Is anyone embarrassed to be a Soccer fan due to the players being so.....weak?

Question

A lot of times when I watch Soccer it's hard for me to support the way players fake injury and writhe around on the ground in dire pain and then get back up and play the full 90. I wonder if their kids think dad is tough or if he's a sally. I think a lot more games would be called more fairly if more respect was paid to the refs. There is a lot of poor sportsmanship in Soccer now. I would love to help change the way the game is played if I had the talent and opportunity to compete. I was always taught to respect the game. If you're hurt you're hurt. If you get hurt easily make yourself stronger. Don't leave your teammates short handed while you fake injuries to draw calls. I don't know if it's just an American opinion for athletes to be in exceptional physique, but I find most of the players to be lacking in Soccer. Just because you have big muscles doesn't make you slow or clumsy. I don't know. I love to watch Soccer, but I'm tired of watching grown men play like children.

Also take into consideration the sportsmanship involved with the strategy of diving and Athletes of all other sports.

I like all the answers I'm getting. I agree with all of you. It's a strategic move. Soccer is a demanding sport. I played Soccer for years, as well as a lot of other sports. They're not running full speed and getting hammered by 200 pound men. They're not wrestling someone else 3 minutes straight. They're getting tripped up. If you need an example of sportsmanship, look at Brian McBride when he was elbowed by the Italian player in the World Cup. That's Class. If all players played to that caliber Soccer would sky rocket in popularity not only in the U.S. but globally as well.

Answer 1

I love soccer, it is my favorite sport (besides hockey). I am also tired of watching the players act like children. They complain too much to the refs; they also fake their injuries and falls. I wish i could help the sport out too. The only thing that I can think of that can help the sport out is to get stiffen the penalties on people who dive after being tapped from behind and hand out more severe punishment to those who argue with the refs. The refs are human, they aren't perfect, the players need to realize that. The sport would take off in America if the complaining, and diving were taken out.

Answer 2

Well, if you haven't noticed yet, fake injury can change the whole game. It can bring a free kick that can change the whole tide of a game. It's a part of strategy. When it's repeated, it's bad. When it's used sometimes, it's good. And if the players are faking them, then it's not really being weak, but just pretending to be weak. Soccer players are not weak. They run more than any sports players out there, and some players lose about 3 to 4 pounds if they really play hard. Soccer players have the most stamina than any other athletes. So I don't think calling them weak is fair.

Answer 3

Thats very true about players faking injuries, even in my U14 league players are doing it... although i know there is a strategy to it, trying to draw a foul and hopefully get your opponent a card, it is a very unsportsmanlike way to play the game. I'm also a referee as well as a player, and I help out in my community league even though im only fourteen and I really try to encourage players not to play like this, but even last saturday on my own team one of my teammates faked an injury.
But its not just players lacking talent and exceptional soccer skills, some of the greatest players in the world do this. I don't really know what the best answer is here, theres not much that you or I can do about it, if the players are going to do this then its just up to the referees to clamp down on the problem and try to put an end to the problem. But it's not an easy thing to do because if a player is sincerely injured you dont want to give him a card thinking that he's faking it.
So really it jsut comes down to the players, like you said they need to stop playing like children. And for now we just have to enjoy the game anyways and try to enjoy the amazing athletecism that soccer players contain. No I'm not ASHAMED to be a soccer fan because of this, but I am ashamed of the PLAYERS who do this, especiially when its a member of my own team its really disheartening to watch.

Answer 4

Yes they are have you ever played Hockey well My Brother Played Soccer and he is a pretty Strong no wait he joined the Marines when got done playing because he was pretty much a weakling sorry but that sport takes the wind out of the man by just running on long Fields, otherwise they are nothing compared to Hockey Players they bury you to the ground the Ice Rink is short and their Tempers are even Shorter. FACT: HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE TOUGHER THEN SOCCER PLAYER

Answer 5

wow... there's a lot of good answer..especially the lower few ones...yea...when you 're running fast, a little tap on the leg will send you flying...yea, you gotta be in good shape to play soccer. soccer players are not weak . they ACT sissy sometimes. I too don't like the way they hurl around the ground for a soft tackle. or when they start screaming in pain when there is none. it really spoil the macho side of guys...i am a girl and i love playing soccer. my dad is a good soccer player. i play soccer every twice a week.

Answer 6

The last couple of answers pretty much EXPLAIN to you that soccer is one of the toughest sports out there. You might have play here in the USA where nobody knowns how to play, but if you go to Europe or Latin America you'd get your lesson. Obviously you don't known nothing about it as well as the couple of people that agrees with you.

Answer 7

wow... you obviously don't know the game of soccer. you MUST be strong and in good shape to play any position on the field. i heard somewhere that soccer is the 3rd best sport because it uses so many muscles at once and your almost constantly moving. yes, players fake injuries. but that doesn't mean that they are weak. the think of it as "strategy" and the oppurtunity is prime! i mean, in football if you fake you just get pulled off. it is unsportsman-like but it DOESN'T mean that they are weak. overweight guys/girls can play football, but they'd have a lot of trouble in soccer.

Answer 8

I completely agree. A prime example is Italy in last year's World Cup. They flopped if they were tapped. AND the refs called the other team on some of them! They can't stand up like men and just go out and execute? Go show the opposing team you are better, don't flop to get cheap calls!

Answer 9

this is football stop calling it soccer and maybe you will understand why all those things happen in football it's a beautiful game the way it is.

Answer 10

i have broken more bones and worse injuries playing soccer than other contact sports such as boxing. anyone who says it is for wimps should come over to Ireland and play and see how long you last !!!