Tuesday, 23rd September 2008
Men in Black
In the football world, being young means being at one’s best or otherwise being promising. In the refereeing world, this means lack of experience and often mistakes. Although it’s not the norm the men, who used to be in ‘black’, do at times influence the results of the games. When they do it, it’s done in such an obscene way, that in normal circumstance (and at other workplaces) they would be fired.
What I don’t agree with, is that the football associations do not correct such blatant mistakes. I am referring to the incident in the match between Reading and Watford.
Linesman Nigel Bannister flagged for a goal instead of a corner when the ball crossed the goal-line well wide of the post during a goalmouth scramble from a corner at Vicarage Road. Referee Stuart Attwell, who became the Premier League's youngest official last month at the age of 25, awarded a goal despite not a single Reading player appealing or celebrating the 'strike', which at the time was accredited as an own goal.
The rules of the game give no discretion in these matters - the referee's decision regarding whether a goal is scored or not is final and binding. I find this unfair and I believe that there should be an amendment to the rule where justice can be done.
On a positive note this incident brought with it also a high level of sportsmanship from Reading. On Monday, Steve Coppell, Reading Manager, admitted he was willing to replay the match after reviewing the evidence. He said that he would agree to any decision taken by the authorities if they decided a replay was the correct thing to do. He went on saying “I have sympathy with Watford and I really don't know what to say to make it right.”
I guess the rules of the game have to reflect an element of common sense, while the referees have to realise when they err and correct their errors, rather then persist in their mistakes.
World League of Nations
First the Russians, then the Americans, the Arabs and the Asians and now… the Africans too. Everyone wants to buy English Premier League teams. While the banks are crumbling, investors are seeking to invest their money elsewhere, and it seems that the English Premiership remains the most lucrative market, where it comes to sport. The latest is that a consortium of wealthy Nigerians is planning to take over Newcastle United. Current owner Mike Ashley is trying to find a buyer for the ailing Premier League club, after proving unsuccessful with his initial efforts to secure a sale. Ashley announced he wants to sell his interest in Newcastle just 16 months after staging a £134.4million takeover.
This news comes after the recent sale of Manchester City to a Dubai investing company, following the end of the reign of the scandal-stricken Thai owner. I believe that by the end of the next decade, there will not be much British ownership. Having said that, I still think that the injection of capital by these foreign investors have contributed significantly to the over-all improvement of the British game.
Elsewhere
Oki, Milan have finally won a game. Let’s see how long this good moment lasts. But as I was discussing with my friends while watching the various games over the weekend and over the past week, Inter are doing big things. Mourinho’s way (at least for now) seems to pay dividends. I think that the biggest change was the transformation of Ibrahimovic from the player who had the team at his service, to a player who’s playing is at the service of the team. Case in point is the action which led to Adriano’s winning strike in the Champions League encounter against Panathinaikos.
And on the local side, Valletta didn’t manage to go beyond a draw against Tarxien Rainbows. I can imagine the satisfaction for the Rainbows, in obtaining such a good result against the reigning champions. Floriana lost to Msida, while Hibernians and Birkirkara registered victories to help them maintain the first two spots of the table. Tarxien joined Hamrun at the bottom, with the middle of the table hosting all the rest in just 3 points. Looks like it is going to be fun this year…
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Comments
Thank you for your comment/replies.
True - soccer seems to be in the headlines all the time, but what are the media doing in order to give other sport a 'sporting' chance to be covered?
I'm a keen motoring enthusiast, and have had the opportunity to contribute to the media, to cover such sport.
Unfortunaltey, while all and sundry are ready to write and speak about (mainly) soccer, very few, if any, 'journalists' turn up at local motoring events, in fact these are only covered by the dedicated organisers themselves.
A few weeks ago, local racing drivers went to race in sicily and gave a trashing to the brave italian drivers. Hon. Clyde Puli was there as well to witness the event, but local coverage was very poor.
TV sports presenters sometimes have problems pronouncing the names of F1 drivers and teams, and stutter when reading motoring results. This makes me very annoyed and disappointed.
I wonder if there is some sort of pressure from the organisers of certian sport to ensure they are covered 110% not to lose sponsorships and advertising-money! Hopefully not.
Keep it up - I'll be a more frequent visitor to your blog. John.
When most fans think about a football match, they tend to think about the two teams, made up of 22 players. But are we not forgetting about someone … the referee?
The referee is the 23rd man on the field of play and his contribution to the sport is sometimes not given the recognition it deserves. The attributes required of a referee are many, but first and foremost he will be a football enthusiast with a deep desire to be involved in the best team sport in the world. He will know the Laws of the Game backwards but equally as important is the ability to apply them fairly and skillfully.
Judge, jury, peacemaker and diplomat are all titles that could apply to our 23rd man, but the top referees must have additional qualities such as excellent fitness, personality and man-management skills to be able to officiate at the highest levels of highest levels of the game.
First of all thanks for the interest in reading this blog and some of the previous ones. As Mr Spiteri has indicated, the blogs do focus on other sports, but emphasis is done on what hits the headlines and on those things which I am ready to opine about.
Football is one of those sports which is in the headlines and some of the issues that do occur in the football world merit commenting.
Of course one can't ignore certain feats like the Maltese Waterpolo achievements in the recent held tournament, or the feat of Valentino Rossi. Neither one can ignore the disappointing season that F1 champion Kimi Raikonen is heaving this year.
All news, which merit commenting and that's why the blog, to create the discussion. Your comments are highly appreciated, and wouldn't mind you highlighting the other news which I don't comment about.
As Mr Spiteri knows, coz he's a regular participant, comments and highlights on other news are welcome. So are your contributions.
Tennis, F1, martial arts, the olympics, sailing, waterpolo and football were the sports covered to date.
Suggestions are always welcome.
Jes
In fact, perhaps the best blog was one during the olympics.
But otherwise, they were mere sporting comments.
I bet the next blog will have a very technical resume of Valentino Rossi's career, mentioning other motorcycling heroes like Roberts and the and others that made records and history (like Surtees) and will contain just 2 sentences on a couple of mediocre soccer games played over the weekend.
As you stated you are not a frequent reader of this Sports Blog so obviosly you did not look in the backdated blogs and you see other Sports mentioned as well.
So why did you comment.
Would it not sound better if it were called 'Jes on Soccer', or 'Jes on Football' or whatever, abut not '...on Sport'?
There are plenty more sports than football. And football is certainly not the only sport.
Cheers everyone.
Mark, you're perfectly right.
Innocent until proven guilty, as you stated in your comment once the "investigations are over."
Re comments on the scores of Malta U17, noted. However I still invite you to highlight anything which I might miss. Your passion for any sport is commendable.
Re story on the involvement in the bribery case, I hope (as much as I believe) that once the investigations are over (which if I am not mistaken also involve some foreign coach based in Malta) the details are made public, so that thos who are not involved are protected.
Jes
Comment was meant for The Times Sports Editor not for you Jes.
But as I always follow all The National Teams,if I have news I will pass on no problem.
Malta played 2 games in Russia and lost both games(vs Russia and Turkey) by 2:0.
They play the last match tomorow Vs Slovenja.
Yesterday I read very shocking news on one of Malta's local newspapers(KULLHADD),
with the headlines Maltese Referee to be investigated of bribery in maltese " REFEREE MALTI INVESTIGAT B'TIXHIM".
I shall not go into the contents of the article as these allegations are very serious,but if these "rumours" are false the editor of Kullhadd shall have a lot to answer to,because KULLHADD was the only newspaper which reported these very serious allegations.
Malta lost to Turkey 2-0 in their Under 17 encounter. While I must admit, I was still waiting for information from MFA's able communications officer about the adventure in Russia and as such wasn't aware of the result yet, I wouldn't have minded if you would updated the readers with the result.
The English FA, maintained the same pattern and tried to inject some foreign blood in the National Team. As selling the national team is out of the question, they only hired a foreign manager.
On a more serious note, I was referring to the 'over-all' improvement of the game. There were times in the eighties, when English football was seen in bad light, due to vioelence and hooliganism. Those days are over, because the way the new investors see their investment is just like a business man sees any other investment. They cleaned the game and made the Premier League more attractive for people to go to and/or for investors to invest.
As for the actual quality of the English National Team, we'll have to wait for that day, when the English Team will lift a up to see if any improvement was registered.
We are on different wave lenghts !!
@Jes and whoever the sports editor is.
How sad of the sports editor of not getting the result of Tha Malta Vs Turkey Under 17 match played in russia yesterday.
Not on the ball at all !!!!!
But, as usual, this referee, ROB (the pun is in his name too!!!) Styles or likes to be controversial, as this is not his first controversial decision or else he should be reprimanded by the Englsh FA.
Unfortunately, FAIR PLAY didn't prevail neither in this case nore in the one involving Watford earlier on.
Jes
Thats interesting that you believe that theres only one offence that players can be sent off for these days...very interesting.
You can provide me with all the links you like but as far as im concerned thats a red card since John Terry was only interested in blatently stopping the opposition player with no interest in playing football...so why keep him on a football pitch?
You seem to be 'out of subject' as well; the whole point of my comment was to illustrate that precious little gets done about bad decisions going against smaller teams, i.e. Watford/Reading, while people such as Mr. Hackett fall over themselves to act when one of the bigger teams gets 'hard done by'.
That you think Referees are not human in the Scottish Premier League please enlighten me.
Chelsea vs Man U.
The law clearly states that there should be a goal scoring opportunity.
Which in this case was not as there was another two defenders.
I quote (FIFA LAWS OF THE GAME)
(denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent
moving towards the player’s goal)
Have a read yourself and check it out : http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/federation/81/42/36/lotg%5fen%5f55753.pdf
You seem to be out of subject of what I spoke about as I clearly stated FAIR PLAY should have been applied in the other game I mentioned READING VS WATFORD,a replay or the goal disallowed.But till now nothing has been done YET.
If that was so the National team would have done something to cheer about . When was the last time us poor British supporters had anything to cheer ? British game my foot .
If you think Referees are human then i suggest you follow the Scottish Premier League for a while; then i guarantee that you will change that opinion.
Secondly, yes some decisions are corrected and overruled by the FA, but not nearly enough. The two examples you mentioned just goes to show that its only the big clubs who have any chance of manipulating and changing decisions....i.e. Chelsea and Man U. First of all i believe that John Terry should have kept his red card since there was absolutly no intention to get the ball; and two of Brazils players were sent off against Argentina in similar circumstances yet nothing was done to overrule those decisions, why? Secondly, Wayne Rooney commited an equally horrific challenge just the previous week....now we've all forgotten about that haven't we...why? Ill tell you why, as is the situation in most countries; the big clubs get the decisions.