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Interesting Idea From Across the Pond

Bluesmanager

I'm a Barbie Girl
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Somewhere where the weather isn't killing me
Watching the Super Bowl on the Beeb, they brought up a personal conduct policy that the NFL runs for occassions where player conduct may impair the NFL's public image.

I wonder if FIFA/the FA/UEFA/Someone could put something similar together for footie? Might stop so many players from making themselves look utter pricks (Terry, Rooney, et cetera).
 
what's included in the personal conduct policy?

Everything Ben Roethlisberger gets up to.


I'm not entirely sure, but I don't think there's a set mandate and individual cases are referred to a panel.
 
what's included in the personal conduct policy?

As a Bengals fan I'm probably in a better position than most to answer this*....

It's basically used against persistent criminal offenders like Pacman Jones, the late Chris Henry and Tank Johnson who have been arrested multiple times. Rapelisberger's cases are different, because he's white and he wasn't actually criminally charged in the end as there was insufficient evidence for either incident.

Neither Rooney nor Terry would be charged under the Personal Conduct Policy because neither have been alleged to have done anything remotely illegal as the women were consenting throughout. The most high profile footballer who might have come under it would be Stevie G** for beating up that DJ in self-defence when he refused to play the tune he wanted. Although Gerrard was acquitted by the home jury, this is the type of thing that might be covered for repeat offenders despite the acquittal. Joey Barton would almost certainly have been charged and suspended under it though.

There is actually a similar existing thing in football that could be used: "bringing the game into disrepute". The reason it isn't used is because it's legally pretty iffy to enforce. The only reason Rapelisberger didn't legally challenge it (beyond appealing the length of the ban) was because it would have raised some pretty uncomfortable issues that he'd already paid to go away.

*Although I think it was only one arrest all season for the Bengals, and to counter that it was a former 2nd round pick of the Bengals who collected the Walter Payton Man of the Year award before the SB
**although the Liverpool media mafia would ensure otherwise
 
Cheers YB that's really useful. Personally I think for criminal charges there is probably a good reason for it to be brought into football. If it was extended to the Football League, would someone like Lee Hughes be potentially banned even after he's done his time? Would Lee Barnard currently be banned? Potentially Lee Sawyer could have been banned too I guess.

I'm thinking just ban all Lee's, except for Leeboy in goal.
 
Cheers YB that's really useful. Personally I think for criminal charges there is probably a good reason for it to be brought into football. If it was extended to the Football League, would someone like Lee Hughes be potentially banned even after he's done his time? Would Lee Barnard currently be banned? Potentially Lee Sawyer could have been banned too I guess.

I'm thinking just ban all Lee's, except for Leeboy in goal.

Football in this country doesn't have anywhere near the problem that the NFL has/had with players being arrested*. One season the Bengals alone had 13 arrests. Now admittedly not all were convicted, and there were a disproportionate number of black players arrested by white officers often involving the use of tasers, but Chris Henry alone was an one-man crime wave and this type of story was dominating the headlines. There was the perception that these overpaid players thought themselves above the law. Something had to be done. Football isn't in that situation. Even if it was the Football League doesn't make the same headlines.

In practice in the NFL players don't usually get suspended for first time offences, which is what messers Hughes, Barnard and, I think, Sawyer are. It's a tricky thing to do to suspend them as if you're found innocent, as Junior Agogo was, you're probably going to be on the receiving end of a rather hefty lawsuit. If you suspend them, you're also effectively finding them guilty which could prejudice their trial.

ps The most notorious Lee in footballing/crime circles is (or at least was) Bowyer.


*Owners on the other hand.....
 
Football in this country doesn't have anywhere near the problem that the NFL has/had with players being arrested*. One season the Bengals alone had 13 arrests. Now admittedly not all were convicted, and there were a disproportionate number of black players arrested by white officers often involving the use of tasers, but Chris Henry alone was an one-man crime wave and this type of story was dominating the headlines. There was the perception that these overpaid players thought themselves above the law. Something had to be done. Football isn't in that situation. Even if it was the Football League doesn't make the same headlines.

In practice in the NFL players don't usually get suspended for first time offences, which is what messers Hughes, Barnard and, I think, Sawyer are. It's a tricky thing to do to suspend them as if you're found innocent, as Junior Agogo was, you're probably going to be on the receiving end of a rather hefty lawsuit. If you suspend them, you're also effectively finding them guilty which could prejudice their trial.

ps The most notorious Lee in footballing/crime circles is (or at least was) Bowyer.


*Owners on the other hand.....

I would think Hughes probably tips Bowyer in the notoriety stakes, but I understand about repeat offences. Interesting case at the moment is Ravel Morrison... He's widely tipped to be the most naturally gifted midfielder Manchester United have brought through, but he currently has a witness intimidation case hanging over him.
 
Football in this country doesn't have anywhere near the problem that the NFL has/had with players being arrested*. One season the Bengals alone had 13 arrests. Now admittedly not all were convicted, and there were a disproportionate number of black players arrested by white officers often involving the use of tasers, but Chris Henry alone was an one-man crime wave and this type of story was dominating the headlines. There was the perception that these overpaid players thought themselves above the law. Something had to be done. Football isn't in that situation. Even if it was the Football League doesn't make the same headlines.

In practice in the NFL players don't usually get suspended for first time offences, which is what messers Hughes, Barnard and, I think, Sawyer are. It's a tricky thing to do to suspend them as if you're found innocent, as Junior Agogo was, you're probably going to be on the receiving end of a rather hefty lawsuit. If you suspend them, you're also effectively finding them guilty which could prejudice their trial.

ps The most notorious Lee in footballing/crime circles is (or at least was) Bowyer.


*Owners on the other hand.....

Interesting stuff, cheers Matt. I'm undecided really, although part of me still has problems with seeing Lee Hughes allowed on a pitch - I know he's done his time but I think if he worked in many other professions he would have been slung out. Also like it or not footballers are perceived by many as rolemodels and they do have a responsibility to their club, their fans and the game of football. I know this isn't the same issue as the NFL but it'd be interesting if considered.
 
Interesting stuff, cheers Matt. I'm undecided really, although part of me still has problems with seeing Lee Hughes allowed on a pitch - I know he's done his time but I think if he worked in many other professions he would have been slung out. Also like it or not footballers are perceived by many as rolemodels and they do have a responsibility to their club, their fans and the game of football. I know this isn't the same issue as the NFL but it'd be interesting if considered.

That's the very argument the NFL uses. I think there are very, very few professions that Hughes would have been slung out of.

FWIW Donte Stallworth was banned for the 2009 season for a DUI/manslaughter. He's not even the most notorious Raven though as Ray Lewis, arguably the best player in the league until he started slowing down, was actually charged with murder before effectively turning Queen's Evidence. IIRC he was fined $250,000 but not suspended.
 
That's the very argument the NFL uses. I think there are very, very few professions that Hughes would have been slung out of.

I'm pretty sure he wouldn't see employment as a teacher, nurse, doctor, police, fireman etc etc.
 
I'm pretty sure he wouldn't see employment as a teacher, nurse, doctor, police, fireman etc etc.

Leaving the scene of an accident is probably a breach of the hippocratic oath, which would presumably cause issues in the medical profession, but I don't see someone being barred from being a fireman because of it. They'd find work harder to get, but so did Hughes, who has gone from Premier$hite to League One.

I'd be interested to see what examples you can find of disciplinary hearings where people have been barred from working in that profession* because of serious driving offences.

*As opposed to merely sacked by the employer, which Hughes was anyway
 
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