Archive for July, 2006
This post is an illusion
You see, I’m not really here at all. I’m actually between two camps, and as such, I’m asleep. No, really!
The first camp went well, thank you, and I’m off to GB this afternoon, having had the tyres changed on the car this morning…
Have fun on your own holidays!
That’s all, folks!
As you probably know by now, England was knocked out of the World Cup on penalties by Portugal.
I’d like to take this occasion to complain bitterly about the standards of refereeing that we have seen over the last few weeks. There have been an enormous amount of mistakes and wrong decisions, to the point where one has to wonder what rules the refs are playing by, and whether a quick eyesight test might not be in order.
I’ll take an example that has nothing to do with England. The match between Italy and Australia was a draw at nil-nil, until the 93rd minute (three minutes into the three minutes of injury time). Neill, defending for Australia, went for the ball in the rihthand corner of the penalty box. He failed to touch the ball, and ended up prone on the ground. Grossi, who had at that point got the ball past Neill, tripped over him, and instead of stumbling, took a dive onto the ground. Ther ewa no foul involved, any more than there would have been a foul if it had been the other way round, or if it had happpened in the centrefield.
But the ref, either because he missaw or because he was influenced by the immediate Italian cries of foul, gave a penalty which cost Australia the match. This pattern of wrongly granted kicks or of refused kicks has been repeated in very nearly every match.
Why? Have they not eyes?
Sour grapes? Of course they’re sour!