Post by Scott on Jun 30, 2006 0:12:17 GMT
Welcome to the 2nd ever addition of Republik of Mancunia: The Paper. We’ve had a busy, and successful month, and we have all you lovely jubbly members to thank for that. Our member total has doubled in this past month, and we’re averaging 50 different visitors a day. So nice one everyone. And if you fancy educating yourself a little on the ideas behind Republik of Mancunia, why not check out the Wikipedia page I created.
Now let us begin:
Member of the Month
Again, with so many great candidates it was hard to pick the 2nd Member of the Month. There are plenty of great, informative posters on this forum, and we’re lucky to have them.
But this month’s winner is MufcAdz. He’s been more active than even the staff for most of this month, which is saying something! He blames it on the study leave, but we all know that really he just can’t get enough of this place
So congratulations Adz. Fully deserved winner, after great activity, as well as sorting out a prediction league and World Cup game reviews.Interview
Time for our second member interview. Want to know what makes One Ned Kelly tick? Well don’t stop reading.
Real name: Thomas Anthony Kelly (aka Ned)
Where are you from: Born in Stockport and now live in Dane Bank.
Who is your biggest inspiration: My parents whom moved to England from Ireland in their late teens and brought up five children (me being the youngest) and did what I would call a wonderful job without the government hand outs of today.
What would you like to be better at: Football. Played for schools and Sunday league although I quit after two years as I’m no McGrath or Whiteside and couldn't find that fine line between Saturday night binges and Sunday morning workouts.
If you could ask anyone, living or dead, a question, who and what would it be? At this moment in time I’d be on to Fergie pecking his head on what tranfers he's looking at for next season.
What is your all time favourite film? Love, Honour and Obey (comedy starring Ray Winstone and Jude Law)
If you won the lottery, how would you spend it? Stupidly and very quickly, probably knock 20 years off my life expectancy.
One job in the world, what would it be? Peter Kenyons Boss #furious#
What’s your biggest ambition in life? My ambition is to make the most of my life and to live it to the full, travel to many great places and meet as many different people as possible.
What’s your greatest ever achievement? My greatest achievement is becoming the person I’ve become.
What’s your biggest regret? Not learning to drive when I first took my lessons 13 years ago when it was a lot easier to pass.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? Hopefully chilling out with great big fat bank balance on a island in the sun on a lounger, bragging to the Cockney/Scouse/Yorkshire man next to me about United’s dominance of the last ten years.
Who do you hate most: City/Liverpool/Leeds/Arsenal/Other
I despise the Scousers and Leeds #furious# I laugh out loud at Citeh (30 years) and Le Arse (50 not out)
Anything else you want to tell us? ENGLAND WILL WIN THE WORLD CUP IN GERMANY
Article
This month’s article is written by MissUnited.
One booking, two bookings, three strikes and you’re out
I am sure every single one of you know what I am referring to as Graham Poll had to award three yellow cards to Josip Simunic before he sent him off. By the time he was awarded that third yellow card the final whistle had already blown. That performance, by a referee who is considered one of the best referees in the world, paints a perfect picture of just how bad some of the refereeing in this year’s world cup has been.
As FIFA were hoping that this tournament would set the standard for refereeing, their dreams were slowly crushed as referees who in any other way failed to control their matches handed out card upon card. Although the mistakes were already happening in the group stages, they became much more apparent in the knock out stages.
Luckily for FIFA, Graham Poll’s failure to send off Simunic after his second booking did not lead to further embarrassment as Australia drew with Croatia and advanced into the knock out stages. Had they in fact failed to go through to the next stage they could have demanded a replay based on the mistake made by the referee, which in turn would have further underlined how little FIFA’s determination to prepare their referees had done them much if any good.
In the match between Portugal and Holland, the story was something quite different. In all the referee handed out 16 yellow and 4 red cards. As English fans were watching in excitement waiting to find out which team England would be facing in the next stage, all eyes were on Valentin Ivanov, as the Russian referee already from the beginning had been making poor decisions. After 59 minutes Figo received a booking after head butting Van Bommel, something that usually would constitute a direct red card. Had he been sent off, that would have left Holland at the time with eleven against nine players, something that could have completely changed the outcome of the game. As FIFA has publicly, if not surprisingly, acknowledged the referee’s decision to only give Figo a yellow card as the correct decision, he perhaps unfairly will still be available to play a part in Portugal’s next match against England. A match where England’s opponent if fortune had favoured Holland would perhaps have been them rather than the somewhat lucky southern Europeans.
Players getting sent off after two minutes, player upon player being booked for time wasting, handballs being penalised with bookings when in the mid circle, yet ignored when in the box. Players are fighting behind the backs of oblivious referees, other players bullying referees into making decisions favouring their team. Referees are trying so hard to obey by the high expectations of FIFA that they either under or over achieve, neither of which does the game any favours. Confident referees such as Pierluigi Collina or Anders Frisk are forced to retired due to the Italian Football Federation deciding randomly what is and is not a conflict of interest or stupid football fans making death threats at someone who is just doing their job.
When Collina in 2005 accepted a sponsorship deal with Opel, who also sponsor AC Milan, The FIGC decided this was a conflict of interest, to which Collina’s reply was to retire from refereeing a year early saying that the federation no longer had faith in him. Ironically this was shortly after the federation had extended the retirement age from 45 to 46 years of age just to be able to keep Collina in the game for an extra year. Considering Poll was actually Collina’s replacement in the World Cup, this without a doubt added to the pressure the English referee was experiencing.
Anders Frisk had the doubtful pleasure of refereeing Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona, where he red carded Didier Drogba, leaving the Chelsea manager and not least the fans thoroughly unhappy. Two weeks later after many death threats made by what were mainly English Chelsea fans, Frisk retired from football fearing for his own and his family’s lives. We have all had a moment where after losing a match we have put the blame on the referee, misplaced bookings, penalties to the opposition, denying us the penalty we should have had. Thankfully most football fans to not possess the stupidity of those of Chelsea’s fans who forced one of the world’s best referees to retire due to their own teams’ failure to perform.
As the tournament is approaching it’s final stages, I hope that the standard of refereeing is raised and that none of the remaining matches are ruined by the incompetence of either the FIFA or a referee on either a power trip or a referee having a nervous break down. As the more competent referees are getting older and retiring, or not being chosen to represent FIFA in tournaments due to the organisation’s not so new “lets pick referees from countries where they don’t know much about football” attitude (I shall mention no names), the future of the game itself is in danger. As more rules are being pressed upon the players and the referees, the more the players seem to break the rules. The stricter that the referees are getting, the more the players will disobey them and still try to get away with as much as they can. Being a good referee isn’t just about knowing when to give that free kick, or hand out that yellow or red card, it is knowing when not do it. It is to know when to bend the rules for the better of the game, and sticking to one set of rules throughout the match. A world-class referee could do the above in their sleep. Sadly, the referees who don’t possess the skills of refereeing in the top flight are the ones who sleep whilst on the job.
We’ve had 3 weeks of the World Cup now, with plenty of games to give us the best of the month. See the month’s picks by 7even, Adz and Crilly, and see whether you agree or disagree with what they have to say.
Team of the Month
This month’s write up is written by 7even
So who is my team of the month? How about the typical option in Brazil or Argentina, or let’s be patriotic and say England, hey and why not Italy? Well in actual fact, my team of the month is Germany. They’re hosting the World Cup, so it’s expected that they’d do well, wasn’t it? Well no, I think not. With Jurgen Klinsmann as coach, a person who lives in America, who can’t surely spot talent over in Germany, and Mr. Ego himself, in Chelsea’s new rent boy, Michael Ballack in the team, not to mention the drilling Japan gave them; it wasn’t looking too good for Germany. But a 4 – 2 win over Costa Rica, with some splendid goals, a 1 – 0 win over Poland, a 3 – 0 win over Ecuador, and an easy 2 – 0 win over Sweden things in the German camp are looking up. Sure they might have not had the best opposition to play, but they’ve gone about their business and look like a side out to cause some damage.
Their next match is against Argentina, and I have a feeling it isn’t going to be as one sided as some may think.
Match of the Month
This month’s write up is by MufcAdz.
The pre-match script had been written as an Argentinian stroll in the park in this South American clash in Leipzig, Germany. The two teams were battling it out for a clash in the quarter finals with the home nation, Germany.
After 5 minutes though Mexico caught the Argentinian defence out with an excellently worked free kick straight off the training ground. Mendez whipped in his free kick which was flicked on at the front post by Pardo and volleyed by centre-half skipper, Marquez who scored like an experienced centre forward.
Argentina though showed why they are everybody’s favourites for the sought after Jules Rimet trophy when they kept their cool and hit back within 5 minutes. Riquelmé had a corner on the right and whipped it in accurately as per usual, finding Crespo who flicked on Borgetti’s header at his own goal! Initially it was thought that it was an own goal, Mark Lawrenson of the BBC said “That’s definitely Borgetti, definitely an own goal!” shows how much he knows as FIFA credited Hernan Crespo, the Chelsea centre forward with the goal.
The first half though was a battle of defences as Argentina started to take control of the game, with Juan Roman Riquelmé seeing more and more of the ball and trying to break the defence. When he did Crespo broke through and saw his lob over the ‘keeper spin agonisingly wide as the Mexicans could only watch on.
On the stroke of half time though United left back, Gabriel Heinzé suffered an uncharacteristic slip up in the centre of defence which allowed Fonseca through, Gabi tried to recover and brought the Mexican down as the last man it seemed he was a goner but the referee saved his and Argentina’s bacon and only gave a yellow card. This infuriated the Mexican bench and at half time they were level.
The second half was less open but still end to end in a way, with Mexico proving a tough battle for Argentina. Borgetti was a threat in the air and on the floor and worried the Argie defence, whilst Riquelmé yet again controlled the pace of the game when he was on the ball threading through chances and distributing the ball like nobody else in the game at the moment.
There was one major talking point though in the closing stages of the second half as Messi, a half time substitute had a goal controversially ruled out for offside. He was slid in by Pablo Aimar and knocked the ball into the empty net only for the linesman to raise his flag and send the game into penalties.
After 7 minutes of extra time though Maxi Rodriguez scored what must be the goal of the tournament so far. He received a Sorin cross field pass 20-yards out when he chested the ball away from the goal and volleyed the ball across the goalkeeper into the corner. Sensational!...a goal worthy of winning any game and a goal which ended Mexico’s World Cup dream. They kept going for the equalizer which would take the game into extra time but failed. Mexico left Germany with their heads held high and Argentina progressed to the last 8 for a showdown with the hosts which is this Saturday in Berlin.
Man of the match: MAXI RODRIGUEZ (ARG)
Apart from the goal, which was phenomenal. He was a constant threat to the Mexican defence all evening, a great player and one of the unsung heroes in the Argentina team.
Moan of the match: If I was a neutral I’d say the decision not to send Heinzé off, but I’m not so I’d say the OFFSIDE DECISION which was incorrect and disallowed Messi’s late goal which would have proved the winner. Although had it stood we would not have witness the goal of the match.
Goal of the match:
No competition. Phenomenal chest and volley by Maxi Rodriguez in extra time which sealed Argentina’s place in the next round.
Player of the Month
This month’s write up is by Crilly.
Like most of you I expect, I thoroughly anticipated writing this about Ronaldinho, the stage was set for the worlds greatest player to show his magic to its full extent but as we all have witnessed, Brazil have failed to break sweat and get out of second gear so far, and the greatest of all their stars has been their least effective to this point. Even an overweight pub-team-like Ronaldo has managed to show more glimpses of the magic we expect from the samba country.
However this year it seems efficiency has ruled over flair and the vote for player of the tournament so far goes to a German, Ballack. He has been quite simply outstanding in the four games he has played so far. Against Sweden he single handidly destroyed a team that had showed great promise in its previous match versus England. It is had to write this knowing his destinination come August but it is impossible to escape, the German captain has been immense. He has had an incerediblre effect on his team inspiring them to victory after victory. Ok, so they haven't played any team of real worth or quality so far, but so what? His his influence has pushed a team of no-hopers into a position of potential winners. Germany were a much fancied flop pre-tournament, but the Chelsea bound star has propelled them once again into the last eight.
There have been other players who certainly deserve a mention, all of whom have been fantastic in the games so far;
Essien - a player who I had previously not rated - he was incredible for a team who most expected to go home without any points. He led his country (with Appiah) into the second round, making them the first African nation to ever reach that stage. a feat that should not go unrecognised.
Beckham - a man who I cannot stand, but has led his country by example and has shown elements off his game that once made him a world star. Fantastic set pieces, tireless work rate, Englands best player by far up to now, even if just for passion and commitment alone.
Riquelme - the alleged United target - has shown that he can perform on the big stage and would be much welcomed at old trafford next season if he continued to show his current form.
but ther vote remains with Ballack. For me he has shown why he was such a sought after player during this summer, and it pains me that Chelsea have once again stolen one of our top targets from under our noses. The only good thing has been Frank Lampards down spiral in form. However it seems the best available replacement has been secured once again. The German playmaker has been the exceptional player thus far, with performances that have shown why he is regarded as one of the worlds best.
I hope you enjoyed the second edition of The Paper. Any comments about it please leave in the comments thread on this board
Editor: Scott
