Plans designed to reduce "intolerable behaviour" by players and managers in Engl

[Riverside]

See details below
My questions for you

1) will they be enforced - if so I think we might see a few 5 aside games until behaviours change
2) is this a good idea - I think so . On field abuse of refs is one of the negatives of football in my book and it will be a better game if stamped out

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Plans designed to reduce "intolerable behaviour" by players and managers in English football have been announced.

In a statement, the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association said poor conduct has reached "unacceptable levels".

Starting this season, red cards will be issued to players who confront match officials and use offensive language or make gestures towards them.

Behaviour within the technical areas will also be more rigorously enforced.

Premier League chairman Richard Scudamore said there has been concern "for some time" that players have been "overstepping the mark".

"It is our collective position that these types of behaviour should no longer be tolerated," he added.

"Things happen in the heat of the moment during fast and highly competitive football. We still want to see the passion fans enjoy and demand, but players and managers have to be aware there are lines that should not be crossed."

Offences which could earn players a yellow card

Visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official;
An aggressive response to decisions;
Confronting an official face to face;
Running towards an official to contest a decision;
Offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards match officials;
Physical contact with any match official in a non-aggressive manner;
A yellow card for at least one player when two or more from a team surround a match official.
New red card offences

If a player confronts match officials and uses offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures towards them;
Physical contact with match officials in an aggressive or confrontational manner.

[bill taylors apprentice]

A good thing.

I expect by Christmas the initial purge will have settled down, refs will be reluctant to enforce these rules consistently and players will be getting away with dissent and poor conduct again.

[jarv]

Definitely a good thing. However, I would have liked to see a separate statement to stamp out rugby tackling in the box at free kicks and corners.

[Burt]

Good... Long overdue.

[toshes mate]

In the really, really bad olden days when football was predominately a working class game it wasn't unusual for referees to have a police escort away from grounds when fans had concluded the official warranted that kind of demonstration, and I don't think too many came to any harm at all.  Anger is best assuaged quickly and vocally rather than allowing it to brim over from game to game.  In those bad old days it was mostly fans and not players who showed their distaste, now it is very often both, and referees, being human, sometimes appear intimidated.

Modern day senior professional sport has a much more serious issue with so many players now earning many more times as much as by far the majority of match officials will ever do and betting, particularly the spread variety, is worth billions of pounds in the marketplaces.   It is often sometimes a wonder that games actually finish with everyone still alive (and still kicking!).  It is so very important that match officials are respected but the onus is on the football authorities to ensure serious standards of consistency.  Looking at the European Championship 2016 recently concluded officials were as markedly inconsistent as ever, even with six of them taking part five on field and one off field, and football really needs to do something about, for example, offsides, intentional handballs, and penalty offences, amongst other things.   Offside should be clear air between attacker and defender and not level since a nose or kneecap is hardly a fair judgement of who was in front of the other.  Intentional handball must be hand to ball requiring a clear movement.  Penalty offences should be given when defenders roughhouse at corner kicks etc.  What players are missing is the confidence that what a referee picks up in their box is not being picked up at the other end.  If we change that then the game can only benefit.

Having said all that when you play the game (rather than watch it) respect for the referee should be easier than players make it, and that is largely because referees do not manage players as well as they should.   Red cards should be used to get respect back into the game and not to stop because respect is back.  Keep the laws tight until players learn they are not going to get away with anything.   Clubs could also help by fining or otherwise disciplining serial offenders.

[Two Ton Ted]

About time too.

The top Professionals cannot get away with behaviour that are punished at lower levels of the game - swearing at a ref is a red card offence regardless of how much money you earn.

I seen my daughter's 6 year old classmates question decisions and arguing with officials and it's from what they see on the telly from the so called heroes.