Violence in football

Cosmas Zulu

Let me delve into the issue of violence in football. I think  soccer administrators are not doing enough to educate or create platforms  where they can sit down with football  supporters and address  this issue.

For instance, why not sell club membership cards at affordable fees so that more people become part and parcel of the club and by so doing, will be bound to listen to you when you say “no to violence”.

Club membership cards that are expensive are only a preserve for the rich. If I may ask, how many Dynamos, Highlanders, Caps United supporters have read or seen their  club’s constitution? I can quote the Highlanders constitution. Article 1.2 of the constitution says the club is apolitical and prohibits any form of political, religions, sexual ethnic tribal or racial discrimination. I can go on, Article 3.19 says the club wants; to prevent racial, tribal, religious, gender or political discrimination and discourage discrimination against players and members.

As for Highlanders, they can bring the Soweto (stand) men and women close to them as per article 4 (ii) which  provides that the club shall have the right to introduce further   class of membership to cater for various  categories of members and such classes shall enjoy varying rights and varying obligations determined from time to time by the executive committee.

Why can’t the club sell the constitution for just $1 or give it freely to members at home games? If you make your supporters feel like family  they will behave and act like family. To the people who start violence, in all honesty is it worth for someone to be killed because of the game of soccer? Please win honourably and lose honourably.

Soccer Terms
This is for the column readers to know some soccer terminology.

– Anchor  man — midfielder player whose chief function is to thwart opponents moves and win the ball.
– Ball watching — playing too much attention to the ball and not enough to the opponents.
– Bend the ball — impart swerve to the ball.
– Blind side — to the side of a player away  from the ball.
– Block tackle —  tackle made in an upright  position with  side of the foot face to face with opponent.
– Box — the penalty  area.
– Bye line — the goal  line.
– Chip — pass cross or shot looped over an opponent  from the ground.
– Close  down — advance on an opponent  who has the ball while covering his path to goal.
– Decoy  run — a run to take a defender out of position and perhaps create an opportunity for a team mate to get into space.
– Dee — the arch marked outside the penalty area.
– Dummy or sell the dummy — deceive an opponent by making to go one way and then going another.
– Dynamo — midfielder with ability and physical power to work continually from box to box.
– Far post — the goal  post further from the ball.
– Flank  area — along the touchline.
– Instep — the top of the foot under the laced.
– Jockeying — working an opponent with the ball into a less dangerous position.

Joke
When I was still coaching AmaZulu, after losing a game, a supporter shouted at me. This is what he said; “I know why  you lost, you are using 4-4-2 formation instead of using 4-0-4 formation”.  Instead of getting angry, I was left laughing my lungs out.

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