Kicked to death for being a linesman

craptakular · 4 Dec 2012 at 07:55

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20583970

A Dutch man has died after being kicked and punched by a group of teenage football players for whom he acted as linesman in a Sunday league match.

What is happening to football? It seems it's gone down the toilet, I can't help but think I need a new sport to follow.

How can society have descended to this?

We now have too much money in the game, racism, homophobia, ant-Semitism, murders and stabbings on European away games, match-fixing in Italy, now the murder of officials. I think I am done with football. How do I learn the rules of AFL and rugby?

Sho · 4 Dec 2012 at 07:58

Yea watched it today morning on sky Sports.

Surely these kids need to be punished.

Amnesia · 4 Dec 2012 at 07:58

Should have blew his whistle.

godinman · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:01

What is happening to football? Hasn't it always been pretty terrible for all the things you mentioned?

Amleto · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:02

Amnesia said:
Should have blew his whistle.

Devrij · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:03

Oxy said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20583970

What is happening to football? It seems it's gone down the toilet, I can't help but think I need a new sport to follow.

How can society have descended to this?

We now have too much money in the game, racism, homophobia, ant-Semitism, murders and stabbings on European away games, match-fixing in Italy, now the murder of officials. I think I am done with football. How do I learn the rules of AFL and rugby?

Rugby is much better anyway. You should have come to the light long ago.

I agree though. It seems incomprehensible that you would beat a man to death because he said a ball had crossed a line in a game you played. It just shows a flabbergasting lack of perspective. That's the result of a society where everyone is told they're a special little ********* though.

fastwunz · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:05

Football has I'm afraid become a breading ground for racist, anti Semitic, low life thugs and violent morons to vent their idiotic ideals behind the game which itself is run soley to line the pockets of the players and the teams shareholders.

It's pathetic watching grown men using the phrase 'we' and analysing every tiny nuance of each game in a desperate bid to find something new to talk about where frankly nothing new ever happens game by game other than one team wins, two players dive, three players get into a fight and 4 thousand brainless fans abuse eachother and blame the manager.

Sod football. You only need to watch England's rugby performance on Saturday to see what real sport is and how controlled violence on the pitch certainly does not bread mass violence off the pitch with fans. And everyone is drinking.

SickAsAParrot · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:36

You can't really blame 'football' as much as I despise it as a spectator sport and the morons who prattle on about it endlessly (I work on a factory floor and really do despair about how these idiots get worked up about the tiniest thing).

But it's obviously in the mindset of these particular yobs to totally overreact to any percieved sleight and they would have just done it to some pensioner on the street if that happened to have been the scenario. Throw away the key.

elmarko · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:53

While I really don't give a hoot about any sports, I vastly prefer the company of rugby/cricket fans to the average football lout.

Football seems to bring out the inner idiot in many people.

Fourstar · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:54

Amleto said:
Amnesia said:

Should have blew his whistle.

Click to expand...

I agree completely. He should have been using the past participle rather than simple past form of blow. Good catch!

Seriously, violence against the referee and his linesmen does seem to be more prevalent these days. Is this a shift from verbal to physical abuse or has there been a change in culture that now makes them fair game?

SeraphX · 4 Dec 2012 at 08:54

They should just bring a worldwide ban to football.

Haggisman · 4 Dec 2012 at 09:07

fastwunz said:
Football has I'm afraid become a breading ground for racist, anti Semitic, low life thugs and violent morons to vent their idiotic ideals behind the game which itself is run soley to line the pockets of the players and the teams shareholders.

It's pathetic watching grown men using the phrase 'we' and analysing every tiny nuance of each game in a desperate bid to find something new to talk about where frankly nothing new ever happens game by game other than one team wins, two players dive, three players get into a fight and 4 thousand brainless fans abuse eachother and blame the manager.

Sod football. You only need to watch England's rugby performance on Saturday to see what real sport is and how controlled violence on the pitch certainly does not bread mass violence off the pitch with fans. And everyone is drinking.

So... exactly how it was 20-30 years ago then?

Sho said:
Yea watched it today morning on sky Sports.

Surely these kids need to be executed.

Fixed

sbi5ar · 4 Dec 2012 at 09:14

It won't get better...

Take rugby for example... The players are taught to have respect for the officials and only the captain will talk to the Ref and that is only if he is called over by the Ref. In football you have 3/4/5 players rushing over to the Ref when he blows his whistle and they don't agree with the decision. Rugby is a better sport because of this and I think if something similar was done in football it would do wonders for the game, but it is too late!

The only way to try and solve this is an instant yellow card if anyone bar the captain approaches the referee. (Yes there will be LOTS of yellow cards in the first season, but the end result would be worth it).

NotAGolf · 4 Dec 2012 at 09:39

sbi5ar said:
It won't get better...

Take rugby for example... The players are taught to have respect for the officials and only the captain will talk to the Ref and that is only if he is called over by the Ref. In football you have 3/4/5 players rushing over to the Ref when he blows his whistle and they don't agree with the decision. Rugby is a better sport because of this and I think if something similar was done in football it would do wonders for the game, but it is too late!

The only way to try and solve this is an instant yellow card if anyone bar the captain approaches the referee. (Yes there will be LOTS of yellow cards in the first season, but the end result would be worth it).

Whilst I agree, rugby seems to be heading a bit downhill over the last few years as it gains popularity. My biggest annoyance lately is with the new TMO rule, anything untoward you end up with multiple players running up to the ref asking him to use it. You also see players gesturing to the ref for yellow cards, and even the odd dive or two has crept in.

Similar sort of thing with the fans, especially at Twickenham where a large proportion of the attendance is your 'casual' fan or corporate tickets. Silly things like booing the ref or kicker. I can't remember who they were playing, but Ireland were playing at the Aviva and it was a fairly important kick at goal. The crowd were absolutely silent. Ultimate respect and not a moron in the crowd! That was class.

Purdy · 4 Dec 2012 at 10:01

wildman · 4 Dec 2012 at 13:05

godinman said:
What is happening to football? Hasn't it always been pretty terrible for all the things you mentioned?

this

the onl;y reason we think its getting worse is becasue meida coverage is much better than it was before. In fact nothing has chnaged appart from the fact that you can read about it more often that you could before which gives the impression that it has gotten worse..............

mrjagga · 4 Dec 2012 at 14:21

fastwunz said:
Football has I'm afraid become a breading ground for racist, anti Semitic, low life thugs and violent morons to vent their idiotic ideals behind the game which itself is run soley to line the pockets of the players and the teams shareholders.

It's pathetic watching grown men using the phrase 'we' and analysing every tiny nuance of each game in a desperate bid to find something new to talk about where frankly nothing new ever happens game by game other than one team wins, two players dive, three players get into a fight and 4 thousand brainless fans abuse eachother and blame the manager.

Sod football. You only need to watch England's rugby performance on Saturday to see what real sport is and how controlled violence on the pitch certainly does not bread mass violence off the pitch with fans. And everyone is drinking.

worst post ive seen today.

Diesel · 4 Dec 2012 at 14:27

The hypocrisy of Rugby fans never ceases to astound me. Totally and utterly blind to examples of cheating and violence in their own sport while crucifying football.

rotters · 4 Dec 2012 at 14:40

Diesel said:
The hypocrisy of Rugby fans never ceases to astound me. Totally and utterly blind to examples of cheating and violence in their own sport while crucifying football.

football fans V rugby fans? are you serious? mixed stadiums, beers, banter....its a joy to be in a rugby stadium, now football....completely segregated, violence, racism...granted this isnt a constant but these traits are almost never seen at rugby stadiums.

chalk and cheese when it comes to the typical persona of a football player and rugby player. I've played rugby al my life and have never come across thugs and blatant racism that I have at low level football (i've never been to see a premier league game so cant comment). so going on my own experience, I can categorically say that this type of behaviour (linesman being kicked to death) would never happen on a rugby pitch.

I do like football so this is why I care enough to comment, its just a shame its let down by a few Neanderthals.

rotters

Diesel · 4 Dec 2012 at 14:57

rotters said:
football fans V rugby fans? are you serious? mixed stadiums, beers, banter....its a joy to be in a rugby stadium, now football....completely segregated, violence, racism...granted this isnt a constant but these traits are almost never seen at rugby stadiums.

Point proven, thanks.

Any thoughts on why domestic abuse calls to South Wales Police spike by up to 80% on Six Nations match days?

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...tic-abuse-at-six-nations-time-91466-25749243/

Surely not those rugby fans who are full of banter and joy?