Monday, 12 July 2010 14:20

Channeling Eric Cantona

Written by Rodrigo Rodriguez
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The Beautiful game? But don’t blame the ref…

 

 

Howard Webb had no choice but to issue the World Cup final record of 13 yellow cards and a red card. 

 

We were all waiting for a game that would showcase the “Beautiful Game”.  We got something akin to a World Championship UFC bout.

 

Many will argue that Webb should have issued a few yellow cards in the opening 14 minutes and that he influenced the result of the game by not sending off Nigel De Jong for his Karate kick on Xabi Alonso, some may argue that he probably tried to let things go because conceivably this World Cup could have been ruined by sending 2 Dutch men off in the first half.  I say he did the right thing and issued yellows rather than straight reds.

 

It was the players who took advantage of his “lenient” decisions in the first half.  Webb must have thought he was in charge of a Championship game between Millwall and Scunthorpe United a tough, uncompromising game of football rather than a game between the inventors of “Beautiful football” and today’s best exponents of it.

 

Clearly Holland’s had only one way to combat the free flowing passing game that we expect from the Spaniards….Channel Eric Cantona’s kung-fu talents. It worked for most of the game! The Dutch restricted the “Beautiful game” of Spain but they invented it so I suppose they had every right!

 

For Van Marwijk and Kuyt to come out and blame the referee is sour grapes and they should take a good hard look at themselves because if it wasn’t for Webb they wouldn’t have been playing with a  full complement of players for as long as they did.

 

Imagine if the Mexican ref who sent Tim Cahill off against Germany was in charge of this game, it would have been a five-a-side game.

 

Don’t blame the referee!  I think he did a pretty good job under the circumstances.

 

So, it is done, Spain are officially World Champions which is something we have all thought for quite some time anyway.

 

VIVA ESPANA!!!!

 

I’ve told you what I think but I am interested in your thoughts. Did Webb influence the result of the World Cup final?

 

Rodrigo Rodriguez

 

BTW: Finally we saw how good Cesc Fabregas can be. He was the bright spark the game needed when he came on.

 

 

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Rodrigo Rodriguez

Rodrigo Rodriguez

It was June 2000 when I realised that I would never play for my country, my MENTALITY was all wrong. A little lost, I was taken in by the Four Diegos who seemed to have an enlightened MENTALITY; some might say they are factory of MENTALITY.  Being a Diego means looking beyond the field of play and wallowing in the collective MENTALITY of those of us who will never play for our country but love to analyse, laugh and cry at the often dubious MENTALITY of those who are good enough to play for their country.

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3 comments

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  • Comment Link Ali Koschel (Alinhosa) Friday, 16 July 2010 12:05 posted by Ali Koschel (Alinhosa)

    I'm with you Rodrigo, Fabregas was the spark needed to ignite Spain (and Micky is still smiling, his hero set up the win and he backed them all along).

    I think Webb did a good enough job, he tried to discipline players (whom at this level of the game should have been able to do this for themselves)without making it a farsical game of five v five in the end.

    Obviously emotion is high in the final of the world cup however there is no excuse for players of this calibre to commit the fouls they did and have the brain explosions they did. When have referees ever encouraged dissent on the field from players (and they shouldn't) it isn't sparring or boxing the spectators go to watch its football!

    Well done to Netherlands for getting to the final and well done for the guard of honour at the end showing some semblance of sportsmanship still exists but to those carrying on about the ref, would you like cheese with the whine!!!!

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