unfortunately it is a recurring trend not juist in Football. Honestly, out here in the States there are massive brawls that have broken out over high school and Junior High Football games (gridiron). Fathers making their kids practice until they take the fun out of the game, screaming at their own kids, making them feel worthless etc.
I am a pro golfer (well, I was) and will never pressure my kids, should I have any, into taking up a sport just because I used to play it. A lot a parents see their children as achance for them (the parents) to live out their failed dreams...dad just missed making it as a baseball player so goes to every little league game and yells like the talent scouts are watching, hoping junior can hit the home run in the bottom of the ninth!
Anyway, It is terrible that these parents put so much pressure on their kids, as they often burn the kids out, and cause even furhter resentment. Their is a young Pro golfer out here in the states (think the last name is Ohair), whos father used to train this kid relentlessly. rewarded him minimally if the kid played and made birdies, but punnished him severly for every bogey the kid made (made him run a mile per bogey, etc). The father also saw his kid as a commodity, and forced him into signing an agreement that the father would eb entitled to a percentage of the child's future golf earnings.
Of course, because the kid was too young to fully realize what he was signing, the father didn't have a leg to stand on when Ohair made his first tournament cheque. now the kid and his dad never speak. Sad waht this "driven" fahter has done to the family that should have provided the kid with love and support throughout the childs career.
Now, I cana lso say, show me a person who doesn't mind losing, and I will show you a loser. But to push a child to such anextent that they run away, take out law suits, etc.....it's terrible, and non conducive to rewarding a child for being good at something they enjoy
Scott