Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor!!!!! The World of Soccer

[opinionista]

More on Zidane: Case Closed. Materazzi admitted he insulted Zidane, but denies using a racist expletive. It's on CNN.

FIFA investigate Zidane head-butt

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 Posted: 1636 GMT (0036 HKT)

LONDON, England -- FIFA are to open a disciplinary investigation into the circumstances surrounding France captain Zinedine Zidane's head-butt on Marco Materazzi during the World Cup final.

Playing the last match of his career, the French midfielder drove his head into Materazzi's chest in the second period of extra time in Berlin after exchanging comments with the Italian.

FIFA will open a disciplinary investigation into Zidane's conduct to enable it to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident," said FIFA in a statement.

What exactly was said between the two remains a mystery although Materazzi has denied allegations he called Zidane a "dirty terrorist".

"I used an insult that I've heard used a dozen times and which is heard all the time on the pitch," said Materazzi -- when asked whether he had insulted Zidane's sister.

"I certainly did not call him a terrorist: I'm ignorant, I don't even know exactly what an Islamic terrorist is ... I also certainly didn't say anything about Zidane's mother: for me, a mother is sacrosanct."

"Italy won the final in a penalty shootout after Zidane was sent off for the head-butt.

There was further controversy when the incident was brought to the attention of referee Horacio Elizondo by the fourth official at the match, prompting suggestions that he had used television replays.

FIFA backed the version of the fourth official, who insisted he had seen the foul as it happened. Video technology cannot be used as a basis for a refereeing decision.

"The incident was directly observed -- without the use of a monitor -- by fourth official Luis Medina Cantalejo from his position at the pitchside, who informed the referee and his assistants through the communications system," said the world body.

In an ironic touch, Zidane was later declared the outstanding player of the tournament, the winner of FIFA's Golden Ball award, in a vote decided by the media.

FIFA could not confirm how many of those votes were cast before the 34-year-old's red card. "The votes were cast into ballot boxes in the media center in Berlin that remained open until midnight on the day of the final," it said.

"It is impossible to determine how many journalists cast their votes before the match and how many during it, as the ballot papers were not counted until after the deadline for voting had expired."

Zidane has not explained his actions publicly although he is expected to later this week. Materazzi said the incident started when he grabbed Zidane by the shirt.

"He turned round, he said to me with a sneer, looking at me up and down, mockingly 'If you really want my shirt, I'll give it to you afterwards'," the Italian said.


http://edition.cnn.com/2006/SPORT/football/07/11/fifa.zidane/index.html

[isabelle]

(and I'm sure we're gonna hear some awful comment from our National Front, the French fascist/neo-nazi party, who already commented in the past on the "colour" and "origin" of our players! Starting tomorrow I'm sure).

MEA CULPA! MEA MAXIMA CULPA!! I was wrong. Even the Italian fascists beat ours! Indeed, it is Roberto Calderoli, a former Minister in the Berlusconi government, who played that dirty game. After the Italian team's victory, he declared :
"Our victory in Berlin is a victory of our identity, of a team of Lombards, Napolitans, Venetians, Calabrians, who won against a team that sacrificed its own identity by putting in line Blacks, islamists and communists in order to obtain results."  It would make me laugh, were it not so pathetically laughable!
LOL!!!  (but Materazzi PLEASE, are you such a moron as not to know what an islamist terrorist is supposed to be?? -see article above - Give us a break, man!)

[Lumière]

More on Zidane: Case Closed. Materazzi admitted he insulted Zidane, but denies using a racist expletive. It's on CNN.

What exactly was said between the two remains a mystery although Materazzi has denied allegations he called Zidane a "dirty terrorist".

"I used an insult that I've heard used a dozen times and which is heard all the time on the pitch," said Materazzi -- when asked whether he had insulted Zidane's sister.

"I certainly did not call him a terrorist: I'm ignorant, I don't even know exactly what an Islamic terrorist is ... I also certainly didn't say anything about Zidane's mother: for me, a mother is sacrosanct."

  

[henrypie]

Materazzi's line that he's "ignorant" of what an Islamic terrorist is sounds like it was handed to him by a publicist.  Not only do the most hateful things come out of the most ignorant people, but his very ownership of his ignorance negates that ignorance, you know what I mean?  It's too sophisticated a notion for someone who claims to be unsophisticated.

Although I heard that both deny a terrorist comment.

[Giancarlo]

Oh please. You people have no idea what he said. And some lipreader is not going to tell you either, especially when lipreading only can pick up 25% of the words (and that is from close distance). What Zidane did was childish and they are considering pulling his best player award from him and giving it to the person who really deserved it, Fabio Cannavaro. Cannavaro was a better sport and is a much better player then Zidane. He's also a professional when it comes to behavior.

Materazzi is not a racist, nor is he a bigot. Jeez, people insult each other all the time on the field. I even played for an amateur football league while I was living in Argentina and it was common. I just let it go over my head, and continue playing. Headbutting someone when they say something mean to you is immature and quite unprofessional. I want Zidane to lose his best player award just for that.

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1227435,00.html

Sky is a pretty iffy source, but I have heard this from several sources.

Isabelle is on her usual rant about bashing Materazzi, who basically equalized against France. I Think a lot of people in the French media are bitter because they know it was Materazzi who scored that equalizing goal and they see this headbutting incident, as an opportunity to use slander against him. I hope Materazzi has a good lawyer... I wonder how effective it is to sue in the EU for slander.

So many sour grapes here. I'm sorry that France lost and I'm sorry that Zidane had to resort to immaturity and violence. I guess that's a symbol of the state of affairs in France. I really don't think you guys should be directing all your anger at Materazzi, and hell I heard it was Zidane who said something first to Materazzi that was insulting. They traded words, and Zidane became a child. Your anger is misdirected and rather should be directed at ZIDANE HIMSELF!

Guys... before you bash me... understand... I had a lot of respect for Zidane and I feared him in this match. But right now... I have lost all respect for the guy. Great player or not, he's not professional.

[Giancarlo]

Spaniards in general feel like you do. They think the national team is embarrassing. But this year they were playing better, compared to other years, and people were excited about it.

Oh believe me I would like to, and say it if you must, I did have a vendetta against the French team because they defeated the Spanish like that. I was so mad that day. I hope that Spain improves further next year... they really should... they obviously have the talented players to do it (including Fernando Torres). I hope this cup was a learning experience for the team and they improve how they play in 2010.

[isabelle]

Materazzi's line that he's "ignorant" of what an Islamic terrorist is sounds like it was handed to him by a publicist.  Not only do the most hateful things come out of the most ignorant people, but his very ownership of his ignorance negates that ignorance, you know what I mean?  It's too sophisticated a notion for someone who claims to be unsophisticated.

Although I heard that both deny a terrorist comment.

I totally see what you mean, and I agree. I don't mean to guess what Materazzi said, but anyone saying they don't know what an islamic terrorist is, is just ludicrous! It sounds like a 4-year-old giving a very lame excuse for whatever.
Zidane did not repeat the exact words, but said Materazzi insulted his mother and sister in very harsh words. Apparently all because when Materazzi was tugging at his shirt, Zidane said: "You can have my shirt at the end of the match if you like". Then the insult and the head butt in response. Zidane apologized on TV last night.


 

[Giancarlo]

I totally see what you mean, and I agree. I don't mean to guess what Materazzi said, but anyone saying they don't know what an islamic terrorist is, is just ludicrous! It sounds like a 4-year-old giving a very lame excuse for whatever.
Zidane did not repreat the exact words, but said Materazzi insulted his mother and sister in very harsh words. Apparently all because when Materazzi was tugging at his shirt, Zidane said: "You can have my shirt at the end of the match if you like". Then the insult and the head butt in response. Zidane apologized on TV last night.


 

Materazzi, an italian hero who appeared at the Rolling Stones concert in Milan after a tribute to the Azzurri at the end of the concert, denied saying anything about his family. And no, you don't know what Zidane said. Personally I don't think he said that. Stop relying on lip-reading because that is all we have.

I want the Best Player Award pulled from Zidane. The man is obviously quite immature and very unprofessional. He has a history of attacking members of an opposing team, like he did in Saudi Arabia in 1998.

[Pipedream]

How fitting. Quite a few people have decided to leave BetterMost for good only shortly after our very own national coach Jürgen "Klinsi" Klinsmann has decided to leave Germany. Darn it. 

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,426328,00.html:

Klinsmann Quits as German Coach

Jürgen Klinsmann has decided not to stay on as Germany's national soccer team coach, despite leading his young squad to the World Cup semi-finals. The decision will disappoint the millions of German fans who had hoped he would continue.

It will come as a hard blow after the World Cup euphoria that gripped host nation Germany: the man that lead their youthful and underdog team to a surprisingly strong showing in the tournament is calling it quits. Jürgen Klinsmann will not continue as German national coach despite overwhelming support across the country.

"I have a great wish to return to my family and my children," said Klinsmann at a press conference on Wednesday. "I feel burned out."

His assistant coach Joachim Löw, who has played a big part in Klinsmann's controversial attempt to modernize the training methods of the German Football Association (DFB), was named as his successor. "He was never an assistant - he was a partner, who had his own areas of responsibility," Klinsmann said.

The resistance to change that Klinsmann and his staff encountered prior to the World Cup could be one of the biggest reasons for his resignation. His two-year tenure was marked by frequent public criticism of the 41-year-old, who had no previous coaching experience.

Although Germany's third-place finish at the World Cup and the bold, attacking style of the national team won Klinsmann legions of fans and helped the country develop a strong sense of unity amid an outpouring of enthusiasm, it was never clear he would continue as coach after the tournament.

He lives with his family in California, which was always a point of contention with many at the DFB and others in Germany's soccer community -- as were some of his personnel and coaching decisions. Klinsmann may fear a return to infighting and backbiting once the wave of excitement generated by the World Cup rolls back.

Former German coach Berti Vogts was one of the few not to be caught up in the national glow of the team's impressive performance, which made it seem to some that Klinsmann would be encouraged to continue. "After this World Cup everything certainly seems wonderful. But I know that Jürgen Klinsmann hasn't forgotten all the things that happened to him over the past two years," Vogts told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper.

From zero to hero

After Germany was thumped 4-1 by Italy in a friendly in March, an opinion poll had 60 percent of the public calling for Klinsmann to be replaced. Only months later, after a strong showing in the World Cup and only a narrow defeat by Italy in the semi-finals, fans were desperate for him to remain. Many held banners during the team's last match for third place against Portugal reading: "Klinsi Please Stay!"

"I hope that no one's heart will be broken by this," Klinsmann said. "Now let's look to the future. We'll have a lot of fun watching this team."

But the decision was also likely a disappointment to Klinsmann's youthful players, who had unanimously called for him to continue on as coach heading towards the European championships in Switzerland and Austria in two years.

"It's a shame that Klinsmann is not continuing," German captain Michael Ballack said. "I am pleased, though, that we now have a coach in Joachim Löw who knows the team and who will continue in the same style."

Speaking after Klinsmann at the same press conference on Wednesday, the new German head coach echoed his predecessor's unshakable optimism. "We are deeply convinced that we have established ourselves in the top of world football again. We have a young team that can only improve," Löw said.

Joachim Löw and Jürgen Klinsmann after a German goal against Ecuador: 



We'll miss him!!!

[isabelle]

How fitting. Quite a few people have decided to leave BetterMost for good only shortly after our very own national coach Jürgen "Klinsi" Klinsmann has decided to leave Germany. Darn it. 

A shame he is leaving, a shame they are leaving... But who? Is there an official thread somewhere of people stating they are leaving Bettermost?