One of the instructions that we received from the International FA Board this
season reminded me of a discussion I had some years ago with Ian Branfoot, the former Royals manager who was both successful and unsuccessful in the same season.
We all had a glorious day out at Wembley when Reading won the Simod Cup of blessed memory, but the team was relegated to Division 3 the same year. I asked Ian why players took part in such extravagant celebrations when they scored. His answer was that it was obvious that I had never been a professional footballer, otherwise I wouldn't have asked the question.
I thought it somewhat of a facetious answer because I can remember when footballers, professional or not, were content with a little back slapping or a shake of the hand when they got the ball in the net. I still believe the majority of goal celebrations are over the top and totally unnecessary. Some of course have landed players in trouble.
Royals fans watched with envy last season when close rivals Wycombe
Wanderers reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. In the quarter finals you may recall that one of the Wycombe scorers was sent off for removing his shirt whilst celebrating his goal. He had already been cautioned for another offence but the general consensus was that the referee was heavy handed for such a trivial offence. The truth is the referee had no choice.
Although it doesn't appear anywhere in the Laws of the Game, FIFA issued a circular in January 1996 which instructed referees that any player celebrating by taking off his shirt
must be cautioned under the catch-all heading of 'unsporting
behaviour'. It was the Wycombe player's second caution so he had to go. The referee would have had to answer for his own conduct had he been more lenient, especially at such a high profile game watched by millions.
You only have to consider how Dermot
Gallacher has been demoted for ignoring an edict which states if players raise their fist to opponents they must be sent off. He considered Robbie Keane's push on David Beckham was not violent conduct and only cautioned him. He has suffered the consequences.
However, if the Wycombe game had been played this year, the referee could happily have taken no action against the shirt-remover without any fear of personal retribution. In fact I'm sure we have all seen players running around like demented chickens waving their shirts above their heads without a card of any colour being shown. This is because the International Board who set the laws, issued fresh instructions at the beginning of this season.
The Board said it recognised that the celebration of a goal was an important and emotional part of football and they were therefore relaxing the earlier
FlFA circular. If, however, the celebrations are provocative and intended to incite or ridicule opponents or opposing spectators, then this was still a cautionable offence.
That is fair enough, football is trying to keep a lid on unruly supporters and the last thing anyone wants is players providing them with an excuse for thuggish behaviour. This was probably already covered by Law 12 which says a player can be sent off if he is offensive, insulting or abusive by word or gesture, but it can be used against players who reveal T-shirts with inflammatory slogans.
The new instructions also say that, if excessive time wasting is involved when goal celebrations takes place, players must be cautioned. Imagine two thirds of the team pile in on the scorer as they do. The referee decides that this is wasting time, delaying the restart, and shows them all the yellow card. I wonder what Ian Branfoot would make of that.
Dick Sawdon Smith