10 Matches is not enough

UEFA finally clamp down on racism by proposing 10-match ban for guilty players
UEFA have finally woken up to the ‘scourge’ of racism and will introduce 10-game bans and stadium closures from next season.

Stung by widespread condemnation of a perceived kid glove approach, UEFA bosses have drawn up a range of new measures for European matches and are even urging member associations to adopt them.

General secretary Gianni Infantino revealed that discussions had already taken place with member associations and that all countries, including England, had indicated a willingness to adopt the same sanctions at domestic level next season. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Mail Online.

Kicking Back Comments: IMHO something is better than nothing, but this is closer to nothing than something. Ten match bans for a player don't even scratch the surface for this behavior.

Playing behind closed doors is better, but still does not cut to the heart of the matter, after all Suarez and Terry are players, and are guilty of the conduct, other than depriving a club of some revenue, how does that prevent further such abuse? Clubs will still go after the (3) points, and play their best like Suarez and Terry. Not seeing that one personally.

How about this ... if a player is guilty of such abuses, ban them for the remainder of the season. Period.

If fans are to blame, then I agree with the playing of matches with out fans.

But of course, much of this is going to go back to the referee. From the article:

"Games could also be abandoned if they are marred by racism.

‘It will be up to the referees, but they will be empowered to interrupt games and even abandon them if they become aware or are made aware of racism during games,’ said Infantino. ‘In the first instance, they will request a loud speaker announcement, warning of the consequences. If it happens again, the players will be taken off and another announcement will follow, warning that the game may be abandoned. If there is a third instance, the game will be abandoned and points may be deducted."

There are a couple of issues with this as you can imagine.

Already we are employed as drama judges for flipping and flopping that is occurring all around the pitch. Now we are going to have to become multi-linguists and cultural police to determine what is racism, and what is harmless banter.

Now if I am a coach or a players agent, I am going to immediately ask for evidence, actual evidence, not a statement from a referee or an opposing player why a player is going to sit for 10, 20, 30 matches, or shutter a stadium. 

It is a reasonable question, and one that UEFA has to thing about carefully, as to be draconian, and I think they should, can also lead to abuses on their own, or in a less sinister case, incorrect interpretations.

Referees soon will be required to carry recording devices on their person and no doubt be required to turn in that recording at the end of a match as evidence of any wrongdoing.

Also, and I have said this before, racism in the near future will likely be its own send off offense as "foul and abusive language" may not be specific enough.

While I loath tinkering with the LOTG, this small addition may be very worth while to set it aside as particularly egregious and place it in a sui generis category for especially harsh punishments. 

Next!!

Michel Platini Should Succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA President

On June 1, 2011 Sepp Blatter, accompanied by members of his family, walked out onto the stage at Zurich’s Hallenstadion and accepted a bouquet of flowers, and with it, another four-year mandate as FIFA president.

The incumbent head of world football’s governing body, having first been elected in 1998, Blatter had run unopposed at the 61st FIFA Congress, his name the only one on the ballot. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of Bleacher Report.

Kicking Back Comments: I don't think this is a completely horrible choice actually. Now FIFA Ex-comm member Villar ... or Valcke ... those are completely horrible.

How about some outside the box thinking on this one?

How about Collina?

Why not ... at least we would know there would be integrity from the top.

'Nuff Said

Uefa’s cowardly reaction against Serbian racists takes European game several steps backwards

It’s unbelievable. It’s scarcely credible. It’s the 21st century yet dear old blinkered, blazered Uefa is at it again, failing to fight the fires fanned by the racist Serbs. Again. There are good, diligent, conscientious souls within Uefa but the organisation’s cowardly reaction towards the serial bigotry of the Serbs shames all at Nyon. This embarrassment has gone on too long. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Telegraph.

Kicking Back Comments: Like the title said ... 'nuff said. I think The Telegraph has is right.

Even more right are some of the comments to the article. Here is a good, and true, one.

veralynn

Today 04:16 PM

FIFA

Brown envelopes
Goal line technology
Qatar World Cup in 2022 (Yeh, right!)
No need to retreat 10 yards - the 'ceremonial' free kick

UEFA

Bendtner underpants
Serbian riot

FA

Late stamping on metatarsals
Blocking the runner
Rugby tackles and holding
Intimidation of officials
The 'accidental' flailing arm
The 'accidental' collision of the attacker's heels and the defender's shins
Continual blind eye towards offences missed by officials

But don't worry, the game's in good hands.

Les jeux sont faits, Platini??

Platini: Introducing goal-line technology would be a historical mistake

The clamor for confirmation over whether a ball has crossed the line has grown following Ukraine’s ghost-goal against England, but the UEFA chief is strongly against any changes

UEFA president Michel Platini believes FIFA would be making a “historical mistake” if it introduced goal-line technology, following growing calls for its introduction after Ukraine was denied a goal against England in its Euro 2012 Group D clash. ...

See the full story here, courtesy of goal.com.

Kicking Back Comments: I think thou protest too much Mr. Platini. While I agree with his position, and even the reason he states for it in this article, I'm not quite sure this is his only reasoning.

He was the inventor of EAR's (I call them AAR's) and frankly would not look great if they went by the wayside in lieu of GLT.

I'll be honest, I don't see the benefit given the cost. Given the amount of controversy a referee can inject into a match, and the given number of decisions they make, or can help get right, I'm not seeing it.

I think at the highest level it makes sense ... more eyes are better. What has been forgotten is that more referees == more controversy, and the Ukraine v. England match was no exception. The EAR should have called the goal as I wrote earlier.

Believe me, I don't like the ideas of EAR's, or the idea of GLT. Then again, you are listening to a guy who still wears long sleeves when he referees.

5 Referees, and no goal

Just take a look:



Pretty clear to me ... and should have been for the AAR straddling the goal line, 7 yards away from the post, or even the AR streaking down the field.

Has Platini's experiment with (5) referees failed with this?

Does this seal the fate of goal line technology up for a vote in a couple of weeks?

Sepp tweeted to that effect saying that goal line technology was now a "necessity."

A good article from SF Gate, "England's Luck Changes as Euros Officials Miss Ukraine Goal" covers these angles and more.

Maybe it was luck ... maybe it was poor refereeing ... maybe it was mana from heaven where the "Soccer Gods" smiled on England for a change in this regard.

In any event, I think sadly, it made goal line technology a lock for future matches.

UEFA's Turn "at bat"

Palestine: FIFA urged to cancel European football tournament in Israel

Palestine football leaders have urged UEFA to remove Israel as the 2013 European Under-21 Championship host nation for jailing Palestinian national team players without trial.

Palestine federation president Jibril Rajoub wrote to UEFA President Michel Platini to say that Israel's government is in "direct violation of FIFA regulations." ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Muslim News.

Kicking Back Comments: I would have the same warning for UEFA as I did for FIFA the other day ... be very deliberate if you want to get involved in this one or not.

On another note, I find it interesting (that is to say odd) that as "punishment" for allegedly jailing individuals of a particular citizenship, a soccer tournament is proper to be taken away.

I don't know, even in the extreme, one would seem to far outweigh the other.

Haebous Corpus ... soccer tournament. Not a tough choice, for me anyway.

I Don't think he should have apologized

Sir Dave Richards rant 'unfortunate', warns Britain's Fifa executive

• Richards attacked Fifa then fell into a water feature
• Jim Boyce says the outburst may open 'old sores'

Britain's Fifa vice-president, Jim Boyce, says he will try to limit any damage caused by Sir Dave Richards's "unfortunate" attack on Fifa and Uefa for "stealing" football from the English.

Richards, speaking at a security conference in Doha on Wednesday,also criticised China for claiming to have invented football, and told his hosts they had their "heads in the sand" over alcohol restrictions at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. The Premier League and the FA quickly distanced themselves from the remarks. ...

See the whole story (and fountain diving incident) here, from The Guardian.

Kicking Back Comments: While I understand why Sir Dave apologized, I wish he had not as I believe he is right that FIFA has "stolen" The Game. Taken in context, he would seem to imply that FIFA is exploiting The Game for things other than the sake of The Game itself. To that I agree.

Also, the FA and UEFA members are cowards for quickly saying that Sir Dave was there "in a personal capacity", and did not represent either organization in an "official capacity."

Rubbish. Of course he was there "officially."

I give him credit for telling it like it is, and not kowtowing (bad pun I know given the argument of heritage with the Chinese) to the openly corrupt FIFA, and openly cowardly FA.

My dad made me do it

Wayne Rooney father’s arrest to be used in Football Association's plea for clemency over Euro 2012 ban

The Football Association is considering whether to inform a Uefa appeal panel on Friday that Wayne Rooney’s father was arrested on the day before the game in which he was sent off for kicking out at an opponent as it seeks to have his three-game ban reduced. ...

See the whole story here, courtesy of The Telegraph.

Kicking Back Comments: Are you *beeping* me? This boarders on "my dog ate my homework!" 

Now, if the arrest was for something traumatic like a crime of violence, or something that could result in great harm for his dad, I think the lawyers who are preparing his case have a reasonable shot.

After all, and this is a good lesson, everybody takes baggage into the field with them. If they can deal with it and play (or referee) is the hallmark of a pro. We are fools to think that everyone leads such a charmed life that "real life" does not impact matches. There are a few fools from previous administrations of US Soccer and others, who have washed out referees thinking they knew better than the referees who were dealing with off the field issues.

That aside, what was Roo's dad pinched for? Betting on soccer matches. In fact he was only detained.

From the article:

... Rooney’s state of mind was affected by the arrest, on the eve of the match, of his father, Wayne Snr, by police investigating alleged betting irregularities in football matches.Rooney Snr was one of eight men detained on conspiracy to defraud and was later released on bail.

... and THAT should give Rooney a pass for kicking someone in the way he did? Please.

IMHO, if he really wants to be a leader, take the 3 matches and say "sorry." I also recognize that it is likely not his decision, and the FA "wheels of justice" are turning over Roo where he will sit and look good, and have a canned response crafted by FA lawyers when called on.

I do believe however that at the end of all of this the ban is going to get reduced. Why?

Money.

Any way you cut it Roo is a punk (for now), and a great player, and UEFA wants butts in the seats.

My question is, if a substitute did this (I won't even go down the referee route), would the FA send 4 lawyers to actively work the case, or just be quiet and let the lad hang for 3 (or more) matches?

Simple answer.

Finally a traditionalist

The title of this great article says it all:

Michel Platini: 'The referee must decide, not a guy in front of a tv'

The Brian Viner Interview: The Uefa president hits out at Sepp Blatter's stance on goal-line technology, justifies the Financial Fair Play idea but says he is undecided over England's 2018 bid

The temperature in Switzerland took a dramatic dive earlier this week, causing almost as much consternation in the sleek, glass-and-steel headquarters of Uefa in Nyon on the shores of Lake Geneva as might a dramatic dive in a European final. On the morning I visit, a blanket of thick cloud hangs low over the lake, for which one Uefa functionary actually apologises. A day earlier, he says, it was positively warm, with vivid views of Mont Blanc. Now, all is grey, chilly, damp, inhospitable. My hope is that the mood of Uefa's illustrious president, Michel Platini, will not match the weather. ...

Fabulous article continues here, courtesy of The Independent.

UEFA GETS IT RIGHT !!!!!

WOW IS THIS REFRESHING!

Thanks to a loyal reader (thanks Jeff) I was pointed today to the UEFA refereeing page to find a story and video explaining the new five referee experiment made for the fans.

My initial reaction is how well done this is. A professionally produced spot that will run in stadiums and broadcast prior to a Champions League match.

Take a look at the video and story here, and tell me that this video banging on the "jumbotron" at your local stadium is not cool. Finally, finally, finally, something to get your blood going about refereeing. The closing line with Collina (who heads the UEFA referee program) is just fantastic.

Now, whether or not the experiment will succeed is a whole other story, and time will tell.

For now I am happy to see such a positive and public advertisement of what is going on. No need to keep it under the covers for folks to try to figure out. Well done!

Also, not lost on me was the quality of the materials provided on the site, as compared to FIFA on the same topic. While not surprised, I am amazed at just how wide a rift exists in the quality of materials. More on that soon.

For now, check out the article and video here.