Football unites to condemn Di Canio

The incident between Di Canio of Sheffield Wednesday and referee Paul Alcock has been done to death, so further discussion at length would have been unwarranted had it not been for the recent news concerning the punishment handed out by the Football Association.

I cannot help having been amused at the reports (now denied) of the offending player saying the referee made a meal out of it and actually fell to the ground unnecessarily. I once fell similarly at Slough after catching a heel whilst running backwards, and the efforts of trying to stay on your feet are lost in the knowledge you are actually going down whatever you do. Sometimes it is better to just go down gracefully...

Hands off the officials

The serious point from all the debate is that, whatever the circumstances, hands must never be placed on an official. Once dissent becomes a physical act, then the game loses all credibility. What was refreshing about this incident was the complete condemnation of the act. Not just by the media who, let’s be honest, always want the sensational headlines, but by the players and managers as well.

They realise that officials make mistakes because they are in the game and know the difficulties in being the upholder of football law. For this reason they will grudgingly accept bad decisions. They also know that once this kind of physical reaction is allowed to happen without utter disgust, then the game of football as we know it is destined for the garbage heap.

FA’s wrong signal to players

Di Canio’s fine of £10,000 appears to be harsh until you realise that to the average wage-earner it’s the equivalent of about £100! Secondly, a ban until the end of December is hardly career-threatening. The truth is that the FA have yet again refused to grasp the nettle, only issuing threats that the next time, the sentence will be more severe. Phil Don and other Premiership referees have gone on record to condemn the leniency of the sentence and point out the wrong signals it will give to players at every level. But will they do anything? They too know where their bread is buttered. A one-week strike by the top officials would throw the game into turmoil but they are threatened that there is always somebody ready to step into their boots. Or is there?

Finally, we must not forget the victim, Paul Alcock, a man I have worked with. I have great respect for the way he has handled himself and had the strength to continue after what was a very unsavoury incident. One final pleasing thought: at his next game not one spectator that I heard made any reference to the previous game. Perhaps there is a conscience in football after all.

John Moore

© J Moore 1998

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