Reviews

Soccer Needs A Few Sanctions, Too

3/22/2014

Oxlade-Chamberlain, left. Kieran Gibbs, right. To be fair, both were in SW6, with different numbers on their jerseys.

Really? It’s that easy? Wave a red card and people go away?

I’ve been obsessing about red cards since the United States and Russia began issuing sanctions in the past week.

John Boehner can’t go to Russia? Does that apply in Congress, too?

On Saturday, there was Roman Abramovich and his girl friend free to watch his club, Chelsea, rampage through Arsenal.

But what if the West and Russia were to ratchet up the red cards, and the oligarchs and their money were not allowed into the West?

What if the Nets’ owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, were not allowed to inspect Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, rusting away before his eyes?

What about the billionaire who bought an $88-million pied-a-terre for his daughter on Central Park West?

What’s the point of being an oligarch if you can’t go west for R&R? Why amass all that money in the first place?

Speaking of sanctions, it’s time for soccer to wave the red card at referee Andre Marriner after his blatant mistake – and refusal to listen to reason – on Saturday.

Chelsea was already leading, 2-0, in the early minutes. I thought Chelsea had a huge advantage, shooting from sunlight into shadow (sunlight! in London! in March!) but maybe it did not matter.

Marriner correctly saw an Arsenal defender deflect a shot that was probably veering wide.

Tweet! The ref promptly called a penalty kick for Chelsea and an automatic red card for Arsenal.

Only trouble was, the ref waved the red card at No. 28 Kieran Gibbs rather than No. 15 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and his guilty fingertips, who had been closer to the goal.

Anybody can make a mistake. But when the Arsenal players tried to explain, Marriner was too blockheaded to listen. His two assistants on the sideline were apparently daydreaming, so Gibbs went off. The authorities will switch the one-match suspension on Monday, but Marriner also needs time away, to learn how to reason.

The match ended, 6-0, in favor of Chelsea, with José Mourinho demonstrating his seething super ego, the coldest stare this side of Putin.

* * *

Two other soccer observations:

*-I’ve never been a fan of John Terry or Wayne Rooney, but both demonstrated their resourcefulness and skill in Champions League matches in recent days.

*-I take back most things I ever said about the Dolans. James L. Dolan relinquished his wretched control of the Knicks this past week, and now Cablevision, owned by the Dolans, has added the Qatari station, beIN, to my cable package, just in time for the Clásico (Real-Barça, but you know that) on Sunday. Cablevision, le saludo. (And I forgot to thank fellow Queens-person Andy Tansey for calling my attention to the news about Cablevision.)

Andrew Tansey

3/23/2014 03:56:16 pm

Thanks, Mr. Vecsey! I literally stumbled onto BeIN Sports yesterday morning.

Much as a Spurs supporter should hope for anything to foul up Arsenal, I have to agree. Chelsea is the even eviler empire by association with the oligarch. I haven't watched that one, but if I had, it would have been what my eldest (an Arsenal supporter, or Gooner) and I call "double-hatred." Come on, you Spurs! And Barca show that sometimes the good guys prevail.

George Vecsey

3/24/2014 03:17:41 am

Thanks for your comment. As it turns out, I missed the match because we had a social engagement in town.
Now I can catch up with Ray Hudson. Joe McGinniss was a huge fan of Hudson. There's a great article on Hudson in the recent Howler Mag.
Best,
GV

Alan Rubin link

3/24/2014 10:42:40 am

George

Life would be much simpler if we could red card away all the nasty’s who complicate our lives.

In the simple, but not necessarily uncomplicated, world of soccer; the importance of the referees is often underestimated. Like most soccer fans, I used to take them for granted unless I objected to a call.

This all changed when a professional referee friend of mine taught an hour and a half session on refereeing in my “Understanding Soccer” adult education course. He is qualified to referee up to Level A and as an assistant referee in NASL, MLS and WNSL. He was about two years away from being FIFA qualified, but they make referees retire at 45 and he would have had only three years of officiating left.

Referees must pass an annual review and they are debriefed for an hour after each game. They must also maintain a high level of fitness. You can always spot a soccer referee in a fitness center, they are either running sidewise or backwards on the treadmill.

Jeff emphasized the importance of both controlling the game and not influencing its outcome. Now, when watching games, I’m aware of their performance. Referees and their assistants are always in communication. He would often ask the assistant covering the field behind him to watch the actions of players, which could lead to a penalty or a warning.

Since then I’ve subscribed to www.soccerrefereeusa.com , which sends analyses of controversial calls, or the lack of any. They seem to be even-handed most of the time and will criticize a referee when wrong. Sometimes they point out the options and will comment that although a call was not wrong, a better one could have been made.

When editing game videos, I see more frame by frame detail than evident in TV replays, even when slowed. I never fully understood the fine line between a clean play and a foul. Some are called that look very clean, while many dangerous late hard hits go un-penalized.

Their defense of a young referee in the “5 penalties in a match” link for doing his job, controlling a game was refreshing. Soccer Referee USA believes that too many games are not controlled properly and too many referees are lenient on calling fouls.

http://soccerrefereeusa.com/index.php/entry/125-fifa-referee-awards-5-penalties-in-1-match-gets-referred-to-a-shrink

A recent article in the NSCAA’s Quarterly Bulletin echoes Soccer Referee USA’s belief that broadcasters often make the referee’s job even more difficult in that fans develop misconceptions. A common statement, both by broadcasters and several referees during matches at the high school where I’m a volunteer goalie coach, was “I owed them a call”.

The two highest page hits to www.understandingsoccer.com, are Rule 11: The Offside and Rule 12: Fouls and Misconduct—by 3-1 and 2-1 respectively over the next highest number of page hits.

http://soccerrefereeusa.com/index.php/entry/119-uneducated-match-commentators-making-our-jobs-even-more-difficult

USNMT’s coach Jurgen Klinsmann also weighed in on the need for quality officiating when Major League Soccer’s disciplinary committee came down hard on one of his star players, suspending Seattle’s Clint Dempsey for two regular-season games. That means that Dempsey will not see any game action before the American team plays Mexico in an international friendly in Glendale, Ariz., on April 2.

“It’s very disappointing to see Clint be the only person punished from this game,” Klinsmann said in a statement. “There is a foul against him in the sixth minute that should have been a red card. The persistent fouling continued throughout the game, and he’s getting punished for a reaction following all those fouls. Yes, he made a mistake, but if opponents don’t get penalized for consistently fouling, it only encourages them to continue that approach. A two-game suspension for that moment seems very harsh, and it comes at a very bad time for us as it throws him out of a rhythm before the game against Mexico.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/sports/soccer/countdown-to-2014-world-cup-in-brazil-day-82.html?ref=soccer

It is understood that players and referees both must make split-second decisions, often without the luxury of knowing what is happening in their vicinity. However, the referee should be able to sense the flow of the entire game and keep evenhanded control.

As for doing something about the oligarchs, it is more likely that there will be cool weather in Qatar in 2022.

George Vecsey

3/24/2014 11:39:47 am

Alan, thanks for your expertise. You know this stuff. I have met some refs at World Cup seminars, and understand how they are prepared. One always suspects make-up calls in flowing sports like soccer and basketball, but the trick is to be prepared not to do it.
Looks like Marriner is working a match this weekend. I say anybody can miss a call, particularly in the flow of a match, but when play is stopped there is no excuse for the whole lot of them to keep a mistake like that. Maybe the crew was chastised in private. Who knows.
I respect refs...and umps. Years ago, I visited the umpires' room after a game in YS -- I knew Larry Barnett, the senior ump. They did me the honor of asking what television showed on a fair-foul call at the pole. I said, politely, it was wrong. The ump who made it was disgusted. I saw the pride in all four of them. I am sure Marriner's crew felt the same way. But mis-identification should not happen these days, or even. Ask the two captains, for goodness' sakes. They know.
Thanks, man,
GV

Andrew Tansey

3/24/2014 10:42:46 am

Oops! I hope I didn't spoil it for you. Only in America could one go a day or more without hearing the result of El Clasico (or get away with misspelling it!).

More on your comments: Thanks to you, I have subscribed to Howler for my favorite family fanatic, and she has that issue. I read the one focusing on USA!, USA! cover to cover. There's now a spin-off, 8-by-8, coincidentally introduced by a colleague, to which his grandson contributes. Similar style - big and colorful. I hope I win Howler's instacaption this week - or any week. The Howler Bulletins come by E-mail.)

Rooney has mellowed and remains one of my favorite players (and his team - I'm sorry - one of my co-second favorite teams-and-yes-you-know-I-like-the-Yankees; Jeter & Giggs!). Rooney may never win player of the year, but he is now the heart and soul of one of the world's greatest clubs, and I hope he sticks around. I think he can fill a Paul Scholes role very well, perhaps even surpassing its namesake. His long-ball passing is exquisite and he makes his teammates better.

Sorry, but I don't think I will ever say anything nice about Terry. It's fun to have villains in sport, and he fits in well at Chelsea.

Ray Hudson drives me crazy with his overmisuse of magisterial superlatives and pet names. I need to read about Joe McGinniss, and maybe I will mellow, like Rooney.

George Vecsey

3/24/2014 11:33:09 am

Terry is a thug, but he is so smart on the field, including on set plays. For a big man, he is so limber, finding space like a Messi on CKs.
But still a creep.
Rooney is a garden-variety yobbo, but he has matured as a player, not giving up on anything, knowing what is possible, the essence of a footballer.
I have no love for Man U, not as a fan but as a working journalist, going back to some high-handed treatment when they were riding high. But it's impressive to see a squad wipe out a 2-0 deficit, even at home.
best
GV