Referee assigned for Ghana match

[MassachusettsRef]

It's Marcus Merk of Germany:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060620/1/7ymn.html

Match 42
GHANA-USA
22.06.2006
NUREMBERG
Referee: MERK Markus (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: SCHRAER Christian (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: SALVER Jan-Hendrik (GER)
Fourth Official: KAMIKAWA Toru (JPN)
Fifth Official: HIROSHIMA Yoshikazu (JPN)

[QuakeAttack]

Marcus is a very good official. I would say that he is in the top ten officials in the world (if one existed)...

[DiscoWarrior11]

That guy must've been made fun of a lot in kindergarten (get it? it's a German word... ugh, never mind).

I wikipedia'd the guy, and it looks pretty interesting... here's some trivia...

(A)Merk is notorious in Schalke because of an incident in the last game of the 2001 season. In the 93rd minute, Hamburger SV were leading their rivals Bayern Munich 1-0 (which would have won Schalke the title), when Merk awarded a controversial (but correct) indirect free kick. Bayern's Patrik Andersson converted the kick, Schalke lost the title, and Merk suffered intense verbal and physical abuse after that. Merk hasn't refereed a game in Schalke's Arena AufSchalke stadium since.

(B)Merk was a professional dentist until 2005, when stopped practising because of his opposition to the so-called Praxisgebühr, a measure introduced by the German government taxing patients visiting doctors.

(C)Merk is one of the fittest referees in the game. He regularly laps his colleagues in the annual fitness tests, and in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of April 15, 2006 (p. 55), it is said that he has run a marathon in an incredible 2h42. In comparison, the Olympic record is only about half an hour faster. [1]

(D)During his youth and teens, Merk suffered ridicule because of his high-pitched, squeaky voice. After undergoing extensive speech therapy, he now talks in a normal, manly baritone. (Reference: his book BeWEGend).

A. Solid ref, by this game wasn't influenced by stoppage time or the (violent) home crowd

B. Has (had) another occupation that people hate, and seems moral based on his retirement fact there.

C. I expect a fast-paced game... this ref seems pretty damn quick!

D. "Manly baritone." :D

[macheath]

Marcus is a very good official. I would say that he is in the top ten officials in the world (if one existed)...

Merk is very, very good, but also takes no b.s. His game management skills are quite strong, so hopefully if the teams need to be settled down early (I would expect that to be the case), he'll do it without painting himself into a corner for later. But a very good choice--certainly one of the top five, in my book.

[FirstStar]

He worked the Brazil/Australia game on Sunday and I think did an excellent job.

[DiscoWarrior11]

Marcus is a very good official. I would say that he is in the top ten officials in the world (if one existed)...
According to wikipedia, there is...

Merk was conferred the title of 'World's Best Referee' in 2004 and in 2005. He refereed the UEFA Champions League 2003 final and the Euro 2004 final. Merk is only the second German referee to be honoured with a European Championship final; the other is Rudi Glöckner.

[mbar]

It's Marcus Merk of Germany:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060620/1/7ymn.html

Match 42
GHANA-USA
22.06.2006
NUREMBERG
Referee: MERK Markus (GER)
Assistant Referee 1: SCHRAER Christian (GER)
Assistant Referee 2: SALVER Jan-Hendrik (GER)
Fourth Official: KAMIKAWA Toru (JPN)
Fifth Official: HIROSHIMA Yoshikazu (JPN)

What matches has he reffed so far in the tournament? Anyone?

[Sachin]

Ben Olsen had better stay off the field then, given his propensity to dissent.

Sachin

[macheath]

What matches has he reffed so far in the tournament? Anyone?


Holland--Serbia and Montenegro, and Brazil--Australia. Both well done.

[Stogey23]

Japanese and German refs. Sweet, they've always been on our side. :D

[macheath]

Japanese and German refs. Sweet, they've always been on our side. :D

Right. Well, at least in the last World Cup, we got one of our traditional allies from the United Kingdom...:eek:


http://www.worldcupjapankorea.com/photo_gallery/qfinals/germany_fussball_handball.jpg

sorry, I know it still hurts...

[MassachusettsRef]

Discussions regarding Merk's 2 previous matches, here:

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=367230

and here:

http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=371653

[Tigerpunk]

Right. Well, at least in the last World Cup, we got one of our traditional allies from the United Kingdom...:eek:


http://www.worldcupjapankorea.com/photo_gallery/qfinals/germany_fussball_handball.jpg

sorry, I know it still hurts...

I still can't believe MassRef thinks that isn't deliberate. No, of course not, every defender trying to make sure that balls on the goalpost go off of his body keep their arms stretched out. Never mind the fact that he makes absolutely NO effort to move his hand out of the way.

[four]

Right. Well, at least in the last World Cup, we got one of our traditional allies from the United Kingdom...:eek:


http://www.worldcupjapankorea.com/photo_gallery/qfinals/germany_fussball_handball.jpg

sorry, I know it still hurts...

Hey, I'm trying to enjoy this tournament. Stay out of my Wheaties.

[The Big Ticket]

I'm confident the good doctor will make the right calls, so hopefully there won't be any blatant shirt pulling in the penalty area (Jimmy) or persistent infringement (Gooch) on our part.

[Golazo]

(wait for it)





















Archundia, Mex (as per ESPN Deportes Radio)

[GaetjensGhost]

YOU ARE ALL MISSING THE POINT.

Merk is irrelevent. The key is the referee assignment for ITALY v CZECH...

2 Mexicans
1 Canadian

I find the opportunity for impropriety in this selection to be "elevated".

Might as well be 2 Iranians and a Ghana-er

[FirstStar]

YOU ARE ALL MISSING THE POINT.

Merk is irrelevent. The key is the referee assignment for ITALY v CZECH...

2 Mexicans
1 Canadian

I find the opportunity for impropriety in this selection to be "elevated".

Might as well be 2 Iranians and a Ghana-er

I wouldn't say that. The refs know who butters their bread-- the fat cats at CONCACAF. US advancement is good for CONCACAF. I'm pleased with this selection.

[QuakeAttack]

I wouldn't say that. The refs know who butters their bread-- the fat cats at CONCACAF. US advancement is good for CONCACAF. I'm pleased with this selection.

Besides, the Mexican head officials has done well in the WC. If they were German or Italian, I would worry about match fixing. Oh wait... :p

[Shackleton]

YOU ARE ALL MISSING THE POINT.

Merk is irrelevent. The key is the referee assignment for ITALY v CZECH...

2 Mexicans
1 Canadian

I find the opportunity for impropriety in this selection to be "elevated".

Might as well be 2 Iranians and a Ghana-er

The ref is Archundia. He has a reputation for being very harsh on dives. IIRC, he was the one who carded Adu (sorry kitten) for diving in the USA-Canada friendly. This can't be good for Italy; hence bad for the USA. :)

Actually, I think he's a pretty good ref. Should be a good game to watch.