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Post from: The Footie

THE SUN:

Materazzi called Zidane a “son of a terrorist whore”

and just for good measure:

‘a source close to the Italian squad claiming that after twisting Zidane’s nipple, Materazzi asked him: “What, don’t you like it?” The French captain replied: “A bit too hard to turn me on.” But Materazzi shouted: “Well, I did it that way because I know that’s how your mother likes it.”‘

THE GUARDIAN:

Materazzi said, “I wish an ugly death to you and all your family,” and then told Zidane to “go f**k yourself”.

THE INDEPENDENT:

‘It is alleged that Zidane responded by sarcastically telling Materazzi that he could have his shirt as a souvenir at the end of the match,’ the newspaper reports. ‘The Italian is alleged to have responded by saying that Zidane could keep it for his sister and then made an extremely derogatory comment about her. That version is backed up by lip-readers from the Brazilian TV channel Globo. They claim Materazzi called her a “prostitute”.

DAILY MIRROR:

‘The furious French captain attacked Marco Materazzi after the defender allegedly sneered: “All Muslims are terrorist b*****s.”

‘And sources claim the Italian even branded Zidane’s Algerian mum Malika “a whore”.’

DAILY MAIL:

‘Materazzi had insulted the memory of one of Zidane’s closest confidants and former coaches, Jean Varraud. The former AS Cannes coach died of cancer shortly before the tournament.’

Italian newspapers are claiming that Materazzi insulted Zidane’s mother, with the Inter Milan defender saying that the Frenchman “made love to his sister”.

Materazzi’s agent has claimed that Zidane offered to swap shirts later and the Italian replied: “‘I’d rather take the shirt off your wife.”

And Marco Materazzi himself had this to say:

“It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I’m ignorant. I’m ignorant – I don’t even know what the word means.”

I hope that’s cleared things up a bit for everyone

Post from: The Footie

Neither the referee, either of his lines men or the fourth and fifth officials off the pitch saw the words between Zidane and Materazzi and then the headbutt which has sullied Zidane’s reputation but after viewing a video replay of the incident (in complete contravention of FIFA guidelines) the fourth official brought the matter to the referee’s attention and demanded that a red card be shown to the French captain.

Zidane or none of his supporters can have any complaints about the decision but if it was made with the aid of technology and that practice is outlawed by the sport’s governing body then does it make the decision illegal and what implications could that have for the World Cup result? In theory, could France demand that the match be replayed? Let’s hope not because it would be a catastrophic end to a rather uninteresting World Cup.

What’s done is done but it has shown that the use of video technology, as is commonplace in other sports, is now fundamental to the running of football matches at the top level. Zinedine Zidane may not have benefitted last night but in the long run the sport of football will be all the better for it. Now it’s up to FIFA to change their rules and not rely on the ingenuity of a fourth official who just wanted the right decision to be made.

Post from: The Footie

Other than Italy winning, the main talking point for a long time about this World Cup Final is going to be about Zinedine Zidane. Before the game we fully expected it to be all about Zizou trying to coax his ageing teammates in one last tilt for glory but instead we are left with the terrible feeling of seeing this great player’s last ever game ended by a senseless sending off in the World Cup Final for headbutting Marco Materazzi.

There can be no excuses for headbutting and to do it so blatantly in the biggest game in world football was sheer madness. I’m still in shock and it may take a few more bottles of the Corona Extra I’ve been partaking of while watching the Final to make it sink in. Why Zizou, why? You have been one of my heroes for so long and to tarnish your reputation like that just doesn’t make sense. Maybe the full story will come out in due time but for now we can only shake our heads in sorrow for the end of Zidane’s career and celebrate the Italian victory.

I’ve a funny feeling there won’t be much sleep all over Italy tonight and give it nine months and we may have a whole rush of new Italian babies as those exuberant Latins really celebrate in style!

Forza Italia indeed!

Post from: The Footie

Marco Materazzi got a deserved equaliser from a Pirlo cross and it’s been this combination that has tested the French several times with Pirlo crossing from Italy’s right and first Materazzi and then Luca Toni winning headers in the French box. Obviously that’s something Dommenech has to work on over the interval.

Zidane and Totti haven’t shown up yet but with the second half just starting, I’m off to see how it finishes.

Post from: The Footie

Both sides have forced their critics to eat their words during the course of their campaigns and despite the first goal not being scored until the 119th minute, this game was a pulsating end-to-end battle between two sets of the finest footballers on the planet.

The referee played it just right by allowing a few tackles early on which a lesser official would have used to assert his yellow card authority and ruined the game but the players seemed to respect the referee’s attitude and played out the 120 minutes in a great spirit which has refreshed my belief in top level players and the beautiful game at the very highest level.

There was minimal diving and very little playacting, in fact when any player did do it they caught themselves on quickly and got up to a handshake from their opponents as opposed to shaken fists and recriminations. We need more of this.

Grosso and Del Piero will get the main plaudits for their finely taken goals right at the death but I wouldn’t take anything away from any player who stepped out onto that field tonight or the two coaches who seemed to kick every ball from the touchline. Jurgen Klinsmann and Germany can have no shame at exiting at this stage, they played brilliantly but just ran into an Italian side which Lippi has furnished with the attacking potential to match it’s defensive stubbornness. It will take a tough France or Portugal in the final to stop Italy from repeating their antics of 1982 and overcoming a match fixing scandal to lift the World Cup trophy.

I can’t wait until tomorrow night’s semi now that Italy and Germany have set such a high benchmark in quality and entertainment.

Post from: The Footie

A fantastic gesture of level headedness from the Roonster which completely fails to take into account the referee’s explanation that is was the stamp on Ricardo Carvalho’s crown jewels that earned him the red card and not the protestations from young Ronaldo at all. Never let the truth get in the way of a good punch up though and with Rooney on the rampage I’m sure Ronaldo is definitely considering that Real Madrid offer this morning.

As good a player as Ronaldo is I doubt that Sir Alex Ferguson will take his side over Rooney’s if a training ground brawl breaks out so it may well be out of Ronaldo’s hands whether he stays or goes. Ferguson won’t accept any troublemakers in the ranks as David Beckham, Jaap Stam and countless others have found out in the past and reputations count for little when it comes to the red faced Scotsman’s final decision.

One thing I can’t agree with is the comments by soon to be England coaching staff member Alan Shearer telling Wayne Rooney to stick one on Cristiano Ronaldo. Shearer’s playing nickname of Mary Poppins was always in complete opposition to his elbow flailing, sneaky, vindictive playing style and it’s unnecessary to see a BBC pundit offering such sage “advice” to an already short tempered troublemaker like Rooney.

Another breakdown in football values it seems.

Post from: The Footie

1) Wayne Rooney: “Wazza” did it again, that uncontrollable temper that they told us was under tight lock and key came out in glorious technicolour by the time the second half came around and with a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho’s manly pieces and a push in the chest of protesting Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, the referee had seen enough and it was the end of another chapter in the England career of Wayne Rooney.

With so much pre-tournament hype over his injury and his speedy return he never stood a chance of living up to it and stuck up front in a lone striker role, the hotheaded Scouser never stood a chance. Still no goals for England in the World Cup including qualifying, have we all been sold a pup over just how good Wayne Rooney is?

2) Cristiano Ronaldo: Portugal’s boy wonder might have a frosty reception when he goes back to Old Trafford for pre-season training after a bustup which led to Wayne Rooney’s red card and a couple of instances of having strong words with Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand. Maybe that mooted move to Real Madrid seems a little more inviting this morning. Caused England some problems when on the ball and despite scoring the decisive penalty, he can hardly be blamed for England’s exit overall.

3) David Beckham: Captain Marvel / Golden Balls has came under severe criticisim foe his England performances for several years but was sidelined by injury yesterday before he could take a firm hold on the game. Resigned his captaincy after the match and if it was anyone other than Steve McLaren taking over as England coach would surely be worried about keeping his lace in the squad. A goal and a couple of assists surprisingly make him one of England’s most effective World Cup players. The blame lies elsewhere.

4) Sven Goran Eriksson: Two words: Theo Walcott. Don’t worry, this won’t turn into an anti-Arsenal rant, I just can’t believe the reasoning behind bring four strikers, two of them injury doubts and including Walcott who he had no intention of playing in any of the games. If he hadn’t already have been leaving his post I would say that was grounds for instant dismissal. No idea about tactics, couldn’t utilise his good squad of players into any effective formation and simply brought the wrong strikers.

The buck stops here and I won’t hear any further argument for anyone else losing England the World Cup. Having no bottle for penalty shoot outs is one thing, having one leg tied behind your back by your coach before you’ve even kicked a ball is tantamount to World Cup treason.

Post from: The Footie

The match itself did turn into something of a chess stalemate at times with both sides well marshalled defences cancelling out the attacking flair on the pitch but Jose Pekerman’s (the now-former coach of Argentina) decision to use his three subs and bring on defensive players like Cambiasso when only 1-0 up looks to have been the major tactical turning point. Sadly for him it let the Germans back into the game and left Argentina woefully short of options up front with Riquleme off the pitch and unable to bring wonderkid Messi on.

It was an interesting battle though but nothing like the 90 seconds of fisticuffs that began after the final penalty save by Jens Lehmann with Germans being punched and kicked to the ground and a particularly irate Gabriel Heinze having to be held off Germany’s assistant coach Oliver Bierhoff by around six players and officials. Amazing scenes and a fitting finale to Argentina’s latest World Cup bid, one thing you will always get with the Argies is fireworks and they didn’t disappoint us this time either.

Post from: The Footie

(See article online from The Guardian newspaper)

Thuram himself was born on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and despite having won 118 caps for his country, he obviously doesn’t impress Monsieur Le Pen who would rather have a side full of bumbling René’s from ‘Allo ‘Allo than a time with non-whites in it.

One particularly pertinent point from Thuram’s press conference:

“When we take to the field, we do so as Frenchmen. All of us. When people were celebrating our win, they were celebrating us as Frenchmen, not black men or white men. It doesn’t matter if we’re black or not, because we’re French. I’ve just got one thing to say to Jean Marie Le Pen. The French team are all very, very proud to be French. If he’s got a problem with us, that’s down to him but we are proud to represent this country. So Vive la France, but the true France. Not the France that he wants.”

Even in 2006 we see hateful bigots like Jean Marie Le Pen spouting their poison and trying to drag football into their vile world. Unfortunately for Le Pen this isn’t 1936, in 2006 people are less afraid to speak out and when highly respected players like Lilian Thuram do have their say, we know which side of the argument we give our support to. Well done Lilian, I’m sure the vast majority of French people are right behind you and the side, the only colours they care about when France take the field are the blue, white and red of your team kit and the gold of the World Cup trophy.

Post from: The Footie