Justice with criminal intent

It just happens that two blog entries in a row are about football referee injustice. Or shall I say stupidity. Or gross inadequacy. Same difference. Everyone who has kept an eye on World Cup 2006 would have by now worked out that there has been an issue with referees. I will not go into detail about the previous games in the tournament but rather focus on last night’s Italy – Australia game.

And do not, even for one minute, think that I’m biased because Australia did not go through. I’ll come back to that.

Last night’s referee exceeded his English colleague’s inabilities by quite a long stretch. And he did that in one clean shot. In fact, that kind of action is almost criminal. I can picture the last few hours before he stepped on the pitch (or ‘the park’ as our SBS commentators call it… What park exactly??? It’s a field, a pitch! Nobody is walking their dog in it). Anyway, ref standing in front of the mirror, in his knee-high socks, admiring himself, hair gel dripping down his forehead, smirking, getting excited, clenching his little fists, thinking:

“Ha ha!... I’m gonna screw this game good! I’ll show that English guy what I can do! I’ll play cool, I’ll confuse them. Not too many yellow cards, I’ll get some of them right too. Yeah, that’s right… Maybe 2 or 3, maybe a red one. I so wish I could give out 9 – but no, I won’t. I’ll save it for the big one. Yeah… That English guy didn’t call a penalty when he should have – but I’ll do the opposite! I’ll make one up… Yeah… everyone will remember me for that!!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!”

This is what I reckon the referee was thinking about (well, except for the fact that he was thinking all that in Spanish). And boy, he stuck to his guns, didn’t he?...

So here’s what I really think of last night's drama:

• Australia started the game very well. Their passing was excellent and methodical, based on a good plan (Hiddink’s plan).
• They just could not execute a shot. They did not even want to take a risk or two and just shoot, for heaven’s sake, like the Italians. Luca Toni did that a few times and scared the hell out of us.
• Italy started to lose it a bit once they got down to 10 players – but they were still giving the Ozzies a very good run. Their defence was excellent. But the numbers advantage seemed to lift the Australians’ courage.
• Australia would have probably lost – but they did not deserve to lose like they did.
• Without Schwarzer, Australia would have been buried 2-0 in the first half.
• (Almost) everyone was blaming Hiddink today for not bringing Aloisi out earlier than he did. Well, the way the game was going and without the referee’s sniper shot, Aloisi came out at the right time – 10 minutes to warm him up and have him ready for the 30 minute extra time.
• Viduka is not as hot as he’s talked up to be. And I think that as a captain he should have been a bit more ‘proud’ and dignified after the match. He’s supposed to carry the team, not join in the mourning – and not when the whole world is watching
• Guus Hiddink will be really missed by the fans (even if half of Australia had no idea who he was until three months or so ago) and by the team. He'll be hard to replace.
  
• FIFA should seriously reprimand some of this Cup’s referees. They buried the ambitions of some teams and they gave the sport a bad name; it is now easy to perceive that, no matter how good a team is and how hard they try, they’re at the mercy of this one man.

After the Croatia game, FIFA officials tried to raise our hopes by suggesting a rematch should Australia had lost the game. Well, what about last night’s game? Is FIFA thinking of cancelling the outcome and stage the 30-minute extra time and possible penalty shoot out?

FIFA must seriously look into what happened this year (and hopefully before the next few games). If football is to flourish in this side of the world, people need to see the serious and fair side of it which, right now, is rather comical and unfair at the same time.

Let’s hope that what happened last night will not put people off and that Australian youth continues to discover the magic and the passion – as well as the fact that it is the “real football”, because of a. the shape of the “ball” and b. the fact that generally one uses their “foot” and not their hand!...

As for these criminal whistle-blowing, card-issuing morons walking up and down football parks… Hasta la vista referees, you’re just no good!...