Brian Homewood, our soccer correspondent in Brazil, wrote an interesting column last week on how dribbling in Brazil is now often considered unnecessarily provocative and humiliating to your opponents.
That view is spreading to Spain, with Gimnastic Tarragona centre-back David Garcia complaining about Robinhos ‘bicicletas’, or stepovers, during Real Madrids 2-0 win at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
I thought it showed a lack of respect, Garcia told reporters after Robinho had delighted the Real Madrid fans. Robinho didn’t stop doing his ‘bicicletas’. I didn’t see him do any at the Nou Camp. I don’t think he should play that way.”
Do defenders really have cause for complaint about a few stepovers? Robinhos tricks are certainly not the worst examples of provocation.Famously, the Scotland wing-half Jim Baxter played his own juggling game against world champions England in a 3-2 win at Wembley in 1967.
Anyone remember any more?
Trackback
5 comments so far
How can it be unfair to show off your skill on the pitch? If the affronted players want it to end then the simplest thing to do is to tackle and get the ball - then they can show us and their adversaries how it can be done ever so much more politely.
Are professional footballers paid their millions to be so prfessionally upset?
- Posted by Skinny Indie KidPires, Henry and the bungled penalty, an attempt at humiliation that didn’t come off and proof that you shouldn’t try to copy tricks from players who were much, much better than you.
- Posted by RafaSir Stanley Matthews will be turning on a sixpence in his grave.
- Posted by JimSurely the way Leeds United played with Southampton in a 7-0 win in the 1971-2 season classes as one of the ultimate moments of a team showboating in front of a beaten opponent. They did keepy-uppies, backheels the whole lot. Not only couldn’t southampton get the ball but Leeds’s Billy Bremner said southampton weren’t even quick enough to kick them.
- Posted by MarkIf you are good enough to do it, do it. But you must be aware that someone may try and take a lump out of you. It’s not right but it’s a fact of life and there are rules to punish people who do.
Bicicletas and dribbling are alright if you’re a player who backs it up with his performance; Robinho should worry about playing week-in&week out and scoring against any other side than 19th-place Gimnastic than showing off just what Real Madrid really bought for £20 million.
- Posted by Chevy Chase