Players motioning for the ref to use his cards...

[schafer]

Referring to when a player is fouled, and when he gets up, motions for the ref to card the player who committed the foul.

This has got to be the most classless thing a professional footballer can do, IMO. I absolutely hate when I see this. It shows no respect for your opponent, the ref, and it makes the player look like a fool.

Late challenges are a part of football. Players going into a challenge too hard is understandable. Hell, I can even understand why a player would go to ground easily at times, but this card motioning irks me more than anything else in football. It's not necessary, it accomplishes nothing, and it should not be a part of football.

Why the hell do players do this?

[Dr. Know]

I don't think its the most classless thing a player can do but it is pretty stupid.

They do it alot in South American football and it pisses me off.

[SheffWedFan]

Agreed 1000%

Any player who does this should be booked themselves for unsportsmanlike conduct.

[lanman]

I would be very surprised if many of these players are actually qualified to referee a game and decide what is worthy of a card.
All it takes is FIFA to say that it warrants a yellow card - it will soon stop.

[play444]

nothing annoys me more than this. the person doing it should get booked instantly

[benni...]

I find this funny, because so what? They motion for a player to be carded, but the ref hardly listens half the time. Disrespect? Since when do you have to show the utmost respect for your opponents? You play the game to win, forget about the other team.

Ofcourse you play fair, but I dont see anything seriously disrespectful, about asking for a card. If I do something like that, its because a player has just kicked the brakes of me, and I dont want that to happen again. You might say its a mans game, but its not an animals game.

[Pcp Yoko]

Was it '98 or 2002 when FIFA said before the WC that motioning for a player to recieve a card would be a cardable offense?
If I remember correctly there were bookings for this then.

[benztown]

Was it '98 or 2002 when FIFA said before the WC that motioning for a player to recieve a card would be a cardable offense?
If I remember correctly there were bookings for this then.

Markus Merk booked a Croatian player for doing it. Unfortunately other refs didn't follow his example.

[lanman]

Markus Merk booked a Croatian player for doing it. Unfortunately other refs didn't follow his example.

I think he had warned him on two previous occassions. Everyone else he had warned in the game soon stopped.

That said more referees should be warning for a first offence and booking for a second. In my book it's just as bad as rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt - both are deliberate attempts to get an opponent booked.

[Joep]

I think he had warned him on two previous occassions. Everyone else he had warned in the game soon stopped.

That said more referees should be warning for a first offence and booking for a second. In my book it's just as bad as rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt - both are deliberate attempts to get an opponent booked.

Koroman of Serbia and Montenegro was booked for it, after he repeated it

[benni...]

That said more referees should be warning for a first offence and booking for a second. In my book it's just as bad as rolling around on the floor pretending to be hurt - both are deliberate attempts to get an opponent booked.

Would you say, telling the ref that the player was diving (you know that little gesture) is in the same bracket?

I really dont get why people get angry at it. If you were on the pitch, and someone nearly broke your leg, you would wonder where the card was as well.

[Joep]

Excellent point. I shouldnt mention this foul here, but sometimes I wonder if any of the people that thought last nights tackle by Mastroeni was 'a yellow at most, if that' have ever been cut down like that themselves. Of course you want the guy to be carded. It doens't look pretty, but it's a fairly logical response.

[leg_breaker]

Saying a player dived is one thing, you're giving your angle on what happened. Motioning for a card is telling a referee what to do.

Unlike with diving where you can't be sure it was actually a dive, or a hard tackle which may just be mis-timed or accidental, card-waving gestures are DELIBERATE and OBVIOUS. It should be a straight red offence, no warning.

Only football lets players get away with disrespecting the ref like this, why can other sports clamp down on it but not football?

[lanman]

Would you say, telling the ref that the player was diving (you know that little gesture) is in the same bracket?

I really dont get why people get angry at it. If you were on the pitch, and someone nearly broke your leg, you would wonder where the card was as well.

But it's the ref's job to dispense cards, not the players to try an influence him. The dive motion is exactly the same (and most of the time there is usually contact - it's players trying to get off with something). You don't see referees telling players that they should have passed rather than shot or anything like that. Let the referee do his job and the players do theirs.

[benni...]

But it's the ref's job to dispense cards, not the players to try an influence him. The dive motion is exactly the same (and most of the time there is usually contact - it's players trying to get off with something). You don't see referees telling players that they should have passed rather than shot or anything like that. Let the referee do his job and the players do theirs.

Its the ref's job to make sure players dont get their legs broken into pieces almost like the first foul in this gif file...

http://home20.inet.tele.dk/arsenalclips6/DHorno.gif

Sure football is a physical game, but when you have just been attacked like that, and your career could end, of course you would be worried. I think you have a right to ask ref to do his job, when you get clattered over and over again.

[nicephoras]

Personally, I don't think the card motioning is a big deal. Its a natural reaction to "hey, that was dangerous". Its no more than a complaint of "come on ref, they keep fouling me, when's he going to get carded for that"? Complaining is a part of human nature. Unless its overly vociferous or repeated after several warnings, I don't think it should be a bookable offense. The referee shouldn't let himself be influenced by such motions, but they're hardly a big deal.
EDIT: I think diving to try and get someone sent off (Sorin vs. Ivory Coast) is far, FAR worse.

[lanman]

Its the ref's job to make sure players dont get their legs broken into pieces almost like the first foul in this gif file...

Sure football is a physical game, but when you have just been attacked like that, and your career could end, of course you would be worried. I think you have a right to ask ref to do his job, when you get clattered over and over again.

But my main point is how many players are qualified to determine what merits a foul? Are any of them qualified referees? If not then they have no business telling the referee what he should be doing.

[retsniv]

Personally, I don't think the card motioning is a big deal. Its a natural reaction to "hey, that was dangerous". Its no more than a complaint of "come on ref, they keep fouling me, when's he going to get carded for that"? Complaining is a part of human nature. Unless its overly vociferous or repeated after several warnings, I don't think it should be a bookable offense. The referee shouldn't let himself be influenced by such motions, but they're hardly a big deal.
EDIT: I think diving to try and get someone sent off (Sorin vs. Ivory Coast) is far, FAR worse.

I agree

[ilv2]

I agree

seconded, they do what we all do in front of our tv sets when we see a bad foul (i.e. 'that warrants a yellow card'). You can't and shouldn't expect them to remain emotionless after getting raked in the ankle by some reckless ass

[benni...]

But my main point is how many players are qualified to determine what merits a foul? Are any of them qualified referees? If not then they have no business telling the referee what he should be doing.

They are not qualified, you are 100% correct, but that doesnt mean anything to me. If I am a couple of inch's from getting my leg fractured, then why not? If my shoulder is dislocated, my ankle is broken, after a challenge most cases its a foul.

But its almost as if you're saying that no matter what happens. Even if a player shoots you in the foot, you shouldnt wave your had simulating a booking.