the fitness benefits.Maybe instead of banning football,there is no mention of any replacement activity,the school should have considered a bit of supervision instead of sitting on their backsides drinking tea in the staff room.What do the kids do now on their break ? Stand around as if in the prison yard.

Some society we have created here.

I think you are tackling the problem at the wrong end. How about cleaning up the adult game?

**Streetwalker** · 22-07-2010, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by manrow

I think you are tackling the problem at the wrong end. How about cleaning up the adult game?

Maybe we could takle it from both ends.
I agree that the professional game needs some serious restructuring.As long as there are £Millions on the table over wether a player can con the ref into a dubious decision it isn't going to happen though. Harsher penalties for proven cheats would be a start

**Major Sinic** · 22-07-2010, 08:36 PM

I don't know enough about the background in this case to know whether this particular headmistress was justified in her decision. Unfortunately it seems that many headteachers in the state education sector will use any excuse to prevent contact sports, partially through lack of a willingness to put themselves out, but equally through the excessively litigious environment which exists in this country.

My own son was at a local primary school and the headteacher canceled sports day because of 'unacceptable risk of injury to the children' and 'psychological scarring that can be caused by the humiliation of defeat'. I immediately withdrew my son and sent him to a private preparatory school where competitive contact sports were encouraged. He is now at public school, plays rugby for the 1st XV under outstanding standards of coaching and supervision.

If a school wishes to promote healthy exercise, sport and the realities of a world where most things worth having are competed for, then they can find a way. Coaching and supervision are the prime requirements.

**Don** · 22-07-2010, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by Major Sinic

'psychological scarring that can be caused by the humiliation of defeat'.

When ever I read something moronic like that my blood pressure shoots up 50 points and I feel tempted to, spit on my hands, hoist the black flag, and begin to slit throats, to paraphrase H.L. Mencken.

You are to be commended Major (& mentioned in dispatches)