Englishref
15 Sep 2004, 06:34 PM
In the UCL tonight, Anders was refereeing the Roma vs Dynamo Kiev, when as he blew his whistle for half time, Phillipe Mexes, took his frustration out on the Kiev striker by deliberately kicking him. Frisk rightly sent him off. As Frisk was walking off, a yob from the Roma supporters through a missile (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3661010.stm) that hit Frisk hard in the centre of his forehead, causing a gaping wound to open, with blood pouring down. After 50 minutes of trying to get patched up and talking to UEFA delegates, it was decided to abandon the game, as Frisk decided the 4th official was too inexperienced to take over such a hostile, volatile and bad-tempered game.
This is what I wrote on the RTR message boards on the subject:
I fully agree with the decision to abandon the game. Having watched the game in pieces throughout the first half, Roma's on-field discipline was as bad as it was off the pitch. The players acted like prima donnas, whinging at any and every decision Frisk gave, putting in some late and terrible tackles, most noticably by Totti who did a repeat of his Euro 2004 tackle, to get cautioned again. All in all, it boiled up and up, with the crowd getting more and more frustrated, until as Frisk blew the half-time whistle, Mexes deliberately and disgracefully kicked out for no reason at the Kiev striker. Frisk correctly sent off Mexes, but unfortunately it proved to come at the worst possible time, and the Roma crowd vented their frustration by throwing a missile at Frisk as he walked off the pitch. Fortunately, the TV cameras catch the yob. Knowing Roma, he'll be given the freedom of the city for doing it.
Now, if Frisk was unable to continue, which according to UEFA, he wasn't, then I completely agree with Frisk's assessment that his fourth official Jonas Eriksson was too inexperienced to take over. He is only 30 and has only been on the FIFA list for 2 seasons. He would have had to come on in his first UCL game, in an extremely hostile, frustrated crowd, with players looking for revenge, and with a first half of continous niggle, spite and bad tempers. IMO, he wouldn't have been able to control it effectively, so the abandonment was correct.
Now the spotlight falls on UEFA. In the past they have virtually encouraged racism and hooliganism by the measily fines and empty threats they persist in issuing. Now it is time for them to get tough. Roma are one of the worst behaved teams both on and off the field in the whole of Europe. <b>Only two seasons ago, they were involved in a mass brawl involving players, police and club officials in their UCL game against Fenebahce. </b>Frisk was also the referee on that day. UEFA, as usual, proved extremely weak. They initally suspended Totti and Lima for 3 games, and ordered Roma to play a game behind closed doors. Roma appealed, and <i>UEFA decided to show Europe their stance on such acts of yobbery and misbehaviour by reducing Totti's ban to 2 games, Lima's to 1, and going back on the behind closed doors ban and instead fining Roma £221,000.</i> Well done UEFA, the consequences are clear for everyone to see tonight.
Totti should be suspended, he clearly has no regard for his fellow players, and will break someone's leg or even end someone's career soon. Roma's fans clearly have no respect for the game, and are a lawless bunch of yobs, for which the Italian FA must be to blame as well (remember the 'fan' who caused the Rome derby to be abandoned after making up the story of a polac that 'killed a child'?) for not throwing the book at them before. Roma's players obviously have no respect for referees, opponents or the game of football itself.
For UEFA to even come out of this with a shred of respect, they must now either throw Roma out of the competition all together, IMO they shouldn't be allowed out of Italy again, or at the very least, make them play all their remaining home group games behind closed doors, dock them points, and give the 3 for this game to Kiev. And while you're at it, double the previous fine. Perhaps, just perhaps, Europe's clubs, which are in danger of becoming as renowned for their violent and anarchic behaviour as South America's and Africa's, may take heed, and sort out their chronic crowd trouble and misbehaving players.
But knowing UEFA, we should expect one of three things. 1) They order a re-match, and give Roma a 5 figure fine. 2) They take a tough stance, possibly ordering a closed doors punishment, and 6 figure fine, only to back down as soon as Roma appeal. 3) Award the 3 points to Kiev, and consider that punishment enough. Take your pick.
Oh, and I wonder what, if anything, Sepp Blatter has to say about this, although he obviously has far more serious things to worry about such as contradicting his own organisation. :mad:
This is what I wrote on the RTR message boards on the subject:
I fully agree with the decision to abandon the game. Having watched the game in pieces throughout the first half, Roma's on-field discipline was as bad as it was off the pitch. The players acted like prima donnas, whinging at any and every decision Frisk gave, putting in some late and terrible tackles, most noticably by Totti who did a repeat of his Euro 2004 tackle, to get cautioned again. All in all, it boiled up and up, with the crowd getting more and more frustrated, until as Frisk blew the half-time whistle, Mexes deliberately and disgracefully kicked out for no reason at the Kiev striker. Frisk correctly sent off Mexes, but unfortunately it proved to come at the worst possible time, and the Roma crowd vented their frustration by throwing a missile at Frisk as he walked off the pitch. Fortunately, the TV cameras catch the yob. Knowing Roma, he'll be given the freedom of the city for doing it.
Now, if Frisk was unable to continue, which according to UEFA, he wasn't, then I completely agree with Frisk's assessment that his fourth official Jonas Eriksson was too inexperienced to take over. He is only 30 and has only been on the FIFA list for 2 seasons. He would have had to come on in his first UCL game, in an extremely hostile, frustrated crowd, with players looking for revenge, and with a first half of continous niggle, spite and bad tempers. IMO, he wouldn't have been able to control it effectively, so the abandonment was correct.
Now the spotlight falls on UEFA. In the past they have virtually encouraged racism and hooliganism by the measily fines and empty threats they persist in issuing. Now it is time for them to get tough. Roma are one of the worst behaved teams both on and off the field in the whole of Europe. <b>Only two seasons ago, they were involved in a mass brawl involving players, police and club officials in their UCL game against Fenebahce. </b>Frisk was also the referee on that day. UEFA, as usual, proved extremely weak. They initally suspended Totti and Lima for 3 games, and ordered Roma to play a game behind closed doors. Roma appealed, and <i>UEFA decided to show Europe their stance on such acts of yobbery and misbehaviour by reducing Totti's ban to 2 games, Lima's to 1, and going back on the behind closed doors ban and instead fining Roma £221,000.</i> Well done UEFA, the consequences are clear for everyone to see tonight.
Totti should be suspended, he clearly has no regard for his fellow players, and will break someone's leg or even end someone's career soon. Roma's fans clearly have no respect for the game, and are a lawless bunch of yobs, for which the Italian FA must be to blame as well (remember the 'fan' who caused the Rome derby to be abandoned after making up the story of a polac that 'killed a child'?) for not throwing the book at them before. Roma's players obviously have no respect for referees, opponents or the game of football itself.
For UEFA to even come out of this with a shred of respect, they must now either throw Roma out of the competition all together, IMO they shouldn't be allowed out of Italy again, or at the very least, make them play all their remaining home group games behind closed doors, dock them points, and give the 3 for this game to Kiev. And while you're at it, double the previous fine. Perhaps, just perhaps, Europe's clubs, which are in danger of becoming as renowned for their violent and anarchic behaviour as South America's and Africa's, may take heed, and sort out their chronic crowd trouble and misbehaving players.
But knowing UEFA, we should expect one of three things. 1) They order a re-match, and give Roma a 5 figure fine. 2) They take a tough stance, possibly ordering a closed doors punishment, and 6 figure fine, only to back down as soon as Roma appeal. 3) Award the 3 points to Kiev, and consider that punishment enough. Take your pick.
Oh, and I wonder what, if anything, Sepp Blatter has to say about this, although he obviously has far more serious things to worry about such as contradicting his own organisation. :mad: