Red card debate - you be the ref

* From: News Limited newspapers


RED-card fever has gripped World Cup fans, with debate raging across the globe. Dodgy decisions or all part of the game? Have the Aussies been hard done by or are we just a bunch of whingers? Here are both opinions, so you can be the judge.
The refs got it right – by David Hall

All right, so the Socceroos have had a couple of red cards, the merits of both were debatable. But if you think that makes Australia unique, you're kidding yourselves.

Take in some of the plotlines following the draw with Ghana: FIFA refs are biased against Australia … it's a conspiracy… the ref killed Kewell's World Cup… it's the Italians…

Come on. Is this the best you've got, this woe-is-us, hard-done-by mentality? All the people who like to dismiss soccer as a "soft" game are whingeing because things haven't gone their own way. Two words: man up.

No one has anything against Australia. There is no conspiracy. You just messed up.

.

If Tim Cahill hadn't come sliding in from behind on Bastian Schweinsteiger, he wouldn't have got a red card.

If Harry Kewell hadn't been standing on the goal line, shifting his body when his arm blocked a clear goal, he wouldn't have got a red card.

Back in 2006, if Lucas Neill hadn't slid into Fabio Grosso in the box it wouldn't have been a penalty.

It could be argued these decisions were harsh – but they can all be easily justified and none represent any kind of bias. In fact, in every one of these incidents, the referee did his job exactly as he should and got the decision spot-on.

Every nation at the World Cup suffers, at some points, decisions that go against them which are perceived as unjust. There are also certain nations that play the game in a certain manner (more openly or less gamesmanship, depending on your perception) that usually suffer for their naivety.

This is what makes football the game it is, the game the world loves. More often than not, it's not about justice. It's not about what you deserve. It's not a game where you get two, three of four chances to win the trophy even though you were only the eighth-best team in the league.

It's not a game no one minds if you go a goal down because you'll kick another 15 before the game is over. There's no video referee to give you a second chance and tuck into bed you at night. This isn't every kid wins a prize.

Just like life, the beauty and drama come from its flaws.

Your players stuffed up and they paid the price. It's unfair, it's not black and white, there is no karma and Australia has no divine right to win or even be given the benefit

of the doubt. Get over it.


You've got to be kidding – by Scott Moore

Ah, Mr Hall, the vast majority of Australians beg to differ.

Not that we reckon there's a conspiracy against Australia per se.

It's more a conspiracy against common sense and fair play – by rule-stickling bozos wielding red cards, and stupid rules that leave no room for appeal.

Whose idea was it to allow referees to strut about with coloured pieces of paper anyway?

It just encourages them to become prancing show ponies, with a disproportionate power to affect the outcome of not only games but whole tournaments.

Try to find someone who reckons Tim Cahill's tackle deserved a red card. And yet what looks to some very good judges like a refereeing howler cost Australia big time.

Not only did the Aussies have to play short for the rest of the match, but also for the next vital clash in their spluttering World Cup campaign.

All because a referee had spent way too much time watching Quick Draw McGraw as a kid.

Harry Kewell's red card just reinforces that with the World Game, too often there is no benefit of even considerable doubt.

But, lest we seem to be harping on Australia's woes here, worse has been inflicted on better credentialled and more talented teams.

Germany's Miroslav Klose could consider himself very hard done by when ousted for an innocuous tackle against Serbia.

But that fades into insignificance when compared with the astounding second yellow card handed out to Brazil's brilliant Kaka against Ivory Coast.

Never has the need for video review been more obvious.

A second look through the camera lens would reveal that Ivory Coast's Abdelkader Keita had not, as first appeared, been shot with an elephant gun. What Kaka had done was more in the order of brushing lint from his opponent's strip.

But the referee shot from the hip and now Brazil – and soccer fans – will not have the chance to marvel at Kaka's magic in the next match.

And there's no right to appeal. Or for any real criticism of the referee outside the media.

As a staunch Aussie Rules fan, I break into a cold sweat every time I even think of our miked-up, arm-waving umpires having the power to send off and suspend with a stylish brandishing of a piece of red paper.

God, they already seem, on occasions, to believe the game is all about them.

To quote Peter Parker's Uncle Ben, "With great power comes great responsibility".

Do us all a favour – introduce a video replay system and an appeal process for red cards.

Otherwise, the game's stars will keep paying for the mistakes of others. As Australia has – two games in a row.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/world-cup-2010/red-card-debate-you-be-the-ref/story-fn4ke53k-1225882228786