Is It Time For An Accumulative Foul Rule In Football?

The 2019/2020 A-League came to its conclusion at the weekend, and as is often the case with a showcase game the Grand Final was a drab affair.

The VAR came into play, as it had the previous year, and the disallowing of Melbourne City’s “goal” has led to much discussion. Sadly once again it has dominated post match discussion. Sydney FC ended up breaking the deadlock in extra time, and claimed back-to-back titles and now become the most successful club in Australian professional football claiming their fifth title. They became the first team in the combined history of the National Soccer League and the A-League over 43 years to win five titles surpassing the four titles held by Sydney City, South Melbourne, Marconi Stallions and Melbourne Victory.

Congratulations to Steve Corica and his team, and all of the support staff at the club.

For many, who were neither a Sydney FC or a Melbourne City fan the game was hard to watch. Chris Beath as referee did his best to keep the game flowing and made what some felt were bold decisions. One being denying Sydney a penalty when Adam le Fondre hit the turf. This proved a discussion point at half time.

Some felt it was a penalty, some didn’t. Alex Brosque, a former captain of Sydney FC felt that it wasn’t. He then validated his reason for thinking it wasn’t and famously added that his opinion ” comes from a former striker and I know I would have dived as well.” Kudos to Brosque for his honesty, but it was a very sad thing to hear.

In fact within the game some of the hardest decisions Chris Beath had to make was whether a player had genuinely been caught and hurt in a foul or whether they had dived.

Australian football is not alone when it comes to diving, it is a situation that is plaguing the game the world over. Yet it is something that has to be stopped. While the top leagues in the world can ride the controversy of a player diving, a fledgling league such as the A-League cannot. It turns fans away from the game. It in fact highlights how the skills to beat a man in tight space is lacking or diminishing.

In cricket there has been much debate over whether a batsman should walk if he snicks the ball and is caught behind, especially if he or she knows that the ball touched their glove or bat. Adam Gilchrist made himself unpopular amongst his Australian team mates for advocating that one should always walk. Many a first class side will tell players not to do so. Their argument is that the umpire is there to make a decision, so leave him to make that decision.

Is not diving in football now creating a similar situation? Just like a batsman who has knowingly edged the ball stands their ground the diving player is trying to con the referee into making the wrong decision. A decision that favours their team, a decision that may result in an opposition player being sent off. Ask most genuine football fans and they abhor such antics.

If the Covid 19 Pandemic has taught us one thing when it comes to sport, it is that without the fans professional sport is not the same. It is crucial that administrators start to realise this and listen more to those fans.

In “Let’s Get Physical – Time To Get Tough On Diving” it was advocated that the A-League become the first league to take a harsh stance on diving. This would help the referees, and hopefully clean up the game and stamp out players trying to con referees at all levels of the game. After all the juniors ape the players they see on television. If you don’t believe that go and watch a junior match.

Maybe the FFA should be pitching a trial rule for the A-League.

In Futsal a team is permitted to have five accumulative fouls, in each half of the match. Why cannot a rule be introduced whereby either in the referee or the Video Assisted Referee’s opinion if a player has dived their team receives a warning. Three or five occasions, – which can be determined – either in the game or per half whereby the officials have deemed players on that side have dived results in an “accumulative foul.” The last player in the agreed amount of accumulated fouls deemed to have dived is then sanctioned on behalf of the team.

That sanction could be a five minute spell in a sin bin. It could result in a one match suspension. The punishment can be discussed, but the sin bin solution would appear to be the best option, as it would give the opponent five minutes with a player advantage and open up the game. A time in which they can look to make that advantage pay dividends. Such a system has been used in rugby league and union, roller derby, ice and field hockey. In all of the sports it is now accepted, and has proved to be very effective.

It is almost three years now since Dutch legend Marco van Basten suggested that football look to implement such a system, amongst other changes. (Van Basten Leaves Fans Flat-Footed). HIs comments upset many traditionalists, yet aren’t many of those same people the ones bemoaning players diving and trying to con referees?

Basketball like Futsal has an accumulative foul rule that is understood and accepted. So would it be so hard to introduce? Sports fans are already familiar with the process and the sin bin, so it would need little or no explaining.

Whatever happens the game has to address the issue, if not globally than locally. It is unfair on the referees to have players trying to con them. It is unfair on the fans to see a team awarded a penalty or a player sent off when a player has simply been successful in fooling an official. As we heard from Alex Brosque, it has now become a part of the game, where players are looking to fall over, rather than beat their man fairly. Who wants to see that?

Brazilian Neymar was lampooned for his antics at the World Cup in Brazil in 2018, and he became one of the most reviled players in the tournament. Yet was he deterred from continuing such behaviour?

The A-League cannot afford to tolerate such behaviour, so why not become a leader and approach FIFA with a ruling to be trialled that may ultimately rid the game of something that has now become a blight upon it. After all Australians pride themselves on being world leaders in sport…