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[kevchenko]

I found this post on a British Soccer Forum that I read.  Anyway since many people find English football as the model I thought I would post it here to get your thoughts on the penalties in place for kids.  The Governing body assess monetary fines on kids and no doubt Coaches, I am pretty sure the refs don't get too much stick at this Association.

>>>>>>>>>Quote

i am 14 and i play for my local team, Elstow Abbey Colts in Bedfordshire. However, after Englands poor display in the euro qualifiers, the problem was identified that there isnt enough grassroots football in england. Recently, my team mate was sent off in an incedent with the opposition, (although i saw nothing wrong),and was fined £50 and given a 7 week ban. If this is the FA's idea of promoting grassroots football, then god help us. Why are these sorts of punishments not handed out to pros and is anyone else in my teams situation? Please send your opinions.

This is a copy of the sending off offences from the Bedfordshire FA:

a. Serious foul play 21 (days ban) £15 fine

b .Violent Conduct 35 days £25

c .Attempting to kick or strike another player 21 days £15

d .Kicking or striking another player 35 days £25

e .Violent head to head butting 112 days £75

f .Attempting to head butt 21 days £15

g .Head to head contact 42 days £30

h .Spitting or similar unseemly behaviour directed at an
opponent or any other person (not at a match official) 112 days £50

i. Denying a goal or an obvious goal scoring opportunity
by physical means or by deliberately handling the ball 7 days £15

j .Use of offensive or insulting or abusive
language or gestures 14 days £15

k .Use of offensive or insulting or abusive language
or gestures directed at match officials 35 days £25

l. Receiving a second caution in the same match 7 days £15

Bedfordshire Football
Association Ltd
Memorandum of Procedures (except for
Teams competing at Steps 5 & 6)
203

<<<<<<<<<End Quote

[Redkard]

What did the player do?

50($$/Euros?) and a 7 week ban.

It must have been pretty bad.  One major incident or a combination of things.

I do have a problem with fining a youth player.

I have no problem with the length of the ban.

Suspensions like cards are not given out; they are earned by those who chose to do or say bad things.

The real question should be that they make professional players more accountable for their on field antics.  Not question the severity of the punishment during youth play.  I was a part of a 8 week ban once for a youth player (I was acting as a semi assistant coach at the time).  The eight weeks was warrented for what the player said to an opponent (threatening to harm) and racial slur (calling the referee a Nazi).

Punishment needs to be  consistant from the beginners all the way up to the pros.

[EWSoccer64]

England?   Been there, done that.   It is good to see that the FA (Youth) is taking a stand.   Hopefully they continue to enforce it, rather than do what the HS refs do in this state.  (Keep the cards in their pockets because they don't want the kid to be suspended from school or miss the rest of the season.)

[kevchenko]

What did the player do?

50($$/Euros?) and a 7 week ban.

It must have been pretty bad.  One major incident or a combination of things.

I do have a problem with fining a youth player.

I have no problem with the length of the ban.

Suspensions like cards are not given out; they are earned by those who chose to do or say bad things.

The real question should be that they make professional players more accountable for their on field antics.  Not question the severity of the punishment during youth play.  I was a part of a 8 week ban once for a youth player (I was acting as a semi assistant coach at the time).  The eight weeks was warrented for what the player said to an opponent (threatening to harm) and racial slur (calling the referee a Nazi).

Punishment needs to be  consistant from the beginners all the way up to the pros.

Apparently the boy attempted to spit on an opponent that had head butted him, which makes me wonder about the original poster's comment, "although I saw nothing wrong", I would have sent them both off and banned each.  I know the concept of restraint is a tough one especially with the Zidane headbutt, but the match official is there for a reason, the pitch isn't the wild west.

[hammerfan]

It is tough to compare soccer in the states, to football in England.  The whole concept is very different, Having spent a good deal of my child hood there. The game is played with a great deal of passion and history, teams and players are expected to take and give "knocks" as part of the game, softies need not apply!  That being said, Ithink suspensions are
the way to go for violent infringments. The fines however,might be better served if directed at the team, so as to train the behavior away.

[kevchenko]

It is tough to compare soccer in the states, to football in England.  The whole concept is very different, Having spent a good deal of my child hood there. The game is played with a great deal of passion and history, teams and players are expected to take and give "knocks" as part of the game, softies need not apply!  That being said, Ithink suspensions are
the way to go for violent infringments. The fines however,might be better served if directed at the team, so as to train the behavior away.

I'm with you on the difference and I do think that you do see a much "cleaner" game in America, my coach in Northern Ireland when I was a kid was a large proponent of the "get on the pitch and let your marked man know you are there as soon as possible" maneouver (some form of contact and an evil look), because he believed that this would put him under extra mental pressure.  The game in the Scottish Premier League is still played that way and I remember the 1st game USMT player DeMarcus Beasley featured for Rangers against Inverness Cali Thistle and the defender repeatedly knobbled him until he was totally ineffective, I am glad to see that it isn't like that here.

[EWSoccer64]

One thing that I would like to point out though is that the USMT is regarded as "soft" internationally, and opponents take liberties with us that they would not with the likes of Scotland or Northern Ireland or even Greece.   It has been far too long since the USA had an enforcer on the field, or any idea of when and how to retaliate.   Just to keep the opponents (like Mexico) honest, the USA needs the capability to retaliate severely and to know when doing so is appropriate.

Just my 2 cents worth.