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Loki
07-12-2010, 11:40 PM
The most hated man in Holland: English World Cup referee Howard Webb faces Dutch fury (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1294071/Holland-blames-World-Cup-final-defeat-English-referee-Howard-Webb-wife-him.html)

English referee Howard Webb was facing an orange tide of criticism today after handing out a record 14 cards during a tumultuous World Cup final.

Dutch players who reacted furiously after their extra-time defeat to Spain continued with the tirade, blaming the tournament's leading referee for their loss.

Media outlets in the Netherlands also rounded on Webb, blaming him for missing a corner for Holland in the build-up to the goal and a foul which could have led to a red card for match winner Andres Iniesta.

But the former police sergeant can take some comfort from the support of the Fifa President Sepp Blatter and his wife Kay.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-0-0A69A2FB000005DC-138_468x286.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-1294071-0A61110A000005DC-361_468x405.jpg

Dutch journalists reacted angrily to the final, with one newspaper labelling Webb a 'chump'.

An article in AD Sportwereld said: 'The Dutch national team perished in the World Cup final - thanks largely to a chump of a referee.

'It was a riveting battle, emerging through the tension but the Philistines were helped by Howard Webb, a controversial referee from England.

'He hopped across the pitch, handing out cards, each time preceding the act with an irritating address of the culprit.

'The teams deserved a referee in top form but that was certainly not the case with Webb.

'Spain's winning goal was understandably celebrated passionately by the Spaniards but the blunder by Webb which came before - he missed an obvious corner for Holland, took the shine off it, at least for the Dutch.'

De Telegraaf noted: 'The referee failed to calm the mood in 120 minutes. That he was booed at the final ceremony by both the Dutch and Spanish fans was significant.'

Criticism of Webb also appeared in the Spanish media, whose members appeared not to have forgiven him for errors in the group stages.

In El Mundo Deportivo it said: 'Holland were able to count on an unexpected ally: referee Howard Webb, who allowed the Dutch to get away with brutal fouls time and time again.

'Holland committed 28 fouls and the referee should have sent off De Jong for a karate kick on Xabi Alonso,' La Vanguardia opined, before adding: '(Wesley) Sneijder was also let off and Howard Webb failed to award a penalty for a Heitinga foul on Xavi.'

Wesley Sneijder, one of three members of the starting Dutch line-up not to be booked by Webb, said: 'He has robbed us. This really is a disgrace to football. It really shouldn't have happened.

'First I shot a free kick that hit the wall and then the Spanish keeper touched it before going behind. What does the referee do? The whistle was not for a corner.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-0-0A6816B4000005DC-676_468x326.jpg

'In the following attack, Iniesta is at first offside. Webb doesn't whistle and then Iniesta gets the ball and scores.

'And earlier there was a moment with Iniesta, he kicked Van Bommel when the ball was not there. The fourth official saw the moment and he said, "Yeah, I saw it". I think if you saw it it's a red card.'

'That's three incidents in a short space of time. It is a scandal it has to end this way.'

Arsenal star Robin van Persie speculated that leniency showed by Webb to Spanish players was a result of guilt he felt for the way he refereed the champions earlier in the tournament.

'What was this man doing,' said the striker of Webb. 'He made three big errors in extra time of a World Cup final. Believe me, this really hurts.

'Even after Heitinga's red card I still felt we could be world champions. With penalty kicks we'd at least have a 50 per cent chance.

'He whistled four minutes from time, but not for a corner, and later overlooks Iniesta being in an offside position.

'Iniesta should not have been on the pitch because he kicked Van Bommel. He also should have shown (Carles) Puyol a second yellow card for trying to knock down (Arjen) Robben.

'I don't say it's only down to the referee. We missed a very good chance. But the referee has been decisive.

'Perhaps it was because Spain were wronged in a group match against Switzerland (which Webb refereed)? Let me say nothing.'

However, under-fire Webb was backed by Fifa boss Sepp Blatter and understandably his wife who said she had 'every confidence' in her husband.

Blatter said: 'The final was not exactly what I expected in terms of fair play. It's not up to me [to] judge the performances of the officials, I can only say it was a very hard task that the referee trio had on the field of play.

'It was not easy, really not easy and they were really not helped in this task I can say.'

Kay Webb, who was unable to watch much of the game because she was too nervous, told GMTV she thought the 38-year-old Yorkshireman was 'brilliant'.

'I have every confidence in him,' she said.

Father-of-three Webb was the first Englishman to referee a World Cup final since 1974, and was watched by an estimated TV audience of 750 million.

The Ripper
07-12-2010, 11:42 PM
What a bunch of sore losers.

Beorn
07-12-2010, 11:49 PM
'Oranges and Lemons' say the bells of St. Clements.

Oinakos Growion
07-12-2010, 11:49 PM
Funny. The Spanish press and fans fiercely criticised the ref too because of his wrong decisions and allowing the Dutch to "intimidate" him during the game with constant protests.
But it was all forgotten within hours because they won, as it normally happens.

Can't people just see he simply is a bad referee in general and that he wasn't up to the task and will never be?

Beorn
07-12-2010, 11:54 PM
Can't people just see he simply is a bad referee in general and that he wasn't up to the task and will never be?

He's not a bad referee, in fact I think he's one of the best since Elleray, but it's that he "was" quietly told not to spoil such a lucrative event by red carding multi-million pound interests. The amount of money that sits on each player alone in sporting contracts must be unbelievable. Who remembers that zombie formerly known as Ronaldo that played in the France - Brazil World Cup final? How much was Nike set to lose if he didn't play? Oop! No he's suddenly playing at the last minute.

Money. Money. Money.

Oinakos Growion
07-13-2010, 12:00 AM
Well, Fabregas actually said good things about him on TV before the World Cup because he knows him from England. But he reffed in the last Euro I think and was far from impressive. He also did the Switzerland-Spain game and was also bad (for both teams).
He might be alright at some other level, but he's not good enough for a world cup final. I even think he was a bit shaky at some stages.

antonio
07-13-2010, 12:03 AM
I dont know if he's a good or a bad referee, but I liked the way he managed the game. Obviously Holland could be playing with 10 from first time middle. But this would be bad for the spectacle. It's was a competitive match and that's all what I want from a modern football game where all footballers (even the better ones) behave like robots with their personal initiative reduced to a minimum.

Ps. Spanish fans should not forget that even a clearer red card (just by the fact of being a manifest goal chance) had to be shown at Puyol vs Robben.

Loki
07-13-2010, 12:16 AM
Howard Webb: My two hours of hell - English referee 'drained' by World Cup final ordeal (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2010/article-1294176/Howard-Webb-My-hours-hell--English-referee-drained-World-Cup-final-ordeal.html)

English referee Howard Webb has described Sunday's World Cup final as 'the most difficult two hours' of his career.

The Rotherham official admitted he was 'physically and emotionally drained' following the hellish experience of handing out a record 13 yellow cards and one red during Spain's 1-0 extra-time win over a brutal Holland side.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/07/12/article-0-0A6886BB000005DC-483_468x332.jpg

The Lawspeaker
07-13-2010, 12:19 AM
Ah. I am sure that he will have some Spanish millions on his account by now so the w.nker shouldn't cry..

Guapo
07-13-2010, 12:21 AM
What's with the Dutch? Not even us swarthy Serbs act like this after losing :D We kill the players! Blame the psychic octopus. I'm sure Robben bet against Holland too :D

Beorn
07-13-2010, 12:27 AM
Blame the psychic octopus.

First the ref and now the octopus! I smell a bad case of anti-Englishness brewing on this forum.

:sherlock:

Oinakos Growion
07-13-2010, 12:28 AM
We kill the players!
You have a lot to learn from the North Koreans :D Send the players to work in coal mines and at least they'll be productive in something :D

Guapo
07-13-2010, 12:29 AM
You have a lot to learn from the North Koreans :D Send the players to work in coal mines and at least they'll be productive in something :D

Bah, coal mines are for real men! Not gracile pansy footballers.

Groenewolf
07-13-2010, 09:44 AM
Can't people just see he simply is a bad referee in general and that he wasn't up to the task and will never be?

He was indeed clearly incompetent. Way to soft at the moments requiring hard decisions. And then I mean handing out red cards in stead of yellow one's

The Ripper
07-13-2010, 10:29 AM
Holland's side really deserved more reds, right you are.

Agrippa
07-13-2010, 01:50 PM
It wasn't his day - if he wouldn't be a good ref. he wouldn't have been there, but at this very difficult match (which was far worse to watch than the match for the 3rd place I might add) he had his problems.

The Dutch are the least to complain, they made an awful and unfair game, if they would have won it would have been a pity after what they showed.

I can only feel sorry for Robben which played well but not good enough, bad luck added to that.

But the Netherlands should know how much luck they had not staying there with just 9 players after the first half! If the ref. would have been completely objective and seen everything, they would've been hit much earlier and harder.

After all thats soccer and not rugby and even in rugby some things they did are ruled out...

They ruined the game with their conduct, especially in the first half.

Groenewolf
07-13-2010, 02:51 PM
The Dutch are the least to complain, they made an awful and unfair game, if they would have won it would have been a pity after what they showed.

I can not really describe how I feel right now. I get exicted about a football match and this happens. This is not the way to win or loose. If we had won, that one scene out of Bloodsport 1 would have been fitting.


I can only feel sorry for Robben which played well but not good enough, bad luck added to that.

We had some good players, but badly enough the coach did not have enough foresight to put in more cool headed players. Even more so with the strategy he was probably attempting. With good and cool headed players it would not have been what we had seen Sunday, but a much better fight. But we played in way where we deserved to loose.:(


But the Netherlands should know how much luck they had not staying there with just 9 players after the first half! If the ref. would have been completely objective and seen everything, they would've been hit much earlier and harder.

Like I have said elsewhere. If i was the Dutch coach they would have gotten a slap on the head from me for the way they acted.:mad:

Agrippa
07-13-2010, 04:40 PM
Right, I too got the impression the players got the "order" to tackle and "play the hard way" to drag down the Spaniards. We all know the Spanish team is right now really the best in the world, great style too, so he wanted to use the physical strenghts, "body play" - which doesn't look that great, but is ok, as long the players know the limits, which they didn't and I guess that was also because of what the coach told them.

If just one or two would have gone wild, that could be chance, but in a game like this that must have been an order from the coach - probably he thought about something different, but at least that's how it reached the players...