FOOTBALL, THE lovely sport that it is, has always produced some amazing, controversial, interesting, funny and, of course, worrying scenarios.

One such scenario was a worrying one for me. Recently, in a top-of-the-table premier league game between home team Harbour View and Waterhouse, defender Desmond Breakenridge collapsed moments after his team's 3-1 loss and was motionless for about five minutes.

For those five agonising minutes, memories of Cameroon player Marc Vivian Foe flashed through my mind.

For those who don't know, in 2003, Foe collapsed and died during an international match in France. He fell to the ground unchallenged in the 72nd minute of a Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia in Lyon.

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

He was treated on the pitch before being stretchered off and receiving further treatment, including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and extra oxygen.

Well, at least Foe got assistance from medical staff who tried to restart his heart for 45 minutes, but without success.

The same could not be said of Breakenridge as players and team officials panicked around him. For five minutes, no ambulance was in sight as the Harbour View medical staff battled through the confusion. Eventually, an unconscious Breakenridge was lifted on a stretcher and rushed outside into a private vehicle and taken to hospital.

Luckily for Breakenridge, he didn't end up like Foe or 24-year-old Hungarian striker Miklos Feher who died in 2004, or 17-year-old Uruguayan player Daniel Acosta, who passed away in 2005.

What would have happened if Breakenridge had died? Would Harbour View be held responsible for not having an ambulance at the game?

No ambulance

FIFA, the world governing body, stipulates that an ambulance must be at the ground and that wasn't the case at Harbour View.

Harbour View, normally behave like a true professional club, so it is unusual to see such a blunder on their part. But that was really poor of the 'Stars of the East'.

On another note, have you ever wondered why the players on the bench are not part of the half-time discussions?

It really confuses me as the mistakes that the players make in the first 45 minutes are supposed to be ironed out by the coaches during the break.

If the substitutes are not a part of that discussion, then chances are they will make the same errors when they enter the field of play.

But not so of late. The norm is for the players to be on the pitch kicking the ball around, oblivious to whatever the discussions are, then they go on and make fools of themselves.

This is my house and you are welcome to send your comments to howard.walker@gleanerjm.com