Hooper caught out
Thursday 16th April 2009, 2:30PM BST.
DAVE HOOPER (pictured) is being made a scapegoat according to Vale Rec manager Tony Smith.
The 18-year-old Rec and Junior Island star has been stopped from playing all Guernsey Football Association football, including in the Junior Muratti, because he was found to have been taking part in the FRM five-a-side league.
With the ‘social leagues’ – the IAG Saturday League, the Sunday Soccer League and the five-a-side league – de-affiliating from the GFA before the start of the season, it is illegal for GFA-registered players to play in them.
But it is known that a number of other GFA players, and it is rumoured a couple of the senior island squad as well, have also been playing in the five-a-side competition and other social leagues, but under pseudonyms.
The president of the Saturday League and five-a-side league referee, Rod Hamon, has confirmed that.
According to Smith, the GFA are aware of it but have turned a blind eye and instead are making an example of Hooper (pictured).
‘I think he has been made a bit of a scapegoat,’ said Smith.
‘I’m very disappointed and angry. He’s been well punished for having a bit of fun playing five-a-side.’
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IS THIS STUPID SET UP MEANT TO ENCOURAGE YOUNGSTERS TO STAY IN FOOTBALL !!! ?
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This is unbelievable. I know Dave Hooper through cricket and he is a cracking lad. He’s as keen as mustard, very talented and just loves to play sport. The GFA hierarchy seem intent on stifling football at all levels, they’re an absolute joke. Look at how cricket, badminton, table tennis (to name just 3 sports) are progressing and then compare the situation that football finds itself it. Players being forced to choose between two codes, reduced amounts of games, an overall standard that has been in decline for many years, and a GFA committee that has such a high opinion of themselves it really isn’t funny. Football needs to sort itself out (and quickly) before youngsters really start deserting in droves to concentrate on sports where their talents are appreciated and nurtured to the fullest extent possible.
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Absolutely shocking treatement of a young footballer.
The GFA wonder why footballers are becoming disillusioned with the local game.
Why penalise him for playing socially with friends?
The is the exact reason why I some years ago made the decision not to continue playing GFA football and instead play socially within the Business and Sunday leagues. Although still “legal” back then to play in all leagues I was dropped from a youth one side on Sunday for helping out friends who were short for a match on a Saturday.
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5-a-side football should be completely segregated from the GFA. Its virtually a different sport so why not treat it as such ? Its not a million miles anyway from telling a netball player that they cannot play basketball because of netball league rules ! The 5-a-side leagues are social and recreational and should be treated as such. Would it matter if they weren’t affiliated to the GFA ? Player insurance might be the only issue but do the 5-a-side leagues receive any GFA funding ?
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Crikey, why is an amateur league in a little island taking itself so seriously. The people who make and enforce these rules are taking life a little too seriously.
I once heard of a local coach going round town on a Friday night and telling players to go home as they had a match the next day!
The good old “fun police” strike again.
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As the saying goes, rules are rules. This lad, who chooses to play for a GFA club, by definition accepts the rules and regulations that come with it.
He got caught having broken a rule, and was given a ticking off and allowed to carry on. Bit like getting a yellow card really.
If he then chose to break that rule a second time, he has to suffer the consequences, in this case the equivalent of a red card. It seems simple enough to me!
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i dont think we should be to critical of all g.f.a. officials. they inherited a lot of the problems, this could give the chance to change back some of the new laws. but i believe that it is not only rules and regulations that need change, a look at coaching at youth level needs close scrutiny,at island level i dont think the u18 won a game, so i believe at that age group we need people who are capable and understand what is needed to develop at that level, i see to many people with a piece of paper that says they can coach,if you look at the successful teams over the recent past, the best people, dont need that piece of paper.i wish good luck to the g.f.a.they have the chance to change things for the better
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pyer
Your attitude seems perfectly suited to refereeing, or being a compliance officer maybe. He’s a young lad who just wants to play as much sport as he can for goodness sake, there’s no need to be such a stickler for rules as regulations.
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Rumour has it that several prominent players in the senior Muratti squad are also involved in the same issue. The same rule must apply to all players concerned before the GFA loses even more credibility on this issue. What a shambles !
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Lash ups & Breweries come to mind!!
How dare a young lad play 5-a-side – I guess the GFA would rather he went out drinking or worse instead of playing a leisurely game at Beau Sejour!!
GFA – you are not the be all & end all of Guernsey sport… Footballing numbers are alarmingly dropping & they are doing themselves no favours at all with this Nazi dictatorship attitude!!
Just for a second I thought it was an amatuer sport?!
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Can someone explain why someone can’t play their chosen sport whenever they feel like it and with whoever they like???
Seems bizarre and pointless. Is local football run by the Taliban?
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Yes, this is a great decision, in fact we should go further and we should be encouraging our youngsters away from sport completely. They should be playing more Playstation, surfing the internet, drinking white lightning in the street and smoking spice!
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I think Dan has got it pretty much on the button.
It seems to me that the GFA (and some Priaulx clubs for that matter) has got serious delusions of grandeur. Such an approach might be appropriate for highly paid professionals, not a lad who just wants to enjoy his football.
It’s not the Premier League and these lads don’t get paid thousands to play – the majority play because they love the game.
I know some Priaulx players, some of whom seem to be getting increasingly disollusioned with the state of things. Add that to the amount of work they are expected to put in, as well as the draconian attitude of some coaches and you’d think they were playing for Man Utd or Liverpool, not Bels or Vale Rec!
Unless the GFA and some local clubs get a proper perspective on things, I fear that many of the island’s best footballers will end up giving up organised football and stick to playing with their mates or in leagues like the 5-a-side league where they can enjoy the game without the pressure laid on them by people with a overinflated opinion of their own importance.
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Embarassing- as someone mentioned 5 a side is a different game where does it end Subbuteo?
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Hang on, what about all the other guys who fancy a kick-around but can’t get a team place or are intimidated or can’t compete at the level of Island players?
Isn’t this the point of grass roots sport?
By condoning these actions, aren’t we saying that sport is only for the elite?
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I disagree Student Bob – I’m 34 years old, somewhat overweight and the best I ever did was to get in the Grammar school ‘D’ team for my year…and that was only because everyone played!
I enjoy playing unofficial 5-a-side football regularly amongst friends, some of whom have played Priaulx football, one who has played for the island. Far from being intimidated I enjoy the challenge of playing with/against people far better than me – it makes you improve your game.
I agre, some of the “better” players have overinflated egos but it doesn’t bother me too much – let’s face it if they were that good they’d be professionals so I’m not really bothered what they think. Most however enjoy the fun of the game whilst remaining competitive. As long as good players aren’t arrogant and can handle playing with a cart horse with the turning circle of an oil tanker who tries their best and enjoys the game it’s no problem.
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See, I take your point Paul, but if you and your mates fancied a game of 5-a-side and I field the british uni championship winning 5-a-side team, would the one-sided battering you’d (hopefully) suffer be as much fun as a balanced game against similarly talented bunch?? The GFA and pretty much every sports body in the world doesn’t think so hence the rules against ‘ringers’.
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Student Bob – I get your point.
From a Guernsey perspective however I’ve played 5-a-side football for quite a while with all standards of players from cart horse (like me) to Muratti players.
In my experience, although there are highly talented players they aren’t vastly superior to many non-GFA players – certainly not enough to lay out a drubbing. They also don’t tend to go at full tilt, probably because they don’t want to get injured for the more important games.
Besides that, 5-a-side is also a great leveller in football as someone can be island quality at 11-a-side yet not able to transfer that ability to 5-a-side. As someone posted earlier, they are two completely different games.
PS – in your hypothetical game your lot wouldn’t have a hope – we’d stuff you! ;-)
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I sense a challenge???
Student Bob’s “Student Yob’s” (no offence intended, it just rhymed!!) vs Paul Le P’s “Cart Horses”
Name a place, date and time, I’ll round up some cheerleaders, Maybe Dave Hooper will play for one of you?
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The problem here is that the GFA thought the social leagues would fail if they went out on their own. What really happend is that the social leagues – Saturay, Sunday and 5 a side – have organised themselves, in thanks to a great committee, and provided an excellent, competitive and well structured league.
Did the social leagues fail? No. If anything the standard has increased with the inclusion of 3 ex GFA clubs in the Saturday league – Rovers Railway, The Police and Port City.
Meanwhile how have the GFA got on with their new rulings? Well banning a 17 year old and preventing him from playing a sport that he loves does not sound like success to me?
I also love the threat they made to him….spill the beans on others that are doing the same as you (playing in the 5 a side league) and you are ok to play…..if not you are banned! Come on GFA this is a seventeen year old kid!
I’m backing his Dad……we win the senior Muratti tell te JFA we played self declared illegal players…..but I wouldn’t stop there….go the the FA and tell them how their sub committee rolls here in Gsy….I’m sure they would have something to say as the GFA goes against their Grass Roots football campaign.
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