Thats not how you play soccer

Recently the tactics of australian soccer players has been put under scrutiny worldwide because of our highly physical way we play the game, and on a weekly basis i see why our game has been seen in this light. Week in and week out i see shameful displays of over physical tactics in our local league. The main blame i give to such behavour is the lack of control referees in our compition have over the players. One such example is as follows,,,,,,

i had made a break into the goal box and was running for the ball when a defender blatently slid and "studs up" smashed into my ankle. Falling to the ground i thought at first my ankle was sprained or broken so i stayed on the ground and waited for assistance from the side line. From behind me i could here the oppositions saying "get up faker" and one guy even tried to pull me to my feet, the refferee blew a penalty and i was helped from the feild. { we missed the goal box penalty to jeers and laughter from the unsportsman like attitude from the opposition."

Later in the game there was another incident when the goalie fumbled the ball and it dropped behind him, i saw the loose ball and as i was about to kick it, a defender blatetly pushed me in the back knocking me over. As i looked up i was shocked the game had continued, how was it an outright push in the back had been overseen. i limped back to the centre of the feild and said to the referee " what's the go with not giving a penalty for him pushing me in the back" and the response was ridiculous

" They {the other team} would of whinged if i had given you another penalty."

Yes he actually admitteded to not giving the penalty because i had already received one and it would of made the other team whinge to him. I admit the referee was young and probally hadnt reffered a large number of games but we pay for and expect good referees.

In the said game, i was picked on because of my size and was pumbled off the ball on numerous occasions, most of which would of earned a yellow card in international standards. every week i seem to get comments after each game like "gee, you got taken out alot" or " you got hammered a few times today" Soccer is a ball game, not a pyhsical game and i'm sure if you sent a video of one of our recent games to fifa they would be appalled to see the way some of the defenders are abusing their size to take attackers out, because they know the refferees in our league allow bully tactics to remain unpunished. In another instance during the game i was making a dash into the goal box when a defender charged at me and obstructed my run, digging his shoulder into me for good measure,

i turned to the referee and and commented on the obstruction, the refferee hadnt seen it but the defender had the hide to lie and say, " i just held my ground" it's ridiculous situations like this that sometimes make me wonder if i will sign up next year, is there any point in playing a game if you want to follow the rules and to play with skill and team work when your opposition play like thugs and continually cause me injury. Luckilly there are a few teams in our compition which play the beautiful game as it should be played, unlike,,,

CRONULLA RSL

YOU GUYS SHOULD BE EMBARESED AND HUMILIATED WITH YOUR TACTICS, YOU DONT PLAY SOCCER ,YOU PLAY DIRTY AND KARMA IS A WONDERFUL BEAST WHICH WILL CATCH UP WITH EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU JERKS

"Go the crusaders"