Sunday, 10 June - Poznan - 2:45 EST Republic of Ireland : Croatia Referee: Bjorn KUIPERS (NED) Assistant referee: Sander van Roekel (NED), Erwin Zeinstra (NED) Additional assistant referee: Pol van Boekel (NED), Richard Liesveld (NED) Fourth official: Viktor Shvetsov (UKR) Reserve official: Oleksandr Voytyuk (UKR) UEFA Delegate: Adonis Procopiou (CYP) UEFA Referee observer: Iouri Baskakov (RUS) Kuipers has his full Dutch quintet assisting him. The fourth official is Shvetsov of Ukraine. This thread is for all pre-, play-by-play, and post-match discussion of the referee and other officials on the match. Only news and analysis or other facts/information related to the referees and the officiating should be posted here. This is not a team or rivalry thread and will be heavily moderated to ensure it remains that way. Please read the stickied thread at the top of this forum if you have further questions. Thank you.
Kuipers did the 2011 Super Cup in Monaco. He's the first Dutch referee in quite some time to show any real promise on the international stage, as the Netherlands went through Blom, Vink and Braahmaar in the past 5 years... with only Vink making a major tournament (EURO 08) and not getting marquee assignments. Kuipers major matches in the recent past: UCL: Barcelona v Milan (QF), CSKA v Real Madrid (R16), Bayern v Napoli, Trabzonspor v Lille, Basel v Man United EURO 2012 qualifying: Wales v Switzerland, Latvia v Croatia, Northern Ireland v Slovenia, Republic of Ireland v Estonia (playoff) A bit odd that he saw both Croatia and Republic of Ireland in qualifying. I had heard UEFA was trying to avoid putting referees on teams they saw in qualifying. He's not the first referee this has happened to, but it sticks out that he saw both and he saw Ireland in its playoff. It's a quirk, really: he's reffing two straight Irish matches in the same competition.
somewhat unfair to call Northren Ireland and later Republic of Ireland, two Irish matches without futher explenation ... from a football PoV they're two mutually independent teams with no 'links' other than a shared name
That's not what I meant (and those weren't even consecutive). He did Republic of Ireland's playoff match in November. He's doing their first round group stage match today. Those are two straight matches--even though they are separated by nearly seven full months. That's why I called it a quirk.
Ballack replaced by Tommy Smyth...NOOOOOOOOOOO. Please give us back Ballack. We won't complain anymore!
I like the decision not to call that last foul tactical. Thought it certainly was, but replays showed differently. Kuipers hasn't had too much to do, yet, but also feel he hasn't put a foot wrong yet.
And I hope that extra whistle in the stadium doesn't become a problem. Thankfully, doesn't seem like the players respond to it at all.
Yup. And for a moment I thought it fooled Croatia, but they didn't protest. Guess they just were expecting a flag. The thought-process behind it baffles me. Also don't understand how someone nearby wouldn't make him choke on it. It's happened at both ends, so there doesn't seem to be an obvious partisan motivation behind it.
Well, one might argue he got that one wrong. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but likely lowers his credibility with Croatia.
Thought he got one backwards earlier too when the Irish player undercut the Croat but he gave the FK to ROI.
Fireworks! Nice patience by the A/R - I could see worry about offside on the seeing this live - replay confirms no offside by Jelavic. Well done by the Grey Team.
Those are always interesting. You have to look at this Irish guys feet, are they backing into the Croat player? If not I say it's fine.
Yup. I agree. I keep thinking he could have sold the decision better, but I'm not exactly sure how--might be one of those cases where the defense is just never going to agree so he just try to get on with it. And now a good first caution.
No - look at what you wrote - it deflected off a Croatian player - he didn't control it. Play was from a deliberate attempt at clearance by Irish player, deflected of Croat to Jelavic's feet. Good play.