Changes were made successfully tonight to a non-contact style of play with the players quickly adapting.  The ball most certainly was put to work with crisp passing and movement the winner tonight. Very few challenges were made and none of a dangerous nature which was what the majority of players wanted.

This seemed to suit a few players with George Muir hitting the back of the net after a long drought of scoring. It also suited the style of Jim whole rattled off a quick 7 goal hat-trick! The man was on fire and not a shot going over the fence either. There were calls for an introduction of drug testing as a few players came to terms that every dog has his day!!

It was good to see players embrace the new style of play so quickly but a few players still managed to fall over as if they’d been hacked. Simulation was suspected but the ref was having none of it.

Hopefully we can continue this style of football and the guys who are not yet sold on it can come to terms with it over the next coming weeks.

…..Turn and face the strange…..

Poll: Following on from last weeks incidents and subsequent discussions there was a poll carried out on the website. Thanks to the people who participated in the poll.

Rules: This weeks game will compromise of “no contact” since thats what the majority of the poll users wanted. Have another watch of the video (below) to give yourself an idea of what it will entail. Just to reiterate – this is to minimise the chance of injury through clumsy, late, or nasty challenges. This includes sliding, barging, shoulders, pushing, challenges from behind etc. Winning the ball cleanly with a toe without contact should be deemed ok. Have a think about what sort of challenges you generally make and try to remove any of those that are listed above.

Running: Anything remotely approaching a run will be penalised – please, no arguments! We all think we are walking at a pace just below running – not true! That quick first few steps is a run. Some of us think we’ve got it down to a fine art – not true! What you think is a walk is a run to the referee. Learn from the decision and slow down!

Sin Bin: This will operate for those challenges that were what we are trying to avoid. No warnings will be given in the more dangerous ones, but continued fouling will be met with a few mins off the park. Sin bins will also be in place for persistent runners.

Referee: We will try this week without one of our designated referees as they need to see the video and be happy with what constitutes a penalised challenge. The referee (Mike) will not tolerate backchat, moaning or persistent shouting out the “rules” – this will end in the sin binning of the offenders.

Some players enjoyment of the game is being tarnished by some/all the problems we are facing just now. These changes are needed to keep us, as a club, continuing to play. (Remember – these are tournament rules!!!) It is going to be a challenge to adapt to this and it will take time. The bottom line is this. Ease upon the challenges, slow up on the movement, and keep the moaning to a minimum.

If there’s anything I’ve missed or any comment you want to make then please reply.

Click and watch the video again

https://www.walkingfootball.com/forums/topic/246-walking-football-contact-or-non-contact/

Oh, and the guy who wants to play Naked football see Darin after the game 🙂

1. Tonight’s game was marred with some reactions to challenges and the age old problem of refereeing decisions. We all agree that we are all older and subject to easier injury. We all agree that most of us have work to go to the next day. What we don’t all agree on is the referee has a difficult job and that we have to respect that a whole lot more that we ALL do.

It was highlighted again that some challenges just shouldn’t be made. This is down to YOU self policing yourselves. Once again we talk of stricter refereeing. That is so much easier said than done. So the emphasis is on YOU to kerb that late lunge, or challenge from behind. That shoulder in the back or the clip of the players heels as he turns you. Yes YOU and YOU and YOU. We’ve all done it!

The talk is to introduce the sin bin for wreckless, clumsy or ill timed challenges. This will also run alongside the sin bin for persistent running. This of course is at the referees discretion… NOT YOURS. So please also learn to kerb your comments towards the referee or you’ll be seeing the sin bin yourself. As always, if you feel you can do the job of the referee, take a turn when we are struggling.

Here’s a must watch video on the topic

Video here

If an outfield player passes the ball to the goalkeeper, everything is cool.
If the goalkeeper decides that he really would love to give the same player the ball back, that is also cool.
Now, if that same player thinks ‘wow, this walking fitbaw lark is nice and easy, I’ll give it back to the goalkeeper’, that is a problem. You should expect to hear an almighty ‘phweeeeeeeeeeppppppppp’ from the referee’s Acme Thunderer, because this is a foul that will result in an indirect free kick.
I hope this clears this matter up.

So the goalkeeper can’t … oh man, this is so difficult

Just a reminder that our last outdoor game for this season will be on the 27th September(2017). The frst indoor game will be on the 4th of October (2017).
Could the 5 people who actually read this, pass the information on to the others? Thanks.

A few of the rules/laws of the game have caused some confusion recently. The rules page on this website highlight the important ones, the ones that affect the players directly. Have a read and make yourself familiar with them. In the meantime, here are a couple that have caused problems recently.

A Goalkeeper receives the ball back directly from a team mate to whom they have just passed the ball without the ball having made contact with any other player
This results in an indirect free kick, NOT a penalty. The keeper is not at fault here, it’s the player who passes the ball back to him.

A defending player enters their own penalty area
The result is a penalty kick. The player does NOT have to touch the ball.

Slides in an attempt to play the ball when it is being played or attempted to be played by an opponent (sliding tackle).
Additionally no playing from the floor is permitted.
The result is a direct free kick. This includes if you attempt to play the ball whilst you are grounded.

We play with a ball height restriction, our maximum height is the crossbar on the 7 a-side goals. Anything up to the top of Colin Gibson’s head is fine.