I have long since despaired about the legacy the modern day footballers and managers are leaving for the next generation - play acting, rushing to the referee to get someone booked/sent off, arguing with every decision, total disrespect for the officials - God knows what the next generation will be like. Of course, if FIFA, UEFA or even the FA had any balls they would have clamped down on this years ago but they have failed football
I used to go out of my way to watch every premier league match on TV - not any more, I really can't be bothered. Pardew's antics today are just the tip of the iceberg - he will probably get a meaningless ban and an even more meaningless fine and things will carry on in the same indisciplined way and gradually decline further
I am reminded of a quote from the Irish rugby player Paul O'Connell, when describing the difference between football players & rugby players said something along the lines of "In football, if a player gets touched, he goes down as if shot - in rugby, if you get punched in the face, you try to act as if nothing has happened"
I'm not condoning punching someone in the face, obviously, but football has been allowed to lose it's soul over the years and the managers, the very people who should be maintaining standards, unfortunately do not have any