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WOW

Total futbol meets Total meltdown

Reasons:

(1) Horrible "look" by coach Marco van Basten. The queer Euro look just doesn't float. Tough to take him serious.


(2) No Ruud Van Nistelrooy - Just plain stupid!


(3) Absolutely horrible, I mean horrible officiating by the Russian!

I think the ref should have given a few more cards. Because i think the 97.3 cards just wasnt enough.

I honestly hope this guy refs the Championship Final.. I hope he ruins it.. so hopefully FIFA will realize this isn't working.

True Ruud should have been there.. and the Dutch certainly had their chances.. but.. just like US/Italy and Croatia/Australia.. you have to wonder what it would have been like if the ref hadn't gone mental.

dudeman,
What do you expect for a measly $40,000 for the whole month of June?
But.....with that kinda jack, I am gonna go ahead and send in my ref application for 2010.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/07/news/cup.php

I hope England whacks Portugal out of the quarter final. Portugal are a bunch of cheats and fakers. Figo should be ashamed of himself.

I think we can definetely scrach Mr. Ivanov's name from the referee list. He clearly lost control of the match. It was so painful to watch through the end. I have been in such a situtuation, luckily not as bad. I'd want to shoot myself right about now if I were in his place. All started with his decision to keep Figo on the field. I assume Figo got yellow card for UB (Unsportsman behavior), but how in the world do you get an UB call at a dead ball situation?? It clearly states that an UB foul at a dead ball turns into a VC (violent conduct) call which is one of seven mandatory ejection offences. I feel all hell broke lose after that and the players could sence the referee had no guts. In games like these if you are the referee you have to treat the players like dogs. You know, never ever show a dog that you are scared - you will make it worse. You have to be proactive. I think had he shown a couple of straight reds, he would have saved himself a lot of trouble. But that's just my 2 cents.
P.S. Bring on the Uruguan gentleman - there is your brave referee!

Why is it that we always complain about the referee losing control? Wasn't this more a case of the players losing control? The responsibility for this game lies squarely with the players and the coaches. Even knowing the threshold for cards in this tournament, they chose to let it degrade into a fiasco. Each of the cards issued was deserved. In fact, that game could have easily ended at 7 v 7.

Many players' actions were disgraceful. You can't single out Figo, Deco, Boulahrouz or van Bronckhorst.

As far as van Nistelrooy sitting out, it shows that van Basten has courage as a manager. Ruud had been under-performing in the last few days. Maybe more coaches should bench "stars" who don't have the work rate or results that are expected of them. I can think of a few examples.

well benching "stars" worked out well for holland didnt it?

Benching a star may indeed prove a point..or send a message.. and may show courage as a manager. But.. when you're down 1..and won't be back for four years.. and you've had 108,329,029 chances in the box.. and the man that is known for the final touch is sitting on your bench. You put him in the game.

Noble? Stubborn?

I'd say it depends on whether you come out with the "W" or the "L" ..mmmhmm..