Like when taking a set piece or waiting for a corner. Many lift up one short leg or both, is it to show off muscle? I don’t know why but it really irritates me!

It increases the accuracy and power of their delivery.

Think it was probably Cristiano Ronaldo who started it. It's just a trend isn't it. People copy whether it be Beckham, Grealish or Best. Always been the way.

Its a bit like the Johnny Wilkinson hand grip in Rugby before he took a pen or conversion kick. That became popular too

The Grealish one is the worst with his socks...even Pickford started doing it ffs....sheep and thick as mince every single one of em !

Robbie Fowler used to wear some device to splay his nostrils apparently to give himself extra breathing capacity. Around that time I was watching a game on the Prairie and there was a player running along with his beer belly wobbling over about a 40" waist who was wearing one.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:40 am

Robbie Fowler used to wear some device to splay his nostrils apparently to give himself extra breathing capacity. Around that time I was watching a game on the Prairie and there was a player running along with his beer belly wobbling over about a 40" waist who was wearing one.

Brilliant

It’s all ********, once one starts they’re like sheep. Isn’t the pointing up to heaven something similar, I can’t think exactly when that started but Rooney springs to mind and then others seemed to follow.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:40 am

Robbie Fowler used to wear some device to splay his nostrils apparently to give himself extra breathing capacity. Around that time I was watching a game on the Prairie and there was a player running along with his beer belly wobbling over about a 40" waist who was wearing one.

It was me and I was going to an Adam and the Antz convention straight after the game, you bully.

beddie wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:56 am

It’s all ********, once one starts they’re like sheep. Isn’t the pointing up to heaven something similar, I can’t think exactly when that started but Rooney springs to mind and then others seemed to follow.

Doesn’t Lyle do this due to his religious beliefs? I know others do as a tribute to somebody who has passed. Baffling how anybody would find an issue with it tbh.

The putting fingers in ears and closing eyes celebration was kinda good when Ronaldo did it amongst all the criticism and noise around him at Man United. But it doesn't always have the same impact. No-one's talking about you mate. You play one step up from Sunday League, no-one knows who you are.

Beckham used to do it to deliberately moon the crowd and annoy people.

It’s to give them freer movement in the groin area.

Shorts manufacturers can’t seem to cope with the differing shapes of men’s groins and made to measure would be embarrassing

Also why do players do a little one leg hop when coming onto the pitch as a substitute or at the beginning of a game ?
The other thing I am noticing now is players shaking their fingers after they have been ‘hurt ‘ in a tackle ??

Swizzlestick wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 12:02 pm

Doesn’t Lyle do this due to his religious beliefs? I know others do as a tribute to somebody who has passed. Baffling how anybody would find an issue with it tbh.

I’m simply stating that when someone started doing it others followed. Shin pads is another one. Holes in socks.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:40 am

Robbie Fowler used to wear some device to splay his nostrils apparently to give himself extra breathing capacity. Around that time I was watching a game on the Prairie and there was a player running along with his beer belly wobbling over about a 40" waist who was wearing one.

Probably needed the extra oxygen to help carry the 10 stone of excess weight.

beddie wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:56 am

It’s all ********, once one starts they’re like sheep. Isn’t the pointing up to heaven something similar, I can’t think exactly when that started but Rooney springs to mind and then others seemed to follow.

Yes the pointing to the heavens and crossing their chest as they enter the field is no doubt a purely fashionable thing for many of them. It’s not as though most/any of them are attending church wearing their Sunday best each week is it.

Graeme Sharp at Everton started the fad for lycra shorts under team shorts. All pointless.

The "holes in the back of the socks" fashion will disappear in a year or two as well. I don't know if so much it's being fashionable, or if it's more to so with a semi-superstitious view that if someone else think it does them good, well it can't do any harm to try.

cricketfield73 wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 11:40 am

Robbie Fowler used to wear some device to splay his nostrils apparently to give himself extra breathing capacity. Around that time I was watching a game on the Prairie and there was a player running along with his beer belly wobbling over about a 40" waist who was wearing one.

Brilliant!!

Cardboard begging signs is another

gandhisflipflop wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 5:19 pm

Cardboard begging signs is another

I'll be honest. I've never seen a player with one of those.

If you're talking about players copying each other, check out players haircuts.

Weird how each team has many that basically have the same cut.

Awayfromburnley wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 6:26 pm

If you're talking about players copying each other, check out players haircuts.

Weird how each team has many that basically have the same cut.

Everyone copies from each other in all walks of life though. It’s nothing unique to footballers.

they all listen to crap music as well and on silly headphones.

as for those ripped socks - brian clough would have had a bloody fit!

Some like their shorts to be on the really short side - Brownhill for example.

Matty Cash at Villa is another that looks like he’s wearing a mini skirt.

BurnleyFC wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 07, 2024 6:58 pm

Some like their shorts to be on the really short side - Brownhill for example.

Matty Cash at Villa is another that looks like he’s wearing a mini skirt.

And then you get Al-Dakhil whose shorts always look far too big for him, they’re below his knees, if he pulled them up he’d probably be able to run faster.

The one that gets me is when players pull their socks up to cover all their legs making them look like tights