FIFA turning football into ‘a non-contact sport’

THAT was another good night for Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Wednesday, as they eased past Glentoran to set up a mouth-watering Champions’ League tie against Steaua Bucharest.

And another good night for football on the island too, as the occasion passed off peacefully and Glentoran supporters leaving the ground were applauded out by the Red faithful in the stand.

But the week was also notable for the rare sight and sound of a football manager expressing sympathy for the refereeing fraternity.

Shels boss Pat Fenlon recalled how, barely an hour before kick-off in the first leg at The Oval, he and Glentoran’s Roy Coyle had been informed by the referee of changes in the rules pertaining to European football, with regard to offside, tackles, standing in front of the keeper at corners, blocking throw-ins and other issues. “It is as hard for the ref to come to terms with the new rules as us,” said Fenlon, who rightly complained about regulations which seem to change “from week to week” and which, he believes, are in danger of turning football into “a non-contact sport.”

But when it was also put to Fenlon that this was a lot of information for a manager to have to pass onto players shortly before kick-off, the Shelbourne manager grinned and admitted that he hadn’t really bothered. And then came a candidate for quote of the week. Said Fenlon: “One or two of them said, ‘What’s the new rules?’ I said, ‘You don’t know the old rules, so just go out and play.”

And Fenlon admitted: “I don’t feel sorry for refs a lot of the time but I do feel sorry for them at the moment, because it’s crazy.”

One last thought inspired by the meeting of north and south. A friend recalls his delight at tuning into the Irish Football League results on the radio, to hear a reporter announce: “It’s all square at The Oval.”