LETTER: At times these days, football is its own worst enemy
A reader discusses football.
I must agree with M Gough of Wombourne in his assertion that tackling with the sole of the boot constitutes a danger to an opponent, and under the laws of the game it is an offence considered to be dangerous play.
Unfortunately it is so prevalent in today's game that so many "experts" believe it to be acceptable if the player involved has actually touched the ball with his studs in making a tackle.
They are equally as quick to condemn when he hasn't, and when the subsequent slow motion replays show how much damage could have been done with such tackles.
At times football is its own worst enemy. You can't have it every which way, which brings me to VAR.
Last weekend saw two "ridiculous" penalties given against Wolves and Man City, both of which were given correctly as the law currently stands.
How on earth the governing bodies arrived at this amended version of the handball rule beggars belief.
Consider this. Ask an Olympic class sprinter to run 100 metres with his arms strapped firmly to his body and there is little chance of him being able to get near his personal best.
The governing bodies in football obviously think that footballers are designed differently from the rest of us!
As an aside, if the law continues in its present format, the person who invents a harness of some kind to keep players arms permanently by their sides will make a fortune. Or has it already been invented? A straight jacket comes to mind!
John Wright, Walsall
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