Who agrees with me that this is the WORST officiated World Cup of all time?

Question

I've just watched the Portugal vs Netherlands match and I am just astonished at the horrendous level of officiating by these referees. The referee for the Italy vs USA match of a week ago was equally atrocious and I'm sure Korean fans feel the same about the ref for their game against Switzerland. There is a very definite pattern here of too many players being booked. The Russian referee for tonight's match tied the all-time record for most yellow and red cards handed out in a game (16) and overall they've already broken the all-time record for most red cards handed out at a World Cup. This is just pitiful. Comments?

It's actually nice to see someone come to the defense of the refs, bks_titans99, even if we'll have to agree to disagree about the quality of officiating at this World Cup. But your response does make me wonder why the directives issued by higher up officials weren't more consistent (and made more public). Public relations has a place in professional sports, especially seeing as it is the fans and supporters who are footing the bill.

Also, what about having two referees on the pitch, instead of just the one? That field is enormous and one man cannot possibly see everything that goes on amongst 22 players, particularly away from the play. In the NHL (ice hockey; not sure where you're from), they instituted a two-referee system several years ago and it has worked wonderfully well. They also play on a much smaller surface than football/soccer players do. I cannot help but think such a change would only improve the quality and consistency of officiating. What do you think?

Answer 1

That ref in the Portugal/ Netherlands got an awful bad time of it I think and was blamed for letting the game 'out of his grip', but I looked at each decision he made and think he was justified in doing so! I think the players were totally to blame, they went down too easily (especially the Dutch), which frustrated the Portugese, there was the incident with Figo ( Red card offense in my opinion) which seeemed to ignite the sitaution. The players were being stupid, the ref tried to get a grip on the game by booking severely , this back fired as the Dutch took full advantage of every over zealous Portugese tackle and the Portugese got frustrated and made some really stupid decisions.

Answer 2

No its not the worst. I have yet to see a badly officiated game. (I know b/c I am a ref) The way the players play now is rougher and more physical than ever before. Thus the inevitable is more cards and more fouls being called. Players now-adays try and get calls and change their play based on what the ref is calling and whether the ref is looking. There is a severe lack of sportsmanship in players now. FIFA doesn't want players getting hurt so they told their refs to card more often. The players need to know that elbows, tripping, and argueing with officials is unaceptable and it says right in the rule book that each are yellow card offences.

The players aren't thinking when they go argue with the refs about a call. The call cannot be changed and the only thing that can happen is the player pick up a stupid card.

Fans naturally think the reffing was/is/will be bad. They have it in their heads that the refs are out there to make their team lose. The fact is that most fans have no idea what the rules actually are. If they knew the rules then they would see that they ae wrong and the ref is right.

These refs are THE BEST in the world. If you don't think these guys can ref these game properly who do you propose can/will. There is no one better at this job than the guys out there working their a$$ off reffing these games. It really is a hard job doing this. You try going out there and calling a game; the players don't really like you, the fans are screaming at you, and the announcers sometimes even question your calls. The pressure sometimes gets to you. Everyone calls a bad game every now and then; all of us make mistakes during a game. The only difference is when we make our mistakes; most of the time its something minor like which way a throw -in goes, other times its whether or not a goal went in. You have to trust your ARs; if they say its not a goal then it must not be one. It dosen't matter what the replays show, once its happened it happened, theres no changing it.

Just remember these guys are the best at what they do, and sometimes the players force them to take "harsh measures" (cards). But now we're in the quarter finals (?), don't be suprised to see a lot of cards. And if these refs can't call these games properly then who can?

Answer 3

I don't agree.

Both teams were playing too hard. The foul committed against Ronlado was for a direct red card. Of course, I thought that after I watch the replay... Ronaldo was injured, kicked out of the game because that foul. After that, referee issued several yelow cards, well deserved. That was a clear message to the players to make them think about how they where playing. But they didn't care.

Its easy to say that ref are bad and killed the game, but this was not the case. What has to be done by a referee if the players are killing themselves? does he has to suspend the match? No. yellow yellow yellow... of course, at some point yellows start to repeat end becomes red. All 4 red cards where because double yellow. This is not a referee fault. Is a player fault, not thinking about his situation (already warned by a yellow card).

Maybe was not the best referee, but for sure he wasn't the worst.
And think about this, the ones making fouls are the players, not the referee. Sadly, there was acting too. making harder the referee job.

I will give to this referee 8 out 10 points.
Fair-play 1 out 10 points

Besides all this, was a eye-candy game. For a moment I thought it was a war! :)

Answer 4

I don't know enough about soccer to know any different, but a girl at my job is simply infuriated about what is going on. She turns the news on every day to let us listen to what happened. She feels someone is paying someone off. The whole red card situation has "gotten WAY out of control" for Leighann and she will go on and on for hours about how yellow cards should be handed out first... not skipped all together! I have never seen this little God fearing girl SO upset about anything before!!! I'll tell ya what... I certainly have learned a LOT about soccer these past few days... and a WHOLE lot about what refs should or should not do during a game. I feel so educated for all the wrong reasons.

Answer 5

I am a portugal fan and was embarressed on how poorly they handled the situation. If you go to the fifa website there is a article that qouted the holland coach saying that he is planning on attacking portugals three star players (figo, Ronaldo, and deco) and when holland came out they did and started the war. In my history watching portugal play i have never seen them get to violent but if holland wanted to play that way they had to play that way to win. I just can't belive that holland had to start the war and start hurting people.. soccer is a friendly sport with minimal contact and i think it shall remain this way... I doubt portugal will bring this attitude in to the england match.. as long as england plays clean im sure portugal will too.

Answer 6

I agree with you totally on this one. I honestly think that all of the referees sat down together as a group and asked one another what is the best way that we can ruin these games with are bad officiating? The results speak for them selves.

Answer 7

He was VERY bad, but the WORST of all time (World Cup) was Byron Moreno (2002 World Cup) in Korea - Italy, who was radiated after that in-famous game.
Then if you go back in time, there was a referee in 1962 World Cup in Chile (English referee Ken Aston) which was the WORST of the WORST (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Santiago)

Answer 8

i agree with dylan b. this game was very much out of control. cristiano ronaldo's injury shoudl have been a red card right off teh bat. this is when the game got out of control. i feel that the reff. was not being fair. in my opinoun teh only true yellow card was when luis figo pushed one of teh netherlands when another was down. this game was unfair and makes portugal look bad for anyone who has never seen a game before. people will now look as portugal as something they are not. rude, wild vicous animals. when ricardo get a yellow card i knew this game was out of control and needed a new reff. as dylan b. said we have 1,000 of people who wouidl love to have that job.

Answer 9

yes, i do.in the portugal vs. the netherlands was awful reffing. the ref had no control of this match.4 red cards is to many in a game. half of them shouldnt even been handed out. out of thousands of refs in the world they picked these refs. they either arent calling anythig or calling evreything. that game all of us (the portuguese)look bad.! that reff is banned from his own country reffing. why should he be reffing in the world cup?

Answer 10

I do,Mac!!!;)

No comments!!!Just pitiful!!!


P.S. My Dad,my brother and my nephew say they totally agree with you!:)

Edit:

Have you seen who is going to officiate the Brazil vs France game??!!

Edit:

England and Brazil are out...This World Cup is done for me and,I believe,for you,too.:(

Now, think of other sports,like American Football and The Buffalo Bills,and try to smile!:)

And we shall have big emotions in October,with

The Great Come Back of The Sabres!!!:)