Kevin LustigFoot-Balls
June 15th 2008 17:11
This isn't Champions League-related at all, but it is something I think football fans all around the world (except maybe Polish fans) can enjoy, and I just can't restrain myself from mentioning it.
For those who didn't catch the Euro 2008 match between Poland and Austria, Poland scored a goal in the 30th minute and held onto a 1-0 lead over Austria for nearly the entire match. In the end, though, a controversial penalty call for Austria in stoppage time by English ref Howard Webb earned the hosts a draw and a slim chance to continue in the tournament. Since the game, Poles right on up to the Prime Minister have been furious with Webb, some even announcing quite publicly their desire to seem him dead.
Now, in one of the ballsiest moves by a ref that I've ever heard of, Webb has responded to the savage criticism of his refereeing by admitting that he did make a mistake - allowing the Polish goal to stand. According to Webb, the penalty kick decision was absolutely correct, and in fact it was the Poles who got an unfair point out of the match. I've never even heard of a ref saying, to paraphrase, "F*** you" to the fans like this before, but frankly, good for him. There has been a ton of second-guessing of the officiating in the European Championship so far, much of it appropriate (UEFA needs to hold a clinic on the offsides rule for all of the officials in this year's tournament), but when a country's head of state says he "wanted to kill" a referee, things have gotten out of hand. Webb was right on to hit back, and what a classy way to do it, with a subtle slap at the whiny Polish fans. I have to imagine even the more reasonable spectators pulling for the Polish side will appreciate this response.
In related news, UEFA have yet to reveal whether or not they will be augmenting Webb's security detail for the remainder of Euro 2008.
For those who didn't catch the Euro 2008 match between Poland and Austria, Poland scored a goal in the 30th minute and held onto a 1-0 lead over Austria for nearly the entire match. In the end, though, a controversial penalty call for Austria in stoppage time by English ref Howard Webb earned the hosts a draw and a slim chance to continue in the tournament. Since the game, Poles right on up to the Prime Minister have been furious with Webb, some even announcing quite publicly their desire to seem him dead.
Now, in one of the ballsiest moves by a ref that I've ever heard of, Webb has responded to the savage criticism of his refereeing by admitting that he did make a mistake - allowing the Polish goal to stand. According to Webb, the penalty kick decision was absolutely correct, and in fact it was the Poles who got an unfair point out of the match. I've never even heard of a ref saying, to paraphrase, "F*** you" to the fans like this before, but frankly, good for him. There has been a ton of second-guessing of the officiating in the European Championship so far, much of it appropriate (UEFA needs to hold a clinic on the offsides rule for all of the officials in this year's tournament), but when a country's head of state says he "wanted to kill" a referee, things have gotten out of hand. Webb was right on to hit back, and what a classy way to do it, with a subtle slap at the whiny Polish fans. I have to imagine even the more reasonable spectators pulling for the Polish side will appreciate this response.
In related news, UEFA have yet to reveal whether or not they will be augmenting Webb's security detail for the remainder of Euro 2008.
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