I think the interesting suggestion is that they adapted most quickly to the changing rules

when I went to live in Spain in the mid 90s, I remember being really struck by two things about their football.

First, the refs there were personalities, stars almost. They got rated in match reports, and each had different reputations. That seemed completely weird at the time - there was nothing similar in England. Refs were pretty much completely indidtinct from each other here.

Well, we've well and truly caught up on that.

And second. a big part of the game there was about 'winning' fouls - I remember thinking it was like basketball. Whereas here, at the time, a foul was a foul. Sure you had a few players who dived - but winning free kicks wasn't a central part of the game.

Again, I'd say we've prety much caught up there, too.

So I reckon there might be some truth in it, perhaps - world football has kind of converged on some of the things that were going on there before. Maybe it's less surprising that they're better at it than anyone else, in that case.

Posted By: Tricky Hawes on July 8th 2010 at 17:50:47

Message Thread

Another interesting piece on the Spanish national side: (Other Football) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Jul 8, 17:35:51
- I think the interesting suggestion is that they adapted most quickly to the changing rules (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 8, 17:50:47
  - Yes - I remember Spanish refs in the early 90s being notorious for wanting to be the stars (Other Football) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Jul 8, 17:55:32
- Got a bit lost in that, gave up after few paragraphs (Other Football) - pants, Jul 8, 17:43:45
  - it was interesting but a bit repetitive and ignores the fact (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 17:46:05
    - Yeah I've seen a fair bit of south american football recently (Other Football) - pants, Jul 8, 18:08:45
      - I've not seen much of Colombia (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:14:41
        
        Yeah, I have it on in the background some weekends (Other Football) - pants, Jul 8, 18:20:25
        
        I do like Mex football, they seem not to bother with defence (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:22:42
        
        what happened to colombian football? (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 18:16:14
        
        I had money on them to win the group that time (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:21:47
        
        oh so it was you who shot escobar (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 18:22:19
        
        I wasn't too chuffed with him, no (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:24:21
    - spain remind me of andy roddick (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 17:48:28
      - Someone in the comments section compares them to Pete Sampras (and Stephen Hendry) (Other Football) - Ottosson Foxtrot, Jul 8, 17:50:49
        
        gives you museum leg and brain (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 17:56:05
        
        "I've run out of look", I remember someone saying to me in a gallery once. (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 8, 17:58:25
        
        lol, that sums it up nicely (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:03:09
        
        my one visit to a gallery (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 18:01:06
        
        your one visit? (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:05:18
        
        i'm not really into art (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 18:06:20
        
        fair enough (Other Football) - Worzel Scrimmage, Jul 8, 18:08:12
        
        you are truly a renaissance man. (n/m) (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 8, 18:02:58
        
        Also saw them compared to Nadal today - one trick, which they do better than anyone else (Other Football) - Tricky Hawes, Jul 8, 17:52:59
        
        murray owns him on hard court (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 17:55:16
        
        LOL (n/m) (Other Football) - SCC 28, Jul 8, 17:51:49

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