Letter: Footballers are wild animals

Sir: The film of John Hartson's savage attack on a team-mate and recent reports of the behaviour of players such as Ince and Le Saux (not to mention Gazza) illustrate the depths to which professional football is sinking. Football clubs in their desperate determination to avoid defeats by preventing the other side playing are nurturing wild animals.

The increasing pace of the game demands ever stricter control of technical skills resulting in decreasing control of temper and behaviour.

The high proportion of England's squad who were unavailable for the recent Bulgaria game because of injury or suspension indicates the futility of the "no holds barred" approach. This is a world-wide tendency as demonstrated in the World Cup by the constant use of hands for shirt-tugging and arms for body-grabbing. Perhaps the game should be re-christened FootandArmball.

E.W. HUGHES

Earley,

Berkshire.