Remember when Robbie Fowler was awarded a penalty for Liverpool against Arsenal in a 1997 top-of-the-table clash? After being apparently tripped by the Arsenal and England goalkeeper David Seaman, he surprised everyone.
Fowler protested, he turned to the ref (and to the TV cameras) and mouthed "No, no", waving dismissively that it was not really a penalty. He had simply tripped. Seaman had not touched him. This surprised many English football fans, but to any of our European or South American counterparts it must have sent them scrambling for the rule book.
In Europe and South America, Argentina especially, they have the tactics of ‘hacer trampa’ , where conning the referee is enjoyed and encouraged. The translation is ‘to cheat’. Every football fan has memories of this. Maradona’s hand of God the most famous.
There are now disputes over Argentina’s first world cup win. Peru agreed to throw a game against eventual winners Argentina during the 1978 World Cup in South America in order to help the host’s progress at the expense of Brazil on goal difference.
There have always been suspicions about the game…. Peruvian Senator Genaro Ledesma has confirmed the shock result was agreed before the match by the dictatorships of the two countries. Argentina won 6-0 after waiting to see Brazil’s result. Corrupt dictators worked together in South America as part of the so-called ‘Condor Plan’, through which they co-operated in the repression of political dissidents.
This is nothing new of course. Italian football is constantly banning clubs and players. Even back in 1938 when they won their second World Cup, Mussolini was so desperate for his Black shirts to retain the trophy there are claims he bribed the Brazil coach and the Brazilians rested their star player and tournament top scorer Leônidas da Silva. For the semi-final clash How suspect is that?
In 1974 it is claimed that the Germans used an underhand trick to get an advantage over the Netherlands. German newspaper Bild had a front page story that the Netherlands players celebrated reaching the final by partying and frolicking all night with sexy young ladies.
So instead of mentally preparing for the biggest game of their lives like their German counterparts, Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, Johnny Rep and the rest of the Dutch total football stars spent the night before explaining to their wives and girlfriends that the newspaper story was false. Despite going in front in the final, Gerd Müller’s winner led to a victory for the Germans.
Too many times England have suffered at the hands of the referee, Lampard scored a clear goal against Germany in South Africa, everybody in the stadium saw it apart from the ref’, who waved play on. Neuer knew damn well it was a goal. Did he tell the ref? No of course he didn’t because the rest of the world would shoot their grandmother just to get a penalty.
Lampard’s goal may have been the reason goal line technology was brought in. But it was too late and Capello’s men were on the plane home.
Maybe Jamie Vardy and co’ should watch a few Ronaldo or Drogba videos, they were the masters at winning penalties and getting players booked. I don’t like cheating myself but it doesn’t leave as bitter a taste in the mouth as been cheated out of a tournament. So come on England, catch up and stop being so naïve.
Source: DSG
