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BTRFTG

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Posts posted by BTRFTG

  1. 23 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

    Yes, the issue is not VAR itself, the issue is that the fundamental Laws of the Game are not written with VAR in mind. In my opinion there are two fundamental issues with the Laws currently, both are set out in IFAB's preamble to the Laws, and are as follows:

    • "...the Laws of the Game are the same for all football throughout the world, from the FIFA World Cup through to a game between young children in a remote village..."; and
    • "The Laws cannot deal with every possible situation, so where there is no direct provision in the Laws, The IFAB expects the referee to make a decision within the ‘spirit’ of the game and the Laws – this often involves asking the question, “what would football want/expect?".

    These two statements are incredible in their own right. Firstly you have a clear statement that the Laws are being written so that your man in the middle on the Downs on Sunday can use the same rulebook as the bloke reffing the World Cup final. That's a lovely notion, but when you then equip one of those referees with slow motion replays, digital rulers, and a team of 6 assistants, whilst the other has his own eyes and Barry on the touchline yelling at him, it seems absurd to expect them to fairly and equally apply the Laws. You naturally have to draft the Laws to account for the least well equipped referee, and so you create huge confusion when the bloke with VAR does something differently.

    The second statement then says that at the end of the day the referee's personal interpretation of the "spirit" of football is the deciding factor. Again, a beautiful notion that I am sure we all admire, but it introduces an inevitability that someone's personal interpretation of a Law might conflict with the digital wizardry of VAR. Which is to prevail?

    To my mind these two statements fundamentally create an issue with the application of the Laws when you then introduce an incredibly sophisticated, but also harshly objective tool such as VAR. That mismatch then causes confusion when fans see two referees apply the laws differently , despite both using VAR. It's not VAR that is the issue, it's the laws not being designed to be so harshly applied, yet still with subjective opinion being a factor.

    IFAB's VAR Protocol sets out when and how VAR is used, but it does nothing to alter the base Laws of the Game to account for the fact that a referee has VAR at his disposal. It also reinforces the idea that the referee's opinion - which is going to be personal and subjective - is final when it says "The final decision is always taken by the referee, either based on information from the VAR or after the referee has undertaken an ‘on-field review’". So it hands the referee an empirical and harsh machine tool, and then says "oh but ultimately it's your human opinion that counts". No wonder we still discuss VAR inconsistency!

    The only solution, for me, is for IFAB to create additional or supplementary Laws of the Game that can be used when VAR is present. A part of that would, for me, be to remove the "referee's opinion" element of the Laws for which VAR is used". Obviously doing that runs contrary to the stated objective that the Laws be the same for all football, but when the tools available are different, it is absurd that the Laws should be the same.

    Great post but wrong 'horse before cart' conclusion.

    The beauty of The Laws, the ones the WC Final ref and the ref on The Downs honestly attempt to apply in equal measure is fundamental to fairness in the game. Officials make honest mistakes, always did, always will and VAR does nothing to prevent that. 

    What VAR has already done and that your proposal will only heighten, is the separation of rich from poor. We've already begun to see challenge where games at equal standard have been influenced by whether or not VAR was in operation, either able to be installed or temporarily inoperative. Remind, VAR isn't just cameras, its as fundamental as defining unchanging pitch dimensions each and every week. Where consequences are financially huge we've heard threat of court action based on individual incident, using comparable footage taken from multiple matches, targeted at certain officials. How long before the most important squad member becomes the club retained silk, not their centre forward?

    Audiovisual technology must never be used to define The Laws. That's not it's purpose.

    The solution is blindingly obvious and that is to scrap VAR. Put control and respect back into the hands of the officials (technology sure as hell is doing its best at undermining officials at all levels and unless one lives in the Metaverse how do we think football might be played without officials coming through?) 

    The changes that need to be made are not with The Laws rather are to the licencing rights. Broadcasters and publishers should continue to highlight when mistakes arise but should be required to provide balance by highlighting the decisions called correctly in the face of incorrect pleadings of players and fans. The latter outweighing the former by a country mile. Broadcasters and publishers might also reinforce that any error was exactly that, an error honestly made. Accept it, move on.

    Fans, possibly the least impartial arbiters imaginable, aren't as exasperated as the hyped media prefer to make out, or attempt best to make them. Rarely do errors against ones team linger longer than the second post match pint but those in favour, now they're something special. Freddie Sears goal, witnessed by everybody at AG other than the officials and its post match impact on Warnock lives long in the memory and to this day brings a smile to my face.

    Its called football, enjoy it, errors and all.

    • Like 1
  2. 9 hours ago, DaveInSA said:

    At times like these, and in these discussions, we need the late Brian Clough.

    If a player is not interfering with play, why are they on the pitch.

    It's almost as if the "penalty area" has different laws to the rest of the pitch. At least they seem to for Bristol City and England.?‍♂️

    Clough did say that but various managers preceded him in so doing. Valid point though.

    But it's not just the penalty area that receives special exemption. Players (usually defenders,) running the ball out of play making no effort to control the ball yet preventing an opponent from so doing. It's obstruction, though never given. Dangerous or violent conduct by goalkeepers in claiming the ball, punishable for any other player but goalkeepers have free reign to act as they wish in the box. There's also the temporal exemption. Horror challenge in the first 5 and its a stiff warning from the ref. Same challenge 10 minutes later sees an instant red.

    T'was ever thus and all VAR has achieved has been to magnify and provide ample evidence for the inconsistency in officiating fans see first hand. It's introduced more inconsistency and error than its removed.

    • Like 1
  3. 1 minute ago, maxjak said:

    Why are you obsessed with Hirst.........he is NOT an artist .......he is a self promoting circus act.?     Art is Vermeer, van Gogh Micheangelo...Delacroix...and hunderds of others.  i hope you and Damian played nicely together? 

    Ah, an interesting choice of artists. Michaelangelo & Delacroix both technically superb, attracted patronage of state and church. They painted pretty much to order & profited well from it. As did Vermeer in his own less-profitable way, albeit very slowly and only to Delft's local patrons. Enough to provide for him and his family and his failed profession as art dealer. Tragically, he never realised he was far superior to the artists he unsuccessfully promoted. They three lived by selling their ideas (output) for money. 

    And then there's the odd case of Van Gogh who painted prolifically, mostly third rate and inconsequential crap. The story that he never sold a painting whilst alive is just that, a story expertly concocted by the promotional marketing genius that was his sister-in-law. Jo and Theo financed him throughout his life, in return for his works. In possibly the first exploitation if its type Jo spotted there's no better time to sell than when an artist is dead and through careful placement and very limited release of his works created the Van Gogh everybody thinks they know today, but who is largely myth. He, too, was separated from his ideas by his brother's money.

    Never more succinctly put than by Graham Gouldman - 'Art for art sake, money for God's sake'.

  4. 1 minute ago, BigTone said:

    You asked "who she ?" and I simply answered. If you have a problem with her pedigree then contact the TV network.

    I know I'm a man out of time but my comments about watching only the match and not bothering with the pre/during/post match punditry is becoming an ever common discussion point, such is the lack of insight.

    I reckon if you polled those who watched the game and asked her name few would be able to recall it, hence 'who she'? I wasn't being derogatory , I genuinely had never heard nor read of her.

    The channels talk of providing insight into the pressures of top level tournament football, so why not employ the old Kodjia who's turned out in the last 30 Wholesalers Cup Finals for Woolpack Wanderers? Football on Scilly doesn't come more pressured than that.....

  5. 1 minute ago, BigTone said:

    Did I not mention she plays for the Danish ladies also ? Of course she gave her opinions on football matters also.

    Danish womens football, of which I know and have as much interest in as Level 9 of the pyramid. I suspect, however, Level 9 to be of a far higher standard of technical competence.

  6. 2 minutes ago, BigTone said:

    She plays for the Danish ladies but is also a Doctor apparently so was well qualified to comment on Christian Eriksson and his well documented medical past.

    What's the relevance of today's game with Eriksson's medical history? If he wasn't fit to play he wouldn't have made the squad, we shouldn't be holding that over his head every time he pulls on a shirt. You or I could provide the generic comment that his heart stopped, he was thankfully resuscitated and thanks to modern miracles is restored to combative action, that it's a great news story et al. Now had she commented as to how he and his colleagues might set up, add insight as to how the squad has been training, what goes through players minds prior to WC fixtures as pressured as this, I'd get it. But nothing of the sort. Unlike the more familiar ex pros I gain the impression many of the newer type pundits don't have the inside contacts the old guard possess. Invariably its that type of info where the story is.

  7. 17 minutes ago, maxjak said:

    I started to make a measured and informative reply........but, then,  having read your reply three times, i just don't think it deserves it?  Your point of view is pseudo intellectual twaddle, that makes no sense.  i suggest you stick to football in future.   " Very few creatives make art for themselves only, if they do we'll never hear of them"   "Even cited artists who supposedly never sold their works during their lifetimes had astute commercial guidance exploiting their estate"   Stop reading comics and read some decent literature?  ...your a joke IMHO.

    Ok, I'll not bother recounting how I lived 3 doors from Damien & 'the chancers' before they devised The Freeze, their warehouse shows and fame and glory. Art had sod all to do with it.

     

  8. 1 minute ago, 1960maaan said:

    I've just turned over to a House in the Country , I hate the chat before and after games. They are debating a Penalty shout that was turned down because there was a foul before. The Ref gave the foul, the keeper took the free kick and they are talking about it no being clear and obvious after hitting both hands. 

    I shall hide until just after the next kick off.

    I note the Danish female pundit (who she?) wasn't required for the post game analysis, presumably as she had nothing more to add than pre-match, in itself nothing. And before the pile on of my being accused misogynistic, let me explain. 

    I've always considered pundits comments in context of who the pundit is, the 'what might they know about what they're saying' question? Nothing to do with sex or race, I've thought plenty of pundits buffoons for talking out their backsides over matters at which they were far from accomplished. So the disadvantage of all the 'who they' that BBC and ITV (in particular) appear to think de rigueur is there's nil context as to how to evaluate them? Not only have we have little idea who they are, we've no idea of what they've ever done nor why they're supposedly qualified to comment, which invariably they don't. If described as 'token gestures' one might rightly be accused of being offensive, problem being I haven't yet seen or heard one make a contribution that's had me thinking, good point, I hadn't considered that. Moreover, all appear not to have been to the school of TV Journalism where lesson one is always - don't describe that what viewers are readily able to see for themselves (the blindingly obvious.) Come in at a tangent and add something of which viewers might not be aware.  Sticking them between quality, experienced and opinionated ex-pros simply doesn't work. 

    • Like 2
  9. 5 minutes ago, maxjak said:

    Hmmmmm.  Anyone can be glib?.  I never appreciate people who make vague references, and then back it up empty allusions.

    Ok.

    Artists love to portray themselves as free-thinking, open-minded creatives.

    Whilst some might be, for most its a career choice. Whether through patronage of church, nobility or institution most works were (and are) created for a purpose. That purpose is to transfer from the mind and intellectual property of the artist to the person who now owns it. That causing the separation? Invariably money, but sometimes power and influence. Very few creatives make art for themselves only. If they do we'll never hear of them. Even cited artists who supposedly never sold their works during their lifetime had astute commercial guidance exploiting their estate, else they cashed a good living bartering their works for favours supplied.

    So yes, that's what separates art from artist.

  10. 14 hours ago, SirColinOfMansfield said:

    So they haven't been losing enough matches recently and Barton hasn't managed to get involved in any violent encounters and no horses have been punched as far was we know, but it is gems like this that keeps this thread ticking over nicely ...

    "In the tune to heaven is a place on earth

    Oh rovers do you know what that’s worth
    Wael Al Qadi is the best on earth
    The Jordanian owner knows just what we need
    He’s gonna take us to the premier league"

     

    There's enough material there for a Behinda Carlisle EP:

    We Got (The) Beat

    (Centre) Circle In The Sand

    (Don't) Leave The Light On - (have you seen leccy prices remix)

     

     

     

     

    • Like 1
  11. 2 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

    I think it that you can enjoy, praise, and even revel in an on-pitch spectacle, and support eleven (plus subs and coaches) individual humans. You can simultaneously criticise the regime or nation that they represent, if you choose to.

    I don't think doing that makes you a hypocrite at all.

    It's a similar discussion to separating art and artist. 

    The difference being large volumes of cash separate art from artist,  the same volumes of cash that appear to prevent the separation of players and regime.

  12. 26 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

    They'll be popping champagne corks in Riyadh...oh

    When I first visited The Kingdom I was offered glass after glass of 'Saudi Champagne' which I declined not wanting to break the local laws. It took a few days before I realised the champagne shaped bottles contained nothing more than an ultra fizzy, light coloured apple juice.

    • Like 1
  13. 1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

    Agreed on both counts. In theory he could lend them interest free as some owners do but yes the higher the loans the higher the interest. Likewise he could be like the Allams were post their Hull City Tigers name change which brings me onto my next post...

    You'll know better than I re FFP/P&S but in some restricted trades or where analysing financial robustness, even where some loans are charged at nil interest an assumed base rate is calculated from an economic perspective. I don't know if that applies to football and without wishing to sound like SL's greatest advocate interest should be charged, else what's the point of FFP? Wealthy owners could loan to cover losses without interest accrued, effectively write off the loans in loan to equity swap then never seek to cover capital outlay.

  14. 21 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

    No dividends with such losses that's for sure!

    There has been some interest paid, some waivered of course but in the context of- I've just looked through accounts from 2005 to 2022- the amount by which that could offset SL's contribution to date is truly negligible.

    For all the talk of freehold being built up by the OP, until SL cashes in his chips it's all hypothetical and paper only. That interest is creeping up a bit however.

    No mystery. Unless you're a Loan Charge con artist there are two fundamentals to loans; start and end dates, interest charged during the loan. No surprise the greater the value of loans the higher the interest repayments. But let's not kid ourselves. Could SL have received higher returns if investing elsewhere? For sure he could.

    • Like 1
  15. 23 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

    Would we say the figure is £240m now, cor how much he has put in- but do we discount a good chunk of interest paybable from this?

    ie Gross contribution- Interest Paid it or a lot of it=SL's net contribution.

    Something like? Granted what SL or the Lansdowns may or may not gain is at this stage conjecture. You don't post the at this stsge hypothetical gain until you cash in your chips.

    When loans are converted to equity interest no longer is payable. As for dividends - what dividends? 

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