To kick it out or not to kick it out, that is the question

[UK Redsox]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/06/bristol-city-write-to-clubs-to-explain-new-policy-of-not-kicking-ball-out-of-play

Bristol City have written to every Championship club to tell them that they will not kick the ball out of play for any opposing player unless they have suffered a head injury.

The club’s manager, Lee Johnson, explained the new policy following an incident in the 3-1 home defeat by Leeds in which midfielder Mateusz Klich went down but City played on, leading to angry scenes on the touchline as coaching staff from both sides confronted each other.

“It’s fine. We sent an email out to the clubs because this happens often,” Johnson said. “Somebody goes down and sometimes it’s tactical, because people try and gain an advantage and sometimes it’s genuine.

“So we just decided as a club that we’re going to make a rule for the 46 games that we’re going to let the referee manage the game. So therefore if that’s our player injured or the opposition player injured, there’s a consistency there.”

[Dogtanian]

 

[Des Little]

The referees should be managing this.  They've got enough help these days.  Make the call!

[itbrvilla]

Great decision by Bristol City. Funny that it was Leeds getting angry...

[mr underhill]

Lee Johnson is a total knobhead, though.

[AllanW]

Sorry Will, I couldn't help it ...

To kick it out, or not to kick it out; that is the question.
Whether ‘tis nobler for the game to suffer
An opposition throw-in,
Or risk the crowds boos by playing on,
And shame the opposition player for ‘faking it’? To play on; to pass,
To move; and by that play to show they should not act
Or dive as if shot by sniper ever again, ‘tis a result
Devoutly to be wish’d. To play-on: to pass,
To pass, perchance to score; ay there’s the rub,
For in that play of glory what goals may come
When we are in the box,
Must give us pause; there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life;
For who would bear the whips and scorns of the game,
The refs tyranny, the managers rants,
The fans fickleness, the FA’s incompetence,
The vanity of Sky presenters and the lack
Of book sales for the ghosted autobiography,
When ‘fitting in’ just means hoofing the ball
Into Row z? Who would put up with the changing-room stink,
To grunt and sweat through bleep tests in pre-season,
But a love of the game for itself,
That perfect idea from where all motivation springs,
And which makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of? Like kayaking.
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,
And a moments indecision over the right course to take
Makes us bottle it and cave in
And become … less. Soft you now,
The fair Jacqui Oatley. Twitterverse, in thy hashtags
Be all my sins remember’d.

[wittonwarrior]

Lee Johnson being an arse what’s new. What I saw for 3 seasons in that division the referees don’t not have the tools or bottle to make decisions and therefore fair play by both teams is paramount. Got to laugh though it was against dirty Leeds

[KRS]

I wonder if Bristol have moved the away fans to the corner of one of their side stands yet.

[DrGonzo]

A perfectly sensible decision, and handled in an appropriate manner... well done chaps! If only we could now get a panel to hand out penalty points retrospectively for diving, cheating knobheads and we might get our beautiful game back.

[ChicagoLion]

This is correct, the ref is there to ref. I think that as in Rugby the game should continue whilst a player receives treatment.

[Bad English]

What about all the wankers that will be now rolling around simulating head injuries instead of holding their ankle and ostentatiously slapping the ground?

[ChicagoLion]

What about all the wankers that will be now rolling around simulating head injuries instead of holding their ankle and ostentatiously slapping the ground?

If only they would use TV to retrospectively deal with these incidents.

[mr underhill]

that could be a VARy good idea.

[Ad@m]

What about all the wankers that will be now rolling around simulating head injuries instead of holding their ankle and ostentatiously slapping the ground?

Well then under the rules of the game the referee has to stop it for a head injury.  So the Brizzle players still won't need to kick it out.

If it turns out the player is simulating, the ref has the power to book them.

[AsTallAsLions]

Clever by Bristol.