View Full Version : Kerlon - "Seal Dribble", fair?
If you don't know who he is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerlon
He's a young Brazilian player known for his talented "seal dribble". The controversy is, according to people in the sport, that it is an unfair maneuver, provocation, and ruins the integrity of the game. Thoughts?
Here it is:
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As you can tell, other players don't take too kindly to this trick.
SoccerScout
20 Sep 2007, 04:41 PM
YES 100% FAIR. Especially since he was attacking and not just playing with the ball.
Martininho
20 Sep 2007, 05:02 PM
Fair? Yes. Original? Absolutely! Suicidal? Without a doubt.
Tribune
20 Sep 2007, 05:25 PM
It's not that original. I've seen Coutinho pulling this trick (the seal dribble) in a paulista game from 1961.
loden
20 Sep 2007, 05:28 PM
100 % Fair. I happen to hold the opinion that "3D" air dribbling is the way of the future. Think about it it. Right now most of attacking dribbling is done on the ground, on a two dimensional plane. Just think how hard it would be to defend against players who do most of their attacking touches in the air. It's an aspect of the game that has yet to fully develop, IMHO.
Kevin8833
20 Sep 2007, 06:16 PM
It is completely unfair and a joke, it is a disgrace to the game, the only way to stop it is to foul the crap out of him, it is awful and not the way the game is meant to be played, I am absolutely disgusted watching this move and I just wish that guy knocked him on his a** ten times harder so he won't ever do it again. I hope every time he does this somebody goes after him with intent for injury I sure would.
HSEUPASSION
20 Sep 2007, 06:25 PM
He's gonna get flattened by some defender who will forever be labeled a "thug" and a "cheat" by wusses.
What if he runs across Ben Thatcher?
Martininho
20 Sep 2007, 06:44 PM
100 % Fair. I happen to hold the opinion that "3D" air dribbling is the way of the future. Think about it it. Right now most of attacking dribbling is done on the ground, on a two dimensional plane. Just think how hard it would be to defend against players who do most of their attacking touches in the air. It's an aspect of the game that has yet to fully develop, IMHO.
Unless you've played beach soccer in Rio.
I don't deny the skill that it takes, but this move is all too easy to defend; Elbow to throat to ground.
The REAL problem with that kind of a skill move is that the player performing the move is defenseless. They won't survive long if they persist in taking the ball "out of play", because the defender will put it back into play...as you saw.
And NO, I'm not advocating that this is what should happen, I'm simply acknowledging that, as the clip so amply demonstrated, it's what will happen.
Now, I'm not too familiar with certain rules, but what if a defender just stood in his lane? Why does he need to be fouled hard, besides trying to get a message across? Let's say the defender stands his ground, and Kerlon runs into him while doing this, who is the foul on?
xTottixCorex
21 Sep 2007, 02:05 PM
Now, I'm not too familiar with certain rules, but what if a defender just stood in his lane? Why does he need to be fouled hard, besides trying to get a message across? Let's say the defender stands his ground, and Kerlon runs into him while doing this, who is the foul on?then the foul would likely be on kerlon. but i agree in that it IS a fair move. he learned it from his father(forgot the name) but any defender who takes him out for it is a jealous coward. the only way to defend it is the stand your ground. don't ********ing be a dick, just stand your ground.:mad:
equus
21 Sep 2007, 02:49 PM
It's fair per the laws of the game, but it's similar to unwritten rules in baseball.
For example, if a batter gets a hit and heads to second base, then slides into second and purposely tries to take out the shortstop at the bag and injure him, it's not necessarily illegal. But the pitcher may want to defend his teammate, and decide to throw a pitch at the batter his next time up to let him know what he did was not appreciated.
What the guys in those videos are doing deserve a yellow or red card, most definitely. But if the guy gets fouled hard enough times trying to do that move, maybe he'll decide that it's not in his career's best interest to do it anymore.
Martininho
21 Sep 2007, 03:12 PM
then the foul would likely be on kerlon. but i agree in that it IS a fair move. he learned it from his father(forgot the name) but any defender who takes him out for it is a jealous coward. the only way to defend it is the stand your ground. don't ********ing be a dick, just stand your ground.:mad:
Foul on the defender, for obstruction. Indirect kick to Kerlon's team.
xTottixCorex
21 Sep 2007, 03:17 PM
Foul on the defender, for obstruction. Indirect kick to Kerlon's team.what happens if the defeder just stands there like a brick wall. doesn't touch him or anything??? there has to be no call or a foul on him in some way.
Martininho
21 Sep 2007, 03:28 PM
what happens if the defeder just stands there like a brick wall. doesn't touch him or anything??? there has to be no call or a foul on him in some way.
If there's no contact, no foul. By definition, it means that he would have avoided the defender by stopping or going 'round. If there's contact, it would likely be obstruction on the defender who "stands his ground".
Alternatively, there could be a call against Kerlon for dangerous play, with an indirect kick going to the defense. In that case, it would be similar to a player that lowers their head (below waist height) and causes a defender to hold back a clearing kick in order to avoid the contact. In that case, it was the lowered head, rather than a high kick, that created the danger. Taking the ball out of play as the "seal dribble" does could arguably create a similar danger, where the defender cannot make a play without risk of injury.
A repeat of the "seal dribble" might lead to a yellow card for ungentlemanly conduct. The great skill aside, it's not sporting to deprive the defense of any opportunity to cleanly play the ball. The referee would likely prefer to step in rather than have a frustrated defender take out Kerlon.
guado
21 Sep 2007, 04:07 PM
you can always use your shoulder/body to give him a nudge.
i don't think he'll keep possession after getting bumped.
Kevin8833
21 Sep 2007, 04:44 PM
Speaking as a defender I would knock him on his a** as hard as I could every single time he tried that garbage, it is an absolute joke, if you stand your ground he can just run around you, so I would go after him HARD intending to put a hurtin' on him, hopefully that will make him play the way the game is meant to be played. As a famous quote in soccer stated "If god wanted us to play football in the sky, he would have pit a pitch up there."
GalaxyOne
21 Sep 2007, 05:00 PM
He's gonna get flattened by some defender who will forever be labeled a "thug" and a "cheat" by wusses.
What if he runs across Ben Thatcher?
Gonna get flattened?? Looks like he has gotten flattened every time he tries the move. I have no problem with him doing it, but as can be seen on the videos, there doesn't seem to be much upside to it. :D
TinManJoshua
21 Sep 2007, 05:05 PM
Gonna get flattened?? Looks like he has gotten flattened every time he tries the move. I have no problem with him doing it, but as can be seen on the videos, there doesn't seem to be much upside to it. :D
So far every time he's done it he's sent off an opponent and gotten a direct free kick in a promising spot. It's intentionally inciting, he's relying on the opponent to get pissed at him and hack the shit out of him for his smugness.
oosefoh
21 Sep 2007, 05:49 PM
I have no problem with it, i would love to see him keep his ballance if crowded thats about the only way to legally defend it
GalaxyOne
22 Sep 2007, 12:00 AM
I have no problem with it, i would love to see him keep his ballance if crowded thats about the only way to legally defend it
How about simply heading it away from him? He is a complete sitting duck. That is the fatal flaw with the play.