The focus is Olympique Marseille. He depends to a large degree on police investigations (which is why Tapie lost a libel suit) and personal interviews (which he did to provide others the opportunity to tell their side of the story). It is of course no surprise that the French concentrated their efforts on Marseille, but of course certain ties to 'networks' cannot be ignored. A certain amount of by-catch is often a side-effect of investigations like that (see also the investigations against Lance Armstrong and the report that mentioned a whole ocean of other names). A pivotal figure for the international scene, and that's why he is immediately introduced at the start, is that Barin dude. It answers some important questions of course like what his role in the network was, how often he did it, what he did and many other questions that pop up when reading things like that. It also states which other clients he had, yes: Girondins Bordeaux, Anderlecht, Standard Liege, Red Star Belgrade, Bayern Munich and New York Cosmos. How he worked is told but no specific games (except Marseille). Like I said in the post above, as far as biased refereeing at the international club scene is concerned, executed at a thorough and systemic basis, Olympique Marseille is perhaps the most famous one. For a single game, considering stage and level, the 1975 EC final is a good candidate for worst refereeing of all-time - with 2 out of 20 as an atrocious score (that's all I said; in the first post I did not say at all whether the game was rigged or anything else). The book was also published in Britain, where the libel law is very strict. NB: there are some considerable sections in the book dealing with Germany (and also Italy, Eastern-Europe....).
Want to point out that not every (clear) story makes the press. A good example is that same Juventus-Ajax case. While stories about drug abuse and cover up (destroying of samples etc.) have resurfaced once in a while, the press has funnily never published about alleged fixing of those games. I seriously mean that. Of course the fame of Moggi is known but the telephone transcripts, who really don't lie, were never reported in relation to those games. Somehow not every good story makes the national press. It can escape attention and it is easy (even lazy) to recycle an old theme like drug abuse, for example. But it is strange of course.
I agree about germany - austria in 1982. The mythology around that game has made it into something that it wasn't. The match was clearly contested for about an hour. Only in the last 30 minutes or so did the two teams stop playing competitivly. However they never amicably passed the ball to each other. Not once. This was a case of both having reached the result they needed so they stopped attacking. Clearly shameful and lacking fair play but not a rigged game in the sense that the match was bought by anybody. The Schumacher foul in the semi final is another case of mythology taking over from fact. The simple explanation for why he wasn't sent off is simply that the referee didn't see it. Neither did I or anybody else watching it on TV. The main camera of the game didn't show it as the camera followed the ball. Most likely the referee did too. Only minutes later in a replay from the camera behind the goal did it become clear what Schumacher did. The ref didn't see the foul because he was watching the ball for the same reason the ref in the 2006 final didn't see zidane's headbutt. You can argue that he should have seen it but that's a different matter. It was clearly not rigged. On a different note I would like to say that that fould always saddened me because it overshadowed what otherwise was one the greatest matches in WC history
Karate kick in face at 7:06. Was a Dutch referee, heavily criticized in Belgian press. Another example is at 4:25. 9:38 another one. Possibly among the worst refereeing by a Dutch ref in an international match ever. Note: video not made by a Belgian fan so hasn't everything. Video was made by a fan of 'the other team' (nowadays very active on the internet with websites like Bundesligafanatic and Schwarzundweiss) (I will restrain my opinion)
I think tonight's Champions League matches saw two of the worst offside goals I have ever seen given. Marseille's goal against Dortmund and Schalke's second goal against basel were mindboggling
Both Bayern Munich goals were offside too. Costly mistake. Though not a bad job by the referee overall.
If any Bayern goal was offside then it was Müller's. Götze was onside. In any case I think the decisions were too tight to be subject of this thread of the worst refereeing ever I mentioned Marseille and Schalke as those were shockingly blatant offside positions that the referee somehow didn't call.
Seriously, the goal of Gotze was visibly offside. I missed the first half so saw highlights later and some Spanish TV channel showed that.
Here the Schalke goal. i love that even Joel Matip was so confused that he didn't know what to do with the ball And here the goals from Marseille vs Dortmund. Marseille's equalizer is a terrible decision but interesting that no Dortmund players complained to the ref
that was still very acceptable if compared to this ... "controversial disallowed goal" where Germany won WC54: 1) Ferenc Puskas (HUNGARY v West Germany, World Cup final, 1954) If any disallowed goal has echoed loudest down the ages, this is the one. The Magical Magyars were hot favourites to win the 1954 World Cup from the outset and by the time they reached the final, having beaten the reigning champions Uruguay in the semi-finals and already trounced their final opponents West Germany 8-3 in the group stage, the result was considered a shoo-in.
Really? So you think that was an incorrect decision? To this day I have seen no TV pictures that showed this situation clearly so people have no idea whether Puskas was offside. If you have a clip that proved that the ref was wrong then I'd like to see that
That was WORLD WIDELY seen as #1 (in last picture) of the list that BAD REF remarked in FOOTBALL HISTORY. Puskas was clearly with 1 or 2 yards on side Go to youtube and search for FINAL WC1954 - also marked out the controversial WC winning in Germany *like Italy in 38 1- http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/feb/01/joy-of-six-disallowed-goals 2- http://soccerlens.com/disallowed-goals/53466/ 3- http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/1954-world-cup-the-miracle-of-berne-1.848270 The frantic Hungarians appeared to have equalized a mere two minutes later when Puskas, still labouring under a sore ankle, latched onto a pass from Toth that beat the German defence and scored. It was not to be, however, as the Welsh linesman ruled Puskas was offside, a controversial call that Hungary disputed even after the game. 4- http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1954/wc54final.html With two minutes remaining Puskas had a goal disallowed for offside. It was a close call and the Hungarians were still arguing after the final whistle was blown. When English referee Bill Ling blew for full time, it meant that Hungary had lost their first match since 1950 (30 games). West Germany became the first unseeded team to win the World Cup and coach Sepp Herberger received much individual praise for the way he tactically guided his team to their ultimate honour. 5- http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/matches/world-cup/match=1278/index.html Seconds later and the ball was in the net at the other end, only this time the English referee, William Ling, ruled Puskas' strike out for offside. Around 60 million Germans remained perched anxiously beside their radio sets, hanging on to Zimmermann's every word. There were just a few minutes left until the words they had been longing for finally arrived: "Over! Over! Over! The match is over! Germany are world champions, beating Hungary 3-2 in the Final in Bern." The miracle was complete. ... and many many more links ...
Yes, but all these links simply state that the decision was disputed by Hungary etc. where is proof that the decision was wrong? The Guardian even states that TV pictures offer no evidence. Why call it an outrageous decision when nobody actually knows if the decision was wrong?
Believe me if it was a 50-50 call then people would have forgotten by now ... and ironically, many sources all pointed to that. Yes Puskas was at least 1 yard on line ... and thanks to the ref who interpreted the OFFSIDE LAW using in 50 years later ... Guardian UK might try to save that English REF? WC54 marked a big CONTROVERSY for Germany team that won WC in history ... everyone knows // Like I said if NOT for WC FINAL game but a friendly or a small tournament, no one would bother to bring this up (right?) There is a HUGE difference between WIN WC and 2nd in final ...
I don't understand what you're saying. You have no proof so you point to the fact that the decision is controversial as proof that the decision was wrong? Believe me - there are no TV pictures that prove whether or not Puskas was offside. On another note - are you seriously suggesting that Germany won as part of a conspiracy? The same Germany that was the most despised country on Earth back then? That an English ref tried his utmost to give Germany the title? None of the accusations that were labelled at the German team in 1954 have ever been substantiated. Endlessly repeating them without fact checking does not make them true.
There is a whole history of English refs helping the Germans. The Anglo-German axis in football does exist (just like the latin countries help each other). Not in the tabloids but in the more serious circles. That Germany reached the 1966 final, with Beckenbauer originally suspended, was also a conspiracy. Full of drugs, FIFA knew it, saw the positive tests, but did nothing except hiding it from the public. Maybe in your Bavarian brain but this is clear nonsense. This has been established by now. And it was systemic, cunning and structural. With probably FIFA in their pocket. And Switzerland on their side as well (not on the side of the Hungarians at the very least).
huh? So now you tried to BLAME on TV ? LOL 1- Back then (in 50;s) ask your parents or grand parents that how many family (around the world) could have afforded a TV set? 2- ALmost all the BIG NEWS sources claimed the SAME thing : Puskas's goal disallowed was an OUTRAGEOUS and MYTHICAL call 3- Beside the obvious FACT that WC54 was a controversy for Germany (based on DOPING) - on top of that "bad call" ===================================================== May be it was a typical "Germany" thing-y to ignore the fact (when winning) and blame on others when losing? Let's go back to WC2002: - Just before the final: almost everyone - especially Germany fans, ALL PRAISED a Kahn to have a most impressive WC performance in history as a GK - well may be so: Kahn only allowed 1goal (/6games before that final) and IF we ONLY took account of a full 90mins then it looks like he (almost) allowed NO GOAL there. - But as soon as they lost to Brazil vs Ronaldo, then BOUM .... the SAME (people) FANS quickly BLAMED Kahn as "blundered" in that game ? they also IGNORED Kahn was so courageous to have saved 2 goals chances vs Ronaldo in first half! (could well be 3 or 4 goals lost if NOT for Khan in GK)
Ok, don't take it personally but this is frankly getting too silly for me. I'm not blaming anything on how many households had TV, are you trying on purpose to not make sense? You say the decision by the ref was outrageous. There is no proof of that being the case. End of story.
I'm not sure why I even bother to take a post by Puck seriosuly but as it's a festive time and I had a couple if glasses of wine I feel why not do you the favour? 1. No idea why you think I'm Bavarian. I am in fact not. 2. So you have uncovered a global conspiracy. No doubt involving the Spanish marketing companies you so often mention that are being hired to discredit Dutch football. 3. Your line of reasoning works like this: English refs are part of a decade long global conspiracy to help Germans. Why? Well, they just are. And everybody is in on it. There's no proof but everybody knows it. Everybody. And it's a fact. There's no proof of it but who cares. Everybody knows it and that's proof enough. Oh, and they were all doped. No proof of that either but hey, they're Germans, how could they possibly be anything but evil? 4. Oh, and space aliens are in on it too. Look, you are who you are. Nothing that anybody says coudl possibly convince you that you are wrong so I won't even try.
The one that stung most for me was Byron Moreno in the Italy-South Korea clash in 2002. He cheated an Italy squad that could have won that World Cup, with many key elements to that squad actually winning in 2006. It doesn't help Moreno's case that he was suspended for alleged match-fixing shortly thereafter in his native Ecuador...and later ended up in jail on drug-related offenses.
Whether you like it or not, it has been proven by now what systemic abuses happened in 1954 (and 1966, with FIFA involved in the plot). It is also no secret at all that English referees have helped German teams on many crucial occasions, and both FAs are often on the same side in case of numerous issues. "No doubt involving the Spanish marketing companies you so often mention that are being hired to discredit Dutch football." I never ever claimed that.
I do not think you took it seriously ... (rather than "personally") I just gave TV household as an example to COUNTER your "excuse" of "no TV show proof" In fact many NEWS already mentioned and never came to an END! And no, it was NO END of Story ... since it was still a "controversy' . The best you can say is that: " I believe it was 50-50 call and even so , a HUMAN MISTAKE"
Spain vs Malta in 1983 is one of the most outrageous acts of refereeing in history. Goalkeeper of Malta got hit with a beer bottle (of glass) and the Turkish referee saw it, but acted very strange, and did not suspend the game.
Michel`s disallowed goal for Spain 1986 in their opening match vs. Brazil was quite similar to Lampards act in 2010.
In a 1968-69 European Cup/Fairs Cup game a Dutch referee actually scored a goal (against a German club). The goal of course did stand. I don't know how often referees have managed the unthinkable and scored a goal in a competitive game? If people are interested I will have a look what exact game it was.