World Cup 2006

[maninjapan]

And in gridiron - if you challange a call and get it wrong you get penalized which happens more often than not in the games have I have seen.

On a smaller rink - both referees have a much better view and considering there are only two officials "on" the rink at one time, compared to footballs "four" (the fourth is also able to aid the referee).

you will always get bad calls - but that is part and parcel of the game. Numerous time, I have seen Arsenal been refereed against and complained but on the same time it has happened the other way.
NO way is perfect lets just leave it at that shall we?

[GomiGirl]

what are you all doing posting when you should be watching the Italia vs Australia?? Half time and nil all.. interesting. Italy does look strong though.

[maninjapan]

welcome to the new generation of blokes - can do two things at once - and a red card

[GomiGirl]

WOW!!! what an exciting game.. last 2 seconds.. the Aussie boys played a helluva game though.

[Tsuru]

What a shitty way to lose... sent home by a penalty that wasn't a penalty.

[gomichild]

*sobs into her chu hi*

[Gilligan]

On a smaller rink - both referees have a much better view and considering there are only two officials "on" the rink at one time, compared to footballs "four" (the fourth is also able to aid the referee).

You know, you are right that you know more about soccer than I do, but... in the NHL there are 4 referees on a rink (2 refs and 2 linesmen) and 1 off ice official, compared to soccer, which has 1 referee and 2 linesman, and 1 assistant referee (not actually on the field, as I understand it -- job includes making sure the referee doesn't give 2 yellow cards to the same player without sending him off -- seems to work well ).

The reason that the change was made in the NHL from 1 ref to 2 was because the game had become too fast (even on such a small surface) for 1 ref to be able to keep up with the action. The NHL refs initially argued that if their were 2 refs in one game it would cause confussion because no one would know who was actaully controlling the game. The thing they never realized was that 2 individuals could actually work together as a team. They could establish what would and wouldn't constitute various infractions before they ever set foot on the ice (you know, kind of like FIFA telling all the refs that certain things should be called more closely before the World Cup starts), and amazingly they could decide on who would make calls where before the game started.

In fact, the fact that a soccer field is larger than a hockey rink seems to me to be an argument FOR more officials not against it. How can one guy be expected to be able to cover such a large expanse by himself? Especially when the game moves so fast -- much faster than it did when the powers that be decided that there should be one and only one ref?

Again, I am honesly interested in hearing any sincere arguments against using a 2 ref system in soccer (not that it really matters what I think; I'm just curious). Do you have any?

[Greji]

What a shitty way to lose... sent home by a penalty that wasn't a penalty.

It was a pretty questionable call. But all in all the Socceroos did have some good chances during the match, and had a big edge in possession. Unfortunately, it was all down to that last PK.

--------Stats------
ITA----------------AUS
6----Shots on Goal--4
11---Shots----------8
17---Fouls----------26
2----Corner Kicks----2
1----Free Kicks------1
2----Offsides--------2
0----Own Goals------0
3----Yellow Cards----3
1----Red Cards-------0
41% Ball Possession 59%

[jr101]

Look ,its obvious that some teams are going to get through...no matter what has to be done...you think FIFA wants a Australia/Mexico or Ukraine/Ecuador or any other weird final??? look at the last 20 years ...have there been any "darkhorses" in the finals...semis maybe ,but finals??? just face it ,some teams (countries who are not established power teams) are gonna always get screwed....Brasil,Italy,Germany,Argentina or whoever is "hosting" the world cup will always get the easy road through as far as officiating is concerned....Now in the case of England,they get alot of help,yet they always fall victim to some self induced tradgedy...Though i think the game against Ecuador was possibly the worst game in history with the exception of japan/croatia ...in any case ,we will NOT see any suprises in the finals but i hold out hope for someone to slay a dragon...
changing the game

[emperor]

Switzerland Vs Ukraine ... yawn

and soon extra time ... preparing to yawn

[GuyJean]

Watched a repeat of the Portugal - Holland game yesterday evening.. That was pretty exciting; head-butts, kicks, trips, throw-downs, red cards.. But no blood.. .. And, from what I understand, not much soccer.

GJ

[maninjapan]

There are four? Wow didn't know that - ta for clearing that up.

Now two refereesa at football - why not go the whole hog and split up the pitch and put 4 linesman on the pitch and 2 referees too - you know because that would make it two completely different games.

UEFA have already testedit and found due to communication problems that it wouldn't work.

Yes Graham Poll was at fault - noone was or shall doubt that - but you can doubt the players honesty by not going off the pitch when he should have done.

However, if you look at some of the other referees, such as Pierluigi COllina, Jeff Winter - they were fantastic and did a great job nigh on each and every game.

The real problem is nto needing two referees on the same pitch - its having a high enough standard of refereeing on the pitch. Now I am all for video replays in the game - if the referee is good enough and feel that they always make the right decisions then something like this shouldn't bother them.

Like goal-line technology. A definite 100% should be brought into the game - simple to introduce and very easy for the referee to know. If there is a ping in his ear piece or some other sound - then whoomp - goal given. No sound no goal.

Football needs to be brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century. FIFA needs to introduce laws to allow back dated offences (ie that shocking dive yesterdat by the Italian player to earn that penalty) to be charged. Ok it won't help that gme played but it'll mean the players will think twice about diving etc.

90% of the team I have faith in that referee but sometimes, yes when they screw up it does annoy me - but hey its life. Not everything goes your way.

[Gilligan]

Reading the article that you link to I was kind of surprised to read that English soccer has a problem with diving. While national teams are obviously not representative of the style of soccer played iin the home country, I felt that one of the countries that didn't seem to have a problem with diving (at least not in the Ecuador game that I watched) was England.

If you're suggesting using replay to determine if something was or was not a goal, I think that might work. The NHL has had video replay for that one use for a while. Don't assume that it won't disrupt the flow of play, though because it will. But given the obvious importance of goals to the outcome of the game, it's probably worth it.

In the end, no matter what changes you make (or don't make) to the officiating, officials will always be the scapegoat.

[maninjapan]

Well even goal-line techonolgy doesn't need to interfer with the game. Like I said an intricate system of steam engines, pulleys and levers ( ) should allow the refereee to quickly judge whether its a goal or not. Its a simple fact of the ball crossing the line or not.

In rugby its slighlty move complicate as the player, ball and ground must all meet in one fluid controlled motion and not be out of bounds so thats why it sometimes interferes with the game.

I guess also if FIFA introduce the rule about two refs, that, would in financial senses, be crippling to some coutries, and also would need a few years to implement. For example, the system in the English league is that referees get promoted or demoted each season so you would need, on a full days games of at least an extra 10 for the Premiership. Then you have to include the lower leagues - which there are 3 of 24 teams each. So you're looking at an extra 46 refs for one days games. Thats just the 4 major leagues. In England there are about 9 leagues below that!

And of course, referees in the upper echelonsa re fully paid up professionals so you have to find the money for them as well.

Didn't they try and introduce some technology in ice hcokey to allow people some multicoloured puck once?

[Greji]

In the end, no matter what changes you make (or don't make) to the officiating, officials will always be the scapegoat.

Had an old coach one time that always used to say that there will always be a bad call and that is a shame, but what about the rest of the game?

I didn't agree with the call the led to the PK for Italy's win, but there were two halves, which neither team could score and the Aussies had the ball for the majority. So what when wrong before the last penalty call? The game should well have been over before that. Same with the Swiss loss. You can fault the Swiss shoot out performance as them falling to the pressure of the game, but had they scored before that, they wouldn't have to have been there!

There always has to be a winner and a loser, and normally the losers do not like it, or any calls that led to their loss.

Having said that, both games were well worth the loss of sleep this morning!

[Gilligan]

Had an old coach one time that always used to say that there will always be a bad call and that is a shame, but what about the rest of the game?

Well said, gboothe. Well said.

[maninjapan]

Trouble is people remember the bad calls and not the good calls.

[canman]

But what if a poor call or a non-call is made at the beginning of the game? It can have a huge impact on the outome regardless of what the team does. If the ref had seen the hand ball in the Germany Sweden game and the player was red carded, do you think the Germans would have still won. Nobody knows.
And MIJ you said that having two referees would;A. cause confusion and B. cost too much. But I think it would be very easy to allow the referee closest to the infraction to make the call. If he needs help consult the other ref, or one of the linesmen. As for the cost of having many other referees, wouldn't that be offset by having a larger pool of refs to choose from and better judged games and happier fans?

[maninjapan]

You'll never ever please the fans.

Don't get me wrong I see Gillian's point. Personally there has been so much dodgy refereeing decisions this world cup it has spoilt it if it wasn't for some of the best world cup games I have ever seen!

Closest to the foul? Could work but again two different referees and two different opinions - one might wave play on whilst the other would have pulled it up and maybe carded him.

If you could clone the same ref then sure bring on to refs but there are too many ifs... and buts.... for it to work. Look at the rucous caused when the ref in whatever game allowed the goal to stand by overruling the linesman.

[kurohinge1]

You'll never ever please the fans . . .

Japanese Fan Suicides Over World Cup Failure

Sports: 26 June 2006, Monday.

A Japanese man has committed suicide because of his country's failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup 1/8 finals.

The 60-year-old man was found hanged in his home by his wife. She claimed that her husband had sunk into a deep depression after Japan's side was eliminated in Germany.

The desperate fan stopped watching TV after the unfortunate clash of the "Blue Samurai" with Brazil on Thursday. The game ended 4:1 in Brazil's favor.

[GomiGirl]

Having said that, both games were well worth the loss of sleep this morning!

Exactly. Well said Mr Boothe.

[IkemenTommy]

Japanese Fan Suicides Over World Cup Failure

I somehow smell bullshit with this logic. I am sure he killed himself for other reasons beyond fucked.. Oh well.. one less Nenkin Kourousha we have to pay off.

[kurohinge1]

I somehow smell bullshit with this logic. I am sure he killed himself for other reasons beyond fucked...

There was not much logic used, I fear. With him dead, I guess they only have his wife's observations to go on and speculation.

It may have just been the last straw, or a catalyst, but with about 35,000 japanese offing themselves annually, at least one had to be blamed on the Blue Samurai sooner or later.

Another agency picked up the story, with more details . . .

Japanese fan hangs himself for nation`s dismal WC performance

Taipei, June 25: A Japanese man hanged himself in Taiwan today after the Asian Champions failed to secure a single victory in the World Cup, a report said.

The 60-year-old man identified as Yoshio Takanashi was found dead at the home of his Taiwanese wife`s parents in the city of Taichung, the Cable Televisin News Network Ettoday reported.

It said his wife told police that her husband had stopped watching television following Japan`s dismal performance in the competition.

The team failed to secure a victory in Germany, losing to Australia, drawing with Croatia and losing again to champions Brazil.

[Blah Pete]

The problem is the game has passed the referees by. 10-20 years ago the game was slower and pace. Also, it seems there are more mid field challenges then there used to be which takes more referee concentration and he may miss off ball fouls.

Two refs is difficult to work. I have done it before when a linesman didn't show up on a three person crew. It is OK for the youth level but I couldn't see using it at the pro level. However, with the introduction of the headset communication devices it may be feasable.

I am against video replay. Although there have been horrible mistakes made this cup I think video replay puts the ref at an unfair advantage. The ref shouldn't be compared to video from multi angles and slo-mo as the ref has one angle and a split second to make the decision.

I would like to see some kind of goal line technology used even if is just a pin hole camera mounted in the goal post.

One thing that FIFA considers with applying new rules and technology is that it must be used at all levels. Some high tech goal line technology and video replay is too costly for some levels the game is played at.

The Japanese guy who offed himself was in Taichung, Taiwan. Interesting in that I just arrived in Taichung about two hours ago. If Brazil or Spain loose tonight I definately won't partake in local tradition.

One last point. Why did the Aussies get all the poor refs this WC? And, who the hell calls a PK at the 93rd minute, especially a 50/50 foul. The Aussies got screwed. I better never hear another Italian complain that there was a conspiracy against them in the 2002 S. Korea game.

[dimwit]

[Mulboyne]

One of the problems with refereeing at World Cups is that the referees themselves are in a competition to be appointed to the prestigious games. If they take liberties with FIFA's instructions then they risk being excluded. This tends to make them a lot less flexible in their application of the laws and the spirit of the game is the loser. Most nations have their own horror stories of bad decisions.

Having said that, the number of cards shown at World Cups has been on an upward trend for some time now and this year is breaking all records. I think FIFA is guilty of trying to micromanage the game at World Cup time instead of establishing a strong and consistent team of referees in the intervening years.

[Oradea]

Gilligan>

The whole two referee thang is an interesting arguement.

My one big thang about is this:
The whole reason of having two refs is to try and catch the off the ball incidents, the ref doesnt catch on his own, like the Figo Glaswegian kiss, right?

Well, if there are two refs, it doesn't stop the off the ball incidents. When watching football, 9/10 people are watching the ball (the other one being the ladies watching the arses and legs).

This surely means that the two refs will be looking at the same thing for surely the vast majority of the game.

If there were heavier penalties for "play acting" for example, two month ban (just an example folks....) Then it would certainly help cut down on that crap.

And while I7m at it, all credit to the English lads who instead of rolling around on the pitch, got straight back up and into the game.

Lets leave it as it is, and stop fucking around with the rules. Sometimes the decisions go for you, sometimes against you, thats the bloody game.

[Gilligan]

Two questions:

1) What's the record for most consecutive wins in the World Cup Finals?

2) Does anyone else think that the fat Ronaldo looks a little like Adam Sandler with a crew cut?

[maninjapan]

1) big phil has it now with 10 wins

2) and no you're being stupid

[maninjapan]

I am against video replay. Although there have been horrible mistakes made this cup I think video replay puts the ref at an unfair advantage. The ref shouldn't be compared to video from multi angles and slo-mo as the ref has one angle and a split second to make the decision.

Hang on - where did anyone say this - we were talking about goalline decisions?!