The FA Premier League - an open letter
To: Richard Scudamore, Chief Executive, F.A. Premier League
Ian Watmore, Chief Executive, Football Association
Dear Mr Scudamore and Mr Watmore,
You may be aware that an Arsenal player, Aaron Ramsey, was seriously injured on Saturday during a game against Stoke City.
While the investment from Sky has had a significant impact on the quality of players English clubs can now sign and the wages clubs now choose to spend, I am not alone in being concerned about the way the Premier League is being managed.
Forget farcical suggestions of a 39th game, played abroad to entice international crowds and throw the entire structure out of kilter.
The biggest problems in this country and to do with the pitches and questionable punishments meted out for serious foul play.
One of the qualities of the English game is that it is fast and furious, played at a frenetic pace with an end to end style where controlled passing and patience are the anathema of entertainment.
Arsenal have been the standard bearers of a different type of football, one which, while it has moments of pace, seeks to play the 'beautiful game' in the manner of the greatest sides of the past.
The fact that they do not spend millions on big name signings every season and try to promote from within is further testament to the benefit they are bringing the English game.
Even when a player does not make the grade at Arsenal, he is likely to go on to have a fine career elsewhere.
Perhaps it could be argued that Arsenal's style does not lend itself to success in the modern game, but certainly the Gunners remain many supporters' 'second team'.
The way manager Arsene Wenger has taught his teams to play is one of the big draws of Premier League football and one of the main reasons why international audiences set their clocks by live matches around the world.
But what sort of example does English football set when over-zealous play turns into a physical bombardment that pushes the rules over the edge?
When using size and physique gets transformed into "make sure he knows you're there...leave a few marks on him to remind him he's been in a game.'
Football is a contact sport and should remain so.
To remove tackling or the physical aspect of football, as UEFA President Michel Platini once suggested, would make a mockery of the game.
But there has to be a balance.
If teams are going to be overly aggressive and make tackles that are on the very edge of fair play, surely there must be sizeable punishments when those boundaries are crossed?
When a young player like Aaron Ramsey has his leg shattered by a crunching tackle that is positively encouraged by his coach, regardless of a lack of intent to harm, surely the offending player must suffer a strict punishment that reflects the damage he has caused.
As M. Wenger said, it is no coincidence that in the past five years, Arsenal have suffered three extremely serious injuries against players who then, sadly suffered no more than to serve a three or four match ban.
If the FA Premier League is to maintain its integrity, it must put in place safeguards that ensure all players know that dangerous, late or ultimately injury-inflicting tackles will bring with them suspensions and financial punishments that reflect the gravity of the challenge.
If these undertakings do not take place, teams and individual players will continue to play with an aggression and phyicality which goes beyond the boundaries of fair play.
Ultimately, this will put top players off signing for English clubs, knowing that they may lose a year of their career to another reckless and unlikely-to-be-punished serious foul.
It is up to you. The very integrity of the game is at stake if the beautiful game is to be replaced by the ugly truth.
Yours sincerely,
Avenell Dave
DA
Reader Comments (15)
Nice try but your plea will fall on deaf ears I'm afraid. The give away statement was, "If the FA Premier League is to maintain its integrity". Integrity.....................oh dear.
As fans of Arsenal football we must fight for our club and make sure our voices are heard.
I call upon each arsenal fan to write a letter to the FA urging them to look into the issues of rough tackling. We got to show the people who run football in the country that we genuinely care for the safety of football players on the field and not just because we are arsenal fans.
Let’s also continue to support this team even more vocally than before, we have to remember the majority of the team are young lads who got into the sport to play FOOTBALL but instead had to witness their teammates having their legs smashed.
Let’s do whatever we have to do to let the players know we love them and are proud of them and we are 100% behind them.
I agree with you but unfortunantly I don't think that the FA are going to do anything about this. I admire you for trying though :P
What a crock of shit, if they dont enjoy the English game fuck of back to Europe.
Great post but you are wasting your time. The FA don't give a f*** about Arsenal players.
The only way anything will be done if it is a high profile Englishman who is the victim before a World Cup, especially if a foreigner is the tackler.
How about copying and pasting the same letter by every fan that comes accroess ti and then send it to them?
I have written to the FA & the Premier League via email & only got 1 automated response. Sure it's a waste of time, as already commented this issue will only be taken seriously by the people than run the game when someone like Rooney, Lampard or Gerrard ends up with his leg in bits.
The FA, FIFA and UEFA are staffed by old men who are living in a time warp - they can't see what's good for the game, they're too busy trying to make more money out of it.
They haven't even tried video evidence to help referees, as every other sport now has.
Insane.
Still, at least they'll all rally round Shawcross, to make sure he's got over the trauma of ruining someone's career.
The FA will not do anything about it, as even only the attempt to tighten on rules on such ruthless 'football' will be torn apart by the "sky" media in UK.
Not that I call fo or thought of it happening, I am just wondering what the FA (and some other coaches) would do and say if a couple of weeks before the WC such an injury happens to Gerrard, Rooney and Lampard.
Any answers from the FA to that ???
The only thing that the FA are interested in is money and there is a lot of it swilling around. It feeds people like Andy Gray, Richard Keys, Shearer, Hansen, Redknapp and the other half-wits who are supposed to be experts. They are not going to rock the boat and their gravy train. There are things that could be done but they won't and although I admire the sentiment and sincerity of this piece you only need to look at the neanderthal knuckle scraper above who signs himself PJ or read the thoughts of the imbecilic Lou Macari to see what you are up against. Unfortunate, but sadly true.
Whilst I agree that the FA will do what they always do, absolutely nothing, it is essential that as many as possible let their feelings be known. Then, when it happens again, as it unfortunately but surely will, they can not say that they haven't been warned.
The only way to make the FA act would be for some foreign player to crock up Wayne Rooney so that he misses the Worldcup. I wouldn't be surprise if FA changes its stance to make English Football a non-contact sport then.
Just view one of the article said Sir Alex support Shawcross !! If Rooney leg break by Shawcross instead of Aaron., would Sir Alex share or cheer his red wine with Tony Pulis ?? And the FA and PL will immediate change the rule, sky, Sheara , Raknapp will the 1st one stand up
The only time the FA will seriously consider tightening the refereeing and punishment for heavy tackling is if an important national team player like Rooney, Lampard or Ferdinard becomes a victim in the face of a major tournament like the world cup around the corner. Noone in the FA will accept this publicly but mark my words, this is the reality!
As long as it is some fringe player or worse still some non-english player affected with no consequence to the English national team, this issue will also remain fringe!!
I am from Australia and am used to watching Rugby League and seeing big hits and lots of punch ups. I like that game and watch it for my dose of thugery, but not football. Its a game played with your feet and a ball, so naturally you will get these accidents. However its how u deal with it that makes u different. No one likes divers and in England you get alot less of it, but n the flip side you get more broken legs, I would much rather diving really, better of 2 evils. I dont wish injury on anyone, even Shawcross, but is that what it will take to right so many wrongs? and no one cares until it happens to their player at their team. Something has got to give!
anyway, comon u Gooners, show all those punks we can do it properly... then watch how many scum bags jump on our bandwagon. I wonder though if we win the league, will they say, 'see poor ramsey but you still went on with it'...