Football referees are now instructed to book players who celebrate excessively after scoring a goal. This rule is not welcomed by most people within the game. It does not take into account the emotion involved when a professional football player scores what could be a vitally important goal for his team. At the end of the season it could be the difference between promotion, relegation or winning a trophy.
There are many areas where football laws and officiating could be improved. Booking a player for goal celebration is quite pointless and invariably leads to players being shown a yellow card or even a red card if it is the second caution of the game. Most experts would agree that the punishment does not fit the crime. Far worse offenses often go unnoticed or unpunished.
When the ball hits the back of the net the supporters feel sheer joy and elation and that is putting things mildly. If it is like that for the football fans then it must be an even better feeling for the player himself. Football players are human beings rather than robots who are devoid of any feelings. It is a purely instinctive reaction that is perfectly natural and harmless. It is part and parcel of football wherever it is played in the world.
The various football governing bodies argue that it is wrong for players to remove their shirt whilst celebrating a goal. This is a petty argument and betrays a lack of understanding of the emotion and intensity involved in top class professional football. The people that come up with such pointless rules have probably never played the game professionally. Perhaps they watch games from the comfort of an executive box.
Booking a player for goal celebration is one rule that the majority of football enthusiasts would like to see scrapped. If players and supporters can no longer enjoy the unique emotion that a goal delivers then something is seriously wrong with the football laws. As long as the player does not jump into the stand amongst the supporters then safety is not an issue. The players and spectators should be allowed to enjoy their brief moment of glory.
