Bobby McMahon Answers My Question

On Monday, on Fox Soccer Channel's Bobby McMahon blog, I asked the follow questions:

Much has been made of the Diaby and Eduardo tackles and I have to voice my agreement that the two are indistinguishable except that Eduardo was unlucky to have had his foot planted.

The FA and FIFA have cracked down on such hard challenges, ordering referees to show the red card in such situations, but in reality what else can be done to prevent such challenges? Also, any rumors or word on what the FA and the Referees Association is going to do about the disrespect being shown to referees of late?

McMahon responded:

Getting referees to issue the cards is the first step but then it is up to the FA to impose harsher punishments for violent challenges. Years ago players would be suspended and from time to time fines as well. That was in the days when players did not make anything like the money they make today. But I wonder if a fine based on salary might not be a way to grab players and coaches attention.

I would certainly think so!

Here is a thought, a fine schedule to go along with any multi-game suspension. If a player is shown a red card and the FA does not impose any additional games on the suspension, i.e. the player has to sit one game, then no fine or a de minimis fine, say a couple of hundred pounds. But for each additional game the FA tacks on, the player should be forced to pay a fine on the following schedule:

1 Extra Game--1/4 of 1 percent of annual salary
2 Extra Games--1/2 of 1 percent of annual salary+ covering some percentage of an injured players medical costs.
3 Games or more--1-2 percent of annual salary+ all of the injured players' medical costs.

Since medical costs for treatment and rehabilitation are likely to run into the tens of thousands of pounds, you can see that fines for hard challenges would be more than just a lost of salary, but a real financial burden.