Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.
Bill ShanklyRead
The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Referees may understand the rules of a game, but without deep knowledge of the game itself, they often misinterpret situations.
Bill Shankly's quote highlights a common frustration in sports where referees, despite their knowledge of the rules, can lack the necessary understanding of the nuances and dynamics of the game being played. This disconnect can lead to decisions that may seem correct on paper but fail to grasp the realities of the competition, thus affecting the fairness and flow of the sport.
Themes
RefereeRulesGameSportsUnderstanding
In practice
Example use cases
During a sports discussion, referencing this quote to explain how referees might miss the complexities of the game.
More from Bill Shankly
All quotes βIf you're not sure what to do with the ball, just pop it in the net and we'll discuss your options afterwards.
Bill ShanklyRead
Fire in your belly comes from pride and passion in wearing the red shirt. We don't need to motivate players because each of them is responsible for the performance of the team as a whole. The status of Liverpool's players keeps them motivated.
Bill ShanklyRead
Football (soccer) is a matter of life and death, except more important.
Bill ShanklyRead
One day in 1959, when Huddersfield were playing Cardiff City, Tom (T.V.) Williams, who was then chairman of Liverpool, and Harry Latham, a director, came down the slope at Leeds Road to see me. _x000D_ Mr Williams said, 'How would you like to manage the best club in the country?' _x000D_ 'Why, is Matt Busby packing it up?' I asked.
Bill ShanklyRead
The socialism I believe in isn't really politics. It is a way of living. It is humanity. I believe the only way to live and to be truly successful is by collective effort, with everyone working for each other, everyone helping each other, and everyone having a share of the rewards at the end of the day. That might be asking a lot, but it's the way I see football and the way I see life.
Bill ShanklyRead
Similar quotes
I stand with all the athletes who believe in doing things right. The ones who win and the ones who lose while knowing they have been cheated out of their positions. There are thousands if not tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of those kinds of athletes out there. We have to remember them.
Edwin MosesRead
Women's tennis has been around for a very long time - we're talking about the 1800s. But women's soccer hasn't had such a long history, so now they're right at the beginning of really trying to make things equal. We need to continue not only to advocate for women but to have men advocating for women.
Venus WilliamsRead
Sports are a great place to show that equality can happen.
Venus WilliamsRead
Defense to me is the key to playing baseball.
Willie MaysRead
My approach to cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team, it was about playing with dignity and it was about upholding the spirit of the game. I hope I have done some of that. I have failed at times, but I have never stopped trying. It is why I leave with sadness but also with pride.
Rahul DravidRead
To me, football is so much about mental toughness, it's digging deep, it's doing whatever you need to do to help a team win and that comes in a lot of shapes and forms.
Tom BradyRead