Incredibly, today lightning struck twice. FIFA had better ban that referee for life from international matches (though what WERE they thinking placing inexperienced referees in World Cup semi-finals?). The only reason Bergkamp was ineffective is because he was constantly having his shirt pulled by two defenders at once! Several offside calls were ridiculous, and it seemed every single time a Brazilian either slipped or dove a free kick was awarded, though when a Dutch player was blatantly pushed in the back, hell, play on!
At the risk of being flamed by one hot blooded Dutchman, I will have to interject here, in good intentions I may add....
First I understand your frustration of being eliminated so close, (as had Holland won this game, they, in all probability would have beaten the French or Croatians.)
Now, review my comments this afternoon in re: the referee.
I agree 50% on your observations, only because the same amount of fouls were not called against the Dutch, in the same fashion and as critical as the one you are referring to.
I particularly recall two against Ronaldo (one in the box), and one against Leonardo, that it was a tad late...
As for the referee's policy.... yes I agree, it stinks to put a bunch of inexperienced referees in so important matches. The reason it was implemented was because of the complaint that referees officiating in games where teams of the same confederation as of the referee's nationalities were seen as unfair....
This is the result.
I believe that a good referee, regardless of the nation (that word again !!), is a good referee and part of being good is being fair and impartial, regardless of your birthplace. (or adopted nation).
I also believe, (please check my comments of this afternoon), that we were lucky both Brazil and Holland are clean teams, i.e. they play soccer with no ill intention. Had this referee officiated with different teams where the mentality was not clean, we would have ended with an incredibly aggressive and violent game. Indeed he allowed far too much roughness on BOTH TEAMS.
I HAVE HAD IT WITH FIFA AND THEIR DISGUSTING SOUTH AMERICAN-BIASED REFEREEING. THIS IS NOT FOOTBALL. IT IS A RIGGED GAME. HOLLAND HAD QUITE A GREAT DEAL OF CLASS NOT TO WALK OFF THE FIELD RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
Come now, the referee was not South American... What? next you are going to say that Cocu was a Brazilian Spy in Dutch uniform and missed the penalty..... Or that Berkamp was paid off by the Brazilian Mafia ..... or Kluivert was offered several thousand shares of TBR (TeleBrasil) in a secret Cayman Island account for "missing" some clear goals ....
IN MY MIND, HOLLAND ARE THE WORLD CHAMPIONS OF FRANCE '98. THAT REFEREE TRIED TO STEAL IT FROM THEM, BUT THOSE WHO FOLLOW FOOTBALL AND HAVE ANY IDEA OF FAIRNESS KNOW THIS RESULT WAS A DISGRACE, CONSIDERING THE BEHAVIOR OF THAT REFEREE. I REFUSE TO WATCH ANOTHER MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, for that I congratulate you in your mind... However, unfortunately for you, that does not count in the real world....
I am not being mean simply realistic. I know how frustrated you must be, twice losing in the final and now this....
There are three games left, if you do not want to watch them, fine it is your loss, no one will miss you, but I think you are foolish for doing that....
For starters, I believe Holland will take third, and the final may prove to be an exciting game....
Think of this (in your mind of course), you have now become [unofficially] a French citizen, and zere is no gggrrrreater plesugre forg youuu in zis life, zan to beat ze crgap out of zose filtzy Brgazilian pigs.....
Mon dieu!! ze bastards! what you zink! how dare beat mon ami ze Hollandeise.... zey will pay for zeir sin.... quite deagrly I may add.
Immediately! we will assign inspectorg Clouseau to spy on zese demons....
The only problem with that strategy is that if The French lose then you will be doubly frustrated.... as a Dutchman..... and as a Frenchman..... And that is assuming that the French beat the Croatians....
As for winning and losing... view it as:
Sometimes you're the windshield ... sometimes you're the bug!!
(Mark Knopfler)
Live Long and Prosper...... (to see the next world cup.)
As for tonight.... Go and get drunk, tomorrow will be another day.
Flameproof suit on Z.
Remember? it is only a game..... now, imagine how fortunate we are in this World Cup, compared to this:
Owngoal - Barbados -Vs- Grenada
It concerns a match played last weekend between Barbados and Grenada in some cup competition. Barbados needed to win the game by two clear goals in order to progress to the next round.
Now the trouble was caused by a daft rule in the competition which stated that in the event of a game going to penalty kicks, the winner would be awarded a 2-0 victory. (Yes, I'm sure you can all see what's coming....)
With 5 minutes to go, Barbados were leading 2-1 and going out of the tournament. Then, when they realized they were probably not going to score against Grenada's massed defence, they turned round, and deliberately scored an own goal, to level the scores.
Grenada, themselves not being stupid, realized what was going on, and then attempted to score an own goal themselves. However, the Barbados players started defending their opponents goal to prevent this.
In the last five minutes, therefore, spectators were treated to the incredible sight of a team defending their opponents goal against attackers desperately trying to score an own goal! Naturally, the game went to penalties, which Barbados won...
This story is completely true, I assure you. Apparently it was being televised live, so I hope to see highlights of it soon!
(c) 1996 Trans World International
Well it makes a change from slagging other teams off!
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