The worst referee in the world?

[rhroyal]

I was just reading about Bayern Munich v Fiorentina in the champions league. By all accounts, the referee had a shocker. Munich were lucky with all his decisions that went their way. It so happens that this is also the same referee who hit the spotlight in the Chelsea v Barca semi final last season and effectively knocked Chelsea out.

I then looked up his Wikipedia page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ovrebo ... E2.80.9309

He made mistakes in his Euro 2008 Euro game, he even admitted it afterwards. He is in line to take hold of games in 2010.

FIFA, what are you doing? This man clearly can't cope with big games. Why does he continue to be assigned them?

Also, can you think of any ref who has a genuinely worse record than him?

[cmonurz]

That page says he was in the initial 14 selected, but did not make the final cut of 10 UEFA refs.

[Sun Tzu]

Also, can you think of any ref who has a genuinely worse record than him?

99% of referees i would say.

You don;t get appointed to Champions League games without being a good referee.

Care to analyse the errors made by Rooney, Messi, Gerrard etc ?

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game it is equally true that a single error by a player can do the same, and players make far more mistakes.

[1871 Royal]

Also, can you think of any ref who has a genuinely worse record than him?

Richard Beeby is a very poor ref IMO.

[soggy biscuit]

It so happens that this is also the same referee who hit the spotlight in the Chelsea v Barca semi final last season and effectively knocked Chelsea out.

I thought it was poor finishing combined with laughable defending from Essien & Ballack that knocked Chelsea out?

[Sun Tzu]

It so happens that this is also the same referee who hit the spotlight in the Chelsea v Barca semi final last season and effectively knocked Chelsea out.

I thought it was poor finishing combined with laughable defending from Essien & Ballack that knocked Chelsea out?

Much easier to blame the ref....

I see Terry has accused the ref of showing the players a 'lack of respect'.

Two way street John, you should try respecting the officials for once.

[jumpers for goalposts]

Always makes me laugh when people complain at the standard of refereeing in the English game. IMO, it's the best of anywhere in the world. Just watch Serie A or La Liga for the most big-team biased refeering you'll ever see, coupled with tryly diabolical decisions.

The worst ref is Heathrow Royal IMO, closely followed by Handbags Harris............

[Row Z Royal]

Harsh on Heathrowers, to be fair.

[1960]

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game

What about FOUR penalties that Chelsea should have had against Barcelona?

What annoys me is that Chelsea (English team) comprehensively outplayed Barcelona over two legs and should have been in the final. But, solely because of Obredo, Barcelona got through and suddenly they were the best team in the world.

[Victor Meldrew]

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game

What about FOUR penalties that Chelsea should have had against Barcelona?

What annoys me is that Chelsea (English team) comprehensively outplayed Barcelona over two legs and should have been in the final. But, solely because of Obredo, Barcelona got through and suddenly they were the best team in the world.

What were you watching M8?
IIRC Chelsea had one shot in the first leg and hardly had a kick all game-people like you conveniently forget that first game.
I was at the 2nd leg and the fact is Chelsea couldn't beat 10 men and Barcelona just kept on playing the way that they do and ended up scoring.
The ref might well have given at least one penalty but he didn't however he DID send off a Barcelona defender and DIDN'T send off a Chelsea player when he could well have done.
Over 2 legs Barcelona were the better side and thoroughly deserved to go through.
Lol at the earlier poster who suggests that ours are the best in the world.
Webb,Atkinson and Dean are our top three-need I say more?

[1960]

I had not forgotten that it was 0-0 in the first game. Barcelona's supposed brilliance didn't exactly unlock the door there, did it? And in the second leg Barcelona had ONE shot on target. Not very good for the best team in the world. And in two games they did not actually beat Chelsea. The best team in the world should have won at least one of the games. Strewth, they are only joint top in Spain with Real Madrid at the moment - why aren't they 10 points clear?

The point is that I don't hate Barcelona and I admit that they are a skilful side (but then so are Arsenal) - but I can't stand English football supporters getting so far up Barcelona's bums because they think it's trendy to do so.

[SpaceCruiser]

'greed with you, 1960. They have the likes of Messi and Henry playing for them. Such a cocky club.

[soggy biscuit]

The point is that I don't hate Barcelona and I admit that they are a skilful side (but then so are Arsenal) - but I can't stand English football supporters getting so far up Barcelona's bums because they think it's trendy to do so.

Maybe other football fans just know more about the game than you?

[Sun Tzu]

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game

What about FOUR penalties that Chelsea should have had against Barcelona?

.

There may have been 4 incidents that were contentious but from memory only one was what seemed to be a cast iron pen.

It still didn't 'change' the result, Chelsea had 180 minutes to earn that....

[Terminal Boardom]

I took a shine to Barca back in the 70s when Cruyff and Neeskins joined them.

[Hungerford Bee]

How can you have 15 posts on this topic and not mention Stuart Attwell?

[1960]

How can you have 15 posts on this topic and not mention Stuart Attwell?

Now you're talking. I've been blasted for my comments about Barca and Chelsea, but what about $tevie G? Is he some sort of untouchable saint? First he gets off the court case (tried in Liverpool!) then he gets off with the V-sign and now he hits someone in the head and Attwell gives a foul but no card. The FA can do FA about it because "the referee saw the incident and dealt with it". Just about every incident where someone is hit is an automatic red card, but Attwell chose to ignore it. What a twonk.

He did give us a goal though.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game
What about FOUR penalties that Chelsea should have had against Barcelona?

There may have been 4 incidents that were contentious but from memory only one was what seemed to be a cast iron pen.

It still didn't 'change' the result, Chelsea had 180 minutes to earn that....[/quote]



So 4 pen shouts, 3 of which were correct decisions. And forgetting of course these incidents happened after Barca had a player wrongly sent off. And still Chelsea bleet.

[Big Foot]

I had not forgotten that it was 0-0 in the first game. Barcelona's supposed brilliance didn't exactly unlock the door there, did it? And in the second leg Barcelona had ONE shot on target. Not very good for the best team in the world. And in two games they did not actually beat Chelsea. The best team in the world should have won at least one of the games. Strewth, they are only joint top in Spain with Real Madrid at the moment - why aren't they 10 points clear?

The point is that I don't hate Barcelona and I admit that they are a skilful side (but then so are Arsenal) - but I can't stand English football supporters getting so far up Barcelona's bums because they think it's trendy to do so.

What about those who can appreciate the fact they're run by their fans, let a charity sponsor them gratis and stick true to their Catalunyan roots with player development?

[rhroyal]

Also, can you think of any ref who has a genuinely worse record than him?

99% of referees i would say.

You don;t get appointed to Champions League games without being a good referee.

Care to analyse the errors made by Rooney, Messi, Gerrard etc ?

Whilst people say one refereeing decision can change the result of a game it is equally true that a single error by a player can do the same, and players make far more mistakes.

That's probably true. However, I'd still say that all the evidence suggests that he can't cope with the pressure of big occasions.

Also, I hate Chelsea and lept from my seat when Iniesta struck last season. Despite this, LOL at anybody who suggests that Barca deserved to win that tie last season. They failed to break down Chelsea at the Nou Camp, I remember 1 good chance the entire match. At Stamford Bridge 2 key moments cost Chelsea the game; Drogba missing a sitter to make it 2-0 and the referee's inability to award a cast iron penalty for handball. Barca had one speculative shot late on and went to the final. The ref can't be 100% blamed, but I've seen very few matches where a ref's input has been so significant.