Comments on: Three Cards and you’re still not Out

By: paddy

paddy — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:57:20 +0000

Amazing isn’t it. With all that money sloshing around FIFA etc, they still can’t afford to pay for full-time referees.

It’s understandable in the smaller leagues and with the poorer nations that coming up with money can be a problem.
But this is the world’s cup for god’s sake!!
Pay peanuts and you get monkeys.

By: enzo

enzo — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:49:53 +0000

Yeah! I suppose we can also say that a judge, who has made many just decisions for 26 years, but then incorrectly finds an innocent man guilty of a misdeamour should still be respected because he still loves the law.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:05:23 +0000

I really don’t see why everyone is focusing so much on this one mistake. Granted he gave a player 3 yellow cards which should not have gone unmissed.
However, if you saw Valentin Ivanov’s attempt at refereeing last night, this incident pales in significance.
How likely is Graham Poll to make this mistake again?

By: troy

troy — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 18:18:26 +0000

this world cup shows that there are higher agendas among referees. the bigger teams get the benifit i notice on occasions when the ref can get away with it, obviously they still punish them when they cant be hidden. it saddens me that the refs are taking away the games from the players. the world cups are for the players and fans. i’m still waiting for the crowd to be filled with supporters in refs colours. it seems to be a world wide trend in all sports that the refs are making themselves more noticeable against whats good for the game.

By: CTL

CTL — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:50:56 +0000

Sorry, Terje Hauge does not qualify for the World Cup Referee’s Hall of Shame not having officiated at this World Cup, but ALL TIME Referee’s Hall of Shame.

By: CTL

CTL — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:45:37 +0000

I think Graham Poll has reached his level of incompetence. While he may be respected in the English Premier League, his clout has not been transferred on the world stage.

He never gave Wayne Rooney a booking despite been sworn at countless of times at the Man Utd/Arsenal match, yet was more than card happy when Serbian players questioned his judgement. Where’s the consistency? Or does he just give superstars the benefit of the doubt?

Blowing for fulltime just as the ball crossed the line deprived Australia of a historic second victory. That stunt has been pulled before, remember that b**tard in black called Clive Thomas in 1978?

Graham Poll, in my opinion, is a showboater who has just diverted attention to himself. Dissatisfied with the real stars getting all the limelight, he wants to be part of the show.

And he has succeeded, and joined the World Cup Referee’s Hall of Shame, together with the likes of Charles Corver (Schumacher’s protector 1982), Sergio Gonella (friend of the Argentine junta 1978), Ali Benaceur (blinded by the Hand of Maradona 1986), Byron Moreno (honorary citizen of South Korea 2002) and Terje Hauge (fan of Barcelona 2006).

Shame, shame, shame!!!

By: notoveryet

notoveryet — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:57:54 +0000

what was the emergency ref doing!

and what are the headsets for!

By: Ekwosi Elo

Ekwosi Elo — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:50:19 +0000

Poll has messed up himself,since he is only good in premiership,see you there and no more in the world cup. See you poll

By: Malaika

Malaika — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:21:41 +0000

Rafael, I agree completely but redemption should not come at this World Cup, pressure will be way to high for him if he has to ref a 1/4 final and he might really lose his job for good if he messes up.

So I’d say, let’s forget about that and see you Mr. Poll in the Premier League and for the euro 2008 qualifiers.

By: Rafael

Rafael — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:47:51 +0000

I think people are being too harsh on Poll. Everyone has bad days, and in this case, a bad game. If a player has a bad game, do you bench him for the rest of the season? I think Poll should have a chance at redemption.