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Sport

06th Apr 2017

Overreaction by man returning ball is laughable and heartbreaking in equal measure

FFS

Darragh Murphy

What the hell has happened to football?

We were coming to terms with the increasing pussification of players because at least they have a reason to engage in the enraging act of simulation.

In a split second, a piece of play-acting can prompt the referee to award a penalty, a free-kick or give a seemingly innocent player his marching orders depending on the quality of performance from the “victim.”

But it’s really jumped the shark now!

Only last week we bizarrely saw a referee put forth an Oscar-worthy showing in Brazil when he went down under the weight of a definite non-headbutt.

And now the antics have stretched beyond the pitch.

During Corinthians’ 2-0 victory over Universidad de Chile on Wednesday night, we saw one of the most hideous pieces of shit-housery that football’s ever known.

A man returned the ball to the pitch – we don’t know if he was acting in a capacity as an official ball-boy or just a supporter – but was touched by an away team player. And touched is probably over-stating it.

Somewhere in between the contact and the man being rendered horizontal, he must have been shot because just look at his overreaction.

Isn’t that simply infuriating?

This is football in 2017.

A grown man, presumably with a job, a wife and kids.

And those children who tune in hoping to see their daddy on the telly have to watch him acting like this?

Ridiculous.

Fans aren’t all like that, mind, this gentleman in the stands during the same game wouldn’t be caught dead going down easy.