The Football Association and Trident

So what on earth is the link between the English Football Association (or perhaps FIFA) and Trident? The answer is simple....well not that simple. The issue about Trident renewal often boils down to the apparently contradictory principle that Trident is a weapon that can never be used but which nevertheless is believed to be a deterrent. ..and some of its supporters actually state that they would never use it. How can this be? Perhaps a way of solving this apparent conundrum is to consider the case of the Football Association (FA) and the practice of many top footballers of removing their shirts when they score a goal. Some wave them about, some throw them into the crowd and some just put them on again when they have emerged from the heap of players who fall on top of them. Why do they do this? They never used to ‘in the old days’ after all. I suspect it is because they are anxious to show off their impressive torsos in search of a lucrative underwear modelling contract. It cannot be to attract women as their humungously large salaries should do that for them...but I digress. I have not gone mad – there is a link with the Trident issue. The FA do not approve of the practice of shirt removal and want it stopped ( can’t imagine why, it seems rather harmless, but that’s the FA for you – killjoys). To demonstrate their disapproval referees are instructed to issue a yellow card when it happens. Sadly this has not proved a deterrent (ah a glimmer of light). Players do not especially fear yellow cards unless they get two in a match in which case they will be sent off (one player once did remove his shirt twice in a game and was thus dismissed – his manager was less than pleased to say the least). Now, if the FA are serious about stopping shirt removals they can do so at a stroke. Simply instruct referees to issue a red card if a player takes off his shirt after scoring ( a goal, that is, not with his WAG). The practice will immediately stop. No player would risk the ire of his manager and team mates by getting himself sent off for something so trivial. So the red card would be an effective deterrent just as the yellow is not. Thing is, the red card sounds very harsh, but IT WOULD NEVER BE USED. However, the red card will have to continue as a threat or the shirts will start coming off again. I can leave you to figure the rest. I rest my case.