EA Mobile has released FIFA 11 for iPad, just in time for Christmas. Although if you're on a slower broadband connection, you might want to start downloading it now to ensure it's playable by 25 December - it's a whopping 890MB download.
As you'd expect from FIFA, there are bags of fully-licensed teams to play - 500 from around the world - and 35 gloriously-HD stadia to do it in. It has to be said, too, that the game looks amazing on the iPad screen. ...
So says Claus Bo Larsen, FIFA referee since 1996, of Cristiano Ronaldo from a goal.com article here.
Take a look at the article however as it goes on to say that:
“Cristiano Ronaldo is given a clean slate at the start of every game, but when he would lie down after failing to win a free-kick, he would smile at me because he knows I don’t fall for his theatrics.”
Now *THAT* is refereeing at the highest levels. Know what is coming, talk with the players, and react (not prejudge) when an incident occurs.
Another outstanding FIFA refereeing talent retiring this month.
The NYT had a very interesting article about Blatter's recent visit to Qatar after their victory in securing the 2022 World Cup.
Most of this article spoke about his recent gaffe regarding homosexuals and just how revealing it was of the man himself.
In addition to this, there was a piece that caught my eye. From the article:
This gaffe may take him even further from the Nobel Peace Prize, which he has been lusting after for years. A Nobel Peace Prize for doling out soccer tournaments under murky circumstances, and occasionally prattling about fair play?
Are you [bleeping] me?
Is this pol really in the hunt for a Nobel Peace Prize?
He's kidding, right?
After poking around though, it would seem he is serious ... or at least he is reported to be, from a variety of sources. (ioL Sport, 7am Kickoff, SI.com)
Reaction to this was fairly visceral:
Excuse me while I vomit in the nearest available bucket.
Quoted one article ... and I share the sentiment.
Maybe we got the reason wrong for the abrupt shift for 2022 to Qatar. It may not have been money after all, but pride.
If Sepp winds up with a Nobel, I would have to say that was the primary reason, not the petrodollars currently under suspicion.
December is a special time of year for many. It includes holidays and the drawing of the year to a close, which is often time for reflection and rejuvenation.
For me personally it is a reminder of getting older as my birthday is in December. This is true of a friend of mine as well, who turns 45 this year.
Now early in my life there was nothing magic about turning 45, other than it was a long, long way away. But in my recent past, turning 45 meant the required end of any journey I would have taken on the FIFA panel.
There was no such journey for me personally ... however there was for Tom Supple FIFA AR. This month is his 45th birthday and his mandatory retirement from the pinnacle of refereeing, the FIFA panel.
I write this not to evoke a sadness in anyone, nor regret in myself for never "taking the plunge", it is rather to celebrate a storied career of one of the best AR's in modern times of THE game, and pay tribute to a friend.
Tom is in the first generation of referees to traverse the entire system in US Soccer, from youth matches to the international game. Prior to this generation, referees were generally molded in amateur leagues around various states and then, if there was a professional league at the time, put to the test there. If these referees were able to survive that gambit, then the very lucky were asked to join the FIFA panel as a referee, and potentially on to other assignments as well such as those within CONCACAF or even a World Cup.
David Socha
Refereeing legends such as David Socha who whistled at (2) World Cups (1982 and 1986) were of such ilk. Others such as Vinnie Mauro, Angelo Bratsis, Alfred Kleinaitis, and Ed Bellion who were on the FIFA panel in the 1990's were in similar standing.
As with other referees today, Tom was required to start literally in his backyard, on the South Shore of Massachusetts. Youth matches were the staple of his refereeing diet and included all levels of the game at local leagues, and the occasional club match in various parts of the state.
It wasn't long before Tom was recognized for his superior refereeing ability and was invited to local tournaments, and others such as the Massachusetts State Cup, as well as a host of other, out of state, prestigious assignments.
By this time, Tom and I had met and were working very regularly on the South Shore at the South Shore Sports Center in Hingham, MA under the gentle tutelage and ageless wisdom of Wally Russell.
It wasn't long before he was thrown head first into the various ethnic leagues the state had to offer as he would share stories of the crazy events of the day that would often include a great match, and an escort from a detail officer off the field.
By now Tom's youth career was in full bloom as he attended the Region I championships in 1993, 94, 95, 96, and was selected to complete his US Youth career in Indiana at the US Youth Soccer Nationals. Tom's adult career at this point included mostly top level amateur and professional matches from the A-League and D-3.
Almost on cue, MLS began in 1995 and Tom was one of the referees selected to start from year 1. As was typical, referees such as Tom that were state referees were assigned as 4th officials and JAR in matches.
Tom Supple: NE v. Miami circa June 1999
As had been his hallmark his whole career, Tom excelled in his role, and was selected for the AR track at the professional level. Take note however, this also meant a fair number of matches carrying a whistle, and as I discussed recently, he can whistle a match just as good as any FIFA referee I know.
After attaining his National Badge in 1999 he continued to distinguish himself in MLS. So much so, he was appointed to the FIFA AR panel in 2004. Now 9 years in MLS, Tom was on the world's stage.
From there, as with his other accomplishments, he excelled. His assignments at this point consisted of professional, international friendly, international, and World Cup qualifying matches as he traveled throughout CONCACAF ... and the world.
So here we are on the eve of his retirement, 25+ years later, FIFA AR, 15 year MLS veteran, and just one heck of a referee all the way around. I'll be honest though, this is not even half of the story, not by a long shot.
The real story is the quality person Tom is and how much he has sacrificed of his very essence for THE game. He took us all on this fantastic ride for so long. Coast to coast, U-6 to international stage. A truly fantastic voyage.
Some may ask, heck he may ask, things like:
Now what?
Was it worth it?
While I certainly can't answer those things, I can say that through every fiber of by being just one thing with absolute certainty ...
He earned it.
He is a FIFA referee, and shall be held as such for life. For some, that badge itself is a means to an end. For me, after spending a lifetime thinking and dreaming about it, I find it a fleeting honor in the grand scheme. It's not the badge, it's that guy behind that badge that means the most.
After all how does one rationalize what FIFA President, Sepp Blatter said (even jokingly) at a Monday (13-DEC) press conference in South Africa, of prospective gay fans: "I would say they should refrain from any sexual activities."
This because homosexual acts are illegal in Qatar.
Maybe Sepp is just trying to be the emissary of the 2022 World Cup and let everyone know what to expect?
Maybe Sepp was just hosing down the pitch with testosterone to keep up with South African President Jacob Zuma, who has said at the same press conference that, "When I was growing up, a (insert "homosexual" slur here) would not have stood in front of me. I would have knocked him out."
Nice.
The president of FIFA and the president of South Africa ... what a fitting couple.
As you can imagine there is a backlash to these comments from a variety of sources, and an interesting article is here from the WSJ about the whole situation.
This will however be an interesting mix in 2022 ... culture for cash. We will see just how far people in Qatar are willing to trade their way of life for sponsorship dollars ... at least for a month (in January??).
I stopped in at a recertification session for State referees this past Sunday in Westboro. It is a requirement for anyone holding a state badge in Massachusetts. It was well attended, with most of the state referees in attendance, as well as all of the National referees who helped out.
Observation #1: There is a prevailing undercurrent that things should be laid out and made easy for the referees. Several people were heard to say things like, "They should..." or, "There should be..." (with the rest of the sentence containing the suggestion of what someone else should be doing to make the referees' lives easier). Good suggestions to be sure, but hardly anyone started a sentence with, "We should..." or preferably even, "I should..." I'll be the first to acknowledge that refereeing is a difficult and often thankless job, but did we lose our sense of responsibility somewhere along the way?
Observation #2: Many in the room struggled to catch the nuances of the Laws, especially with regard to things that rarely if ever happen in the match. Some of the more obscure questions on the written exam were dismissed as nonsensical and not important enough to worry about. No doubt most referees may never have to deal with a crazy spectator who comes onto the field to prevent the scoring of a goal, but wouldn't it be nice to know you can when and if it happens? Anybody can handle the common stuff. Better referees are going to prepare for the unusual events which inevitably occur when least expected.
Observation #3: There is a lot of pride in that room. When asked if they wanted to downgrade their fellow officials who did not attend the clinic, the overwhelming sentiment was yes. Being a State Referee requires annual assessments, fitness training, clinic attendance and even a financial commitment that is significantly more than the rest of the population. These people generally have the soccer culture firmly embedded in their souls. They want to keep the standards high. We should be happy to have them representing our state.
So for those who follow grid iron football, and especially those who follow the AFC East, we were treated to a very interesting incident in the contest between the NY Jets and Miami Dolphins. The incident was reported by several outlets (ESPN here) and details NY Jets strength and conditioning coach Sal Alosi intentionally tripping Miami cornerback Nolan Carroll during punt coverage as he ran out of bounds. Carroll required some brief medical attention after the incident.
Now, regarding this incident (and I am not going to hide my feelings here), this coward was suspended for the remainder of the season, and fined $25,000 (source). [Please take note that the fine for this coach for this single incident was more than the fine of both Spain and the Netherlands combined for their entire teams during the World Cup final.] While this is a good start, Alosi should also lose his job for doing something so monumentally stupid that place a player in genuine jeopardy.
He of course was remorseful for his actions, and I believe that was genuine, however for me there is only so much afterthought that can be given credit for an absolute lack of forethought.
With that as a stage, what happens if this occurs at a soccer match? What is the decision here?
Keep in mind the incident occurred OUTSIDE THE FIELD, AND AWAY FROM PLAY, or should that even matter?
For the moment let's assume that a brawl did not break out as a result of the incident (as some Miami players would have liked), and the referee did see the incident (as opposed to what happened in this game), and a player simply ran out of bounds as part of play and was tripped by a coach standing out of bounds.
For this answer I am using the 2010/2011 LOTG found here, and 2009/2010 Advice found here.
First, is there anything wrong with the player leaving the field? After all the player "left the field" without permission of the referee, is that a caution as required by Law 12 (p.26 LOTG)?
In this case, no. See section 3.9 of the Advice which states that this conduct is acceptable, if during the normal course of play and not for a tactical advantage. Note, there are exceptions for other situations as discussed in the LOTG and Advice.
So it would seem the player was playing, even if off the field, and the coach was off the field ... it is a foul?
In other words, should we start with a free kick for a foul?
Here too the answer is a clear no, as the opposing coach (who tripped the player) is not an "opponent" as required to be a foul for law 12. From p. 25 of the LOTG a foul would lie if one "kicks or attempts to trip an opponent." Please note, "an opponent" is interpreted to be "an opponent player", while I can make an argument that this coach is "an opponent", and the laws are NOT clear in making the distinction between an opponent (such as a coach) or an opponent player, just roll with me here and know I mean a player.
Can we even stop the game then? After all we have an incident outside the field by people other than players. Where do we have the authority to do this, and should we?
A clear yes is the case here as from Law 5 p.16 the referee may:
"stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind."
So we are allowed to do this, but should we?
My answer here is YOU BETTER. If you see it, and it was intentional act by a coach, substitute, whatever ... deal with it right then. Otherwise, the players will. Now the physics of the situation can change greatly based on venue, level and so on. My though here is to stop the game and deal with it, or have those tasked to deal with it (e.g. local staff) deal with it.
Is there a misconduct for the coach?
You betcha. That coach should be "expelled" (note I did not say, "get sent off"), and not return. The LOTG do not have allowances for "send off" a coach per se. That misconduct is reserved for players. See Law 5 p.16 for the distinction.
What is the coach "expelled" for?
Directly from LOTG, Law 5 p.16: "takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at his discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds."
So coaches and staff are "expelled" for failing to conduct themselves in a "responsible manner." If you find yourself in this spot, use these magic words on the match report.
So all of this out of the way, how do we restart the match?
Section 5.19 of the Advice is INVALUABLE for this type of question. So look at the table, and let's review.
The offense was committed against an opponent or any other person, off the field. (Row 2, Column 4)
The restart is a drop ball at the spot where the ball was when play was stopped. (Row 3, Column 4)
And this makes sense too from a "fairness" perspective. As this took place outside the field, by an outside agent (a coach), it stands to reason it would be a drop ball. It is NOT a foul (so no free kick), and there was no foul by a player (such as leaving the field without permission), so there should be no free kick for such. Note however, if the ball was out of play, you begin with the appropriate restart. (Column 5)
Our friends at Ask A Soccer Referee have tackled variations on this theme, and their answer is here.
And before you think this can't happen ... check out below (or here if video does not work)
Olympic chief sees corruption probe over in months
GENEVA — Olympic chief Jacques Rogge said on Monday that the IOC's own inquiry into senior sports officials, triggered by allegations of corruption at FIFA, should be completed within months.
"The commission is working with due diligence it's definitely not something that's for tomorrow but it will not, in my humble opinion, last for months," Rogge told journalists.
The International Olympic Committee seized its ethics commission two weeks ago to examine evidence from a BBC report that targeted three senior executive officials at world football's governing body FIFA. ...
... but where is the US Soccer announcement on Brian's promotion?
NEW YORK - Former World Cup veteran Brian Hall has been appointed to the newly created position of CONCACAF director of referee administration, and will assume his new post at the confederation's New York headquarters on Monday.
The 49-year-old Hall officiated matches at the amateur and professional level for more than 30 years and was a four-time recipient of U.S. Major League Soccer's Referee of the Year award. He will work in conjunction with the CONCACAF Referee Committee and the FIFA Referee Assistance Program on the appointment, scheduling and assessment of referees. ...
Hall Appointed CONCACAF Director Of Referee Administration
Former World Cup veteran Brian Hall has been appointed to the newly created position of CONCACAF director of referee administration, and will assume his new post at the confederation’s New York headquarters on Monday.
The 49-year-old Hall officiated matches at the amateur and professional level for more than 30 years and was a four-time recipient of U.S. Major League Soccer’s Referee of the Year award. He will work in conjunction with the CONCACAF Referee Committee and the FIFA Referee Assistance Program on the appointment, scheduling and assessment of referees.
Well ... for those of us affected or who follow US Soccer there are (2) burning questions in my head now.
1. Who is going to lead the US Soccer referee program? As I have stated before there seems to be a real lack of administration at the US Soccer level for referees. I can think of one name (and will reserve it for now ... but he would be perfect) but short of that it would seem the USS US Soccer referee program is going adrift. I hope that come January 1, 2011 there are some announcements to shore up this lack of direction.
2. Can Brian make a dent in FIFA's thinking to get a referee to the World Cup? While there have been others from the US in positions at CONCACAF and FIFA, I would opine their efforts in the past have been marginal getting the exposure to only some of the referees who are able to compete on the world stage. Recently (as in WC 2010) these efforts have been poor and while I exclude performance of individual referees in this analysis (which is a factor) word on the street is while the US had some folks who were considered for the tournament, there was little or no backing from our countrymen in FIFA that killed any chance entirely.
Overall this is a great appointment not only for Brian, but also for US Soccer referees. While the US has been a part of FIFA and CONCACAF for some time, it is my hope Brian's mesh of refereeing talent and empathy, as well as his management savvy and business acumen serve US referees well in the future.
By the way ... not a peep yet from the US Soccer web site. I would have thought something this good for US referees, they would want to get out straight away.
FIFA SEEKS APPROVAL OF 5 MAN REFEREE SYSTEM AT EURO 2012
PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- UEFA's 2012 European Championship tournament could be played using an experimental system of five match officials promoted by its president Michel Platini.
Platini's executive committee agreed Friday to ask again for permission from FIFA's rules-making panel.
The panel, known as IFAB, limited five-referee trials to club football when it met in July. It approved the system for UEFA's Champions League and Europa League competitions until 2012. ...
10 December ~ Transparency at FIFA has been a big talking point since the usual shady shenanigans surrounding the World Cup hosting allocation process led to what many see as an unhappy result, especially with regard to plucky outsider Qatar’s winning bid. But not everyone on the FIFA executive committee is completely secretive about the way they operate. Concacaf general secretary Chuck Blazer loves a good twitter, and runs a blog documenting his travels as a football functionary. It’s an instructive read, right enough.
Blazer loves to come across as the cheerful, chubby clown by posting pictures of himself in ridiculous Halloween get-up, or wearing a Santa hat. When you laugh at yourself, the joke’s on those who laugh at you. And, as he told Sports Business Journal earlier this year, when he reads or hears negative things about himself – such as the time during FIFA’s court case with Mastercard in 2006 when a New York judge described his testimony as “fabricated” and lacking credibility – “I shrug at it.” When you’ve got an apartment in Trump Tower and you’re travelling first class around the world, you’re pretty much untouchable. Why care what others think? ...
willful blindness. Deliberate avoidance of knowledge of a crime, esp. by failing to make a reasonable inquiry about suspected wrongdoing despite being aware that it is highly probable. • A person acts with willful blindness, for example, by deliberately refusing to look inside an unmarked package after being paid by a known drug dealer to deliver it. Willful blindness creates an inference of knowledge of the crime in question. See Model Penal Code § 2. [Cases: Criminal Law 20, 314. C.J.S. Criminal Law §§ 31-33, 35-39, 700; Negligence § 913.]
BLACK'S LAW DICTIONARY 1630 (8th ed. 2004)
FIFA's Sepp Blatter Denies World Cup Corruption, Says England Is Bad Loser
FIFA President Sepp Blatter said there’s no proof to support media allegations of corruption in the award of World Cups to Russia and Qatar, Swiss weekly Weltwoche reported. He also said England was a bad loser.
FIFA, soccer’s ruling body, has tightened its accounting and now follows International Financial Reporting Standards principles, making corruption “simply impossible,” he told the magazine.
The executive also criticized the reaction of England, whose bid executives and media complained after losing out to Russia in the bid for 2018, Weltwoche said. England lost in the first round of balloting with just two votes. ...
Boris Johnson has taken revenge on Sepp Blatter and the other FIFA delegates who destroyed England’s bid to host the World Cup by kicking them out of London’s Dorchester hotel for the 2012 Olympic Games.
FIFA president Mr Blatter and his team had been invited to stay in exclusive £1,000-a-night suites at the five-star hotel for more than a week during the Olympics. ...
Full story continues here, courtesy of Mail Online.
“I am not interested in football at all, and believe that it is getting more world attention than it really deserves. But when the voting process put Qatar against the US, I hoped that Qatar would win,” Sheikh Qaradawi said in his Friday sermon at the Omar bin al-Khattab mosque at Khalifa South town. The US president had said that FIFA had taken a “wrong decision”. It was a very bad comment by Obama. This means that he was intervening in a decision that should be made through voting. It seems that America wants to have the monopoly on everything in the world from politics to sports,” Qaradawi said.
England set to go to war with FIFA after 2018 World Cup vote snub
FURIOUS England last night began their backlash against double-crossing FIFA chiefs for the 2018 World Cup bidding shambles.
FA chairman-elect Roger Burden announced he’s quitting before even taking up the role he was due to fill later this month – because he can’t trust FIFA executives.
And England have also pulled the plug on June’s friendly in Thailand as they prepare to substantially scale back their international goodwill
commitments and try to form a “coalition of the good guys” in world football.
Burden, infuriated by several FIFA bigwigs who promised their vote to England before reneging at the last minute, made his shock quit announcement in an open letter to FA Board members. ...
Full story continues here, courtesy of the Daily Record.
