The Liverpool v Chelsea referee speaks

[Warrington]

FOOTBALL: ANFIELD REF: I RECKON I DID CHELSEA A FAVOUR
May 8 2005

By David Barnes

THE REFEREE in charge of the controversial Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Chelsea sensationally broke his silence last night.

Slovakian Lobos Michel, in an exclusive SP interview, reckons Chelsea were LUCKY to concede the winning goal to Luis Garcia at Anfield on Tuesday night.

He explained: "I believe Chelsea would have preferred the goal to count rather than face a penalty with just ten men for the rest of the game.

"If my assistant referee had not signalled a goal, I would have given a penalty and sent off goalkeeper Petr Cech."

Michel who runs a company flogging car tyres in Bratislava, added: "Jose Mourinho shook my hand after the game and did not complain about the goal. I appreciated his gesture.

"I was quite ready to explain everything, but no-one asked me about the situation. I always answer polite questions.

The crescendo of noise from the Anfield crowd cut communications between Michel and Roman Slysco, the linesman who gave the goal. Michel added: "Roman beeped me to signal the foul by Cech, but I didn't know that till later.

"It was the noise from the crowd that stopped me hearing it. I have refereed at places like Barcelona, Ibrox, Manchester United and Arsenal. But I've never in my life been involved in such an atmosphere. It was incredible.

"I did not need the signal from Roman, though. I had already seen the foul and played advantage. There was no doubt in Roman's mind about the goal and he was in the best position to see.

"I chose him to be part of our team and I trust him. He is a heart surgeon and mistaken decisions are not allowed in his job.

"There was not even need to confer. He signalled the goal and sprinted back to the half-way line.

"I have seen the goal scores of times since on TV and have no reason to change my mind. But it would still be fine by me if they brought in technology to decide these things for the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League."

And Michel would be happy if UEFA select him to take charge of future European ties involving English clubs.

He said: "What I like about England is the players are very fair. They don't like to dive, they don't feign injury. Just one yellow card in a match of such intensity shows that.

"Some people were surprised I played six minutes more at the end. I have never given so many before.

"But apart from the subs, I had to take time off for the two people running on the field and the time-wasting by fans keeping the ball."

 

[bangortom]

"It was the noise from the crowd that stopped me hearing it. I have refereed at places like Barcelona, Ibrox, Manchester United and Arsenal. But I've never in my life been involved in such an atmosphere. It was incredible.

:tard:

 

[LWAR]

:tard:

Jealous.

 

[Dubai_Devil]

Jealous.

:tard:

:scouse:

 

[bigjet66]

Jealous.

:tard:

 

[Dumbstar]

Jealous.

Obviously the ref doesn't think the noisy munching of prawn sandwiches constitutes as 'atmosphere'.

 

[The Red Machine]

Class...

 

[Keane16]

Reasonable comments by the ref there.....although he's being fairly generous to the likes of Drogba when it comes to the moaning, playacting, cheating and faking injury.

 

[Schalkefan]

The story mentions that the referee "runs a company flogging car tyres".

What the heck does that mean (my knowledge of some British terms not used in the U.S. is not good, and in this case, the word "flogging" is what I am referring to)?

I thought "flogging" only referred to something that happened to miscreant British sailors during the 18th and 19th centuries.

 

[Keane16]

The story mentions that the referee "runs a company flogging car tyres".

What the heck does that mean (my knowledge of some British terms not used in the U.S. is not good, and in this case, the word "flogging" is what I am referring to)?

I thought "flogging" only referred to something that happened to miscreant British sailors during the 18th and 19th centuries.

'flogging' is also a colloquial expression for 'selling'. It denotes informality and can be taken as disparaging in a certain context.

For further reading, please see references to a 'joke' credited as originating from a Mr. Plech A. Zunga of London, whereby the writer proposes that a Mr. R. Ferdinand of Manchester, be 'flogged, then sold'.

 

[TheDevil'sOwn]

'flogging' is also a colloquial expression for 'selling'. It denotes informality and can be taken as disparaging in a certain context.

For further reading, please see references to a 'joke' credited as originating from a Mr. Plech A. Zunga of London, whereby the writer proposes that a Mr. R. Ferdinand of Manchester, be 'flogged, then sold'.

This pleases me. The entirety of this post. Well done.

 

[Schalkefan]

'flogging' is also a colloquial expression for 'selling'. It denotes informality and can be taken as disparaging in a certain context.

For further reading, please see references to a 'joke' credited as originating from a Mr. Plech A. Zunga of London, whereby the writer proposes that a Mr. R. Ferdinand of Manchester, be 'flogged, then sold'.

Thanks, Keane16. The next time I have a chance to use the word "sell" here in the U.S., I'll use the word "flog" instead, and see what happens.

 

[Davo]

Well said referee

and of course you hadn't experienced the like of Tuesday before...

 

[Stanley Road]

Car tyre salesman eh?

Always the reliable sort

 

[redfan]

Reasonable comments by the ref there.....although he's being fairly generous to the likes of Drogba when it comes to the moaning, playacting, cheating and faking injury.

If the challeng by the keeper was a red card offence why was no card given, a foul is a foul.

 

[nav113]

Obviously the ref doesn't think the noisy munching of prawn sandwiches constitutes as 'atmosphere'.

Well isn't it a shame most of the unemployed thievin good-for-nothing-except-shouting scouses sat in the kop wont be able to get their unemployed ass's across to eastern europe. Dont think the dole-money covers a round trip

 

[LWAR]

Well isn't it a shame most of the unemployed thievin good-for-nothing-except-shouting scouses sat in the kop wont be able to get their unemployed ass's across to eastern europe. Dont think the dole-money covers a round trip

20,000 Scousers will be in Istanbul singing their heads off, watch the final, you Mancs might learn how to support a team.

 

[nav113]

20,000 Scousers will be in Istanbul singing their heads off, watch the final, you Mancs might learn how to support a team.

So hows that gonna work?

Liverpudlians better get used to the following sight in the next few weeks....

 

[LWAR]

I'd imagine most will be getting the plane, don't worry though you'll be able to hear us in Manchester, I'm sure our singing will drown out the sound of silence eminating from the Old Trafford area.

 

[nav113]

....they gotta buy the plane tickets first.

 

[LWAR]

....they gotta buy the plane tickets first.

Yeah, they'll probably purchase them on the same day they purchase their tickets for the European Cup Final, life's so hard for us scousers.

 

[Gazza]

I'd imagine most will be getting the plane, don't worry though you'll be able to hear us in Manchester, I'm sure our singing will drown out the sound of silence eminating from the Old Trafford area.

Well there won't be many people at Old Trafford when there isnt a game on so that's a bit unfair

 

[LWAR]

Well there won't be many people at Old Trafford when there isnt a game on so that's a bit unfair

Wouldn't make much difference anyway.

 

[Keane16]

If the challeng by the keeper was a red card offence why was no card given, a foul is a foul.

Beats the bejaysus out of me.....he didn't blow for a foul though, he played advantage, although some refs do hand out reds and yellows in that kind of situation regardless......one or the other for this guy I suppose, give the fecker a break, the ball wasn't even over the line for the goal...

 

[Keane16]

THE REFEREE in charge of the controversial Champions League semi-final between Liverpool and Chelsea sensationally broke his silence last night.

I was quite ready to explain everything, but no-one asked me about the situation. I always answer polite questions.

Not that sensational really....as far as sensations go like....

 

[R*v*N]

Referees always defends their decisions

 

[Jacqueline_S]

:tard:

agreed


:tard:

 

[kkcbl]

On the offset, let me state that I couldn't care a hoot whether it was a goal as I support neither clubs.

In my humble opinion, it was a cop-out by the ref in defending his fellow countryman with his AFTER-THE-FACT statement.

""If my assistant referee had not signalled a goal, I would have given a penalty and sent off goalkeeper Petr Cech."

If we had to look at real time, the ref didn't look like he was applying the advantage rule because frankly, Liverpool had lost advantage & possession when Cech felled Baros with the ball running loose & Terry being the nearest player & favourite to clear the ball. It was only because of Garcia's quick thinking that he went to challenge Terry, & in the ensuing clash, the ball deflected upwards & bounced slowly towards goal. We then saw Gallas rush towards the goal-line to clear the ball from under the bar

To state now that he would have given a penalty & sent Cech off if 'the advantage' had not favoured Liverpool is a big laugh when there were so many intervening events between the 'foul' & the goal-line clearance!

Also, how many times have we seen refs not give penalties for similiar incidents or worst( remember Campbell's grabbing of Ruud's shirt a couple of seasons back? No penalty even when Ruud blasted the ball over the bar upon shaking himself off ) ?

The ref made matters worse by going on to explain "The crescendo of noise from the Anfield crowd cut communications between Michel and Roman Slysco, the linesman who gave the goal. Michel added: "Roman beeped me to signal the foul by Cech, but I didn't know that till later" & rounded his ridiculous defence by adding "I have seen the goal scores of times since on TV and have no reason to change my mind.."

I think we can safely say that TV replays have either shown it was inconclusive & therefore the ref was obliged not to allow the goal, or as ITV has shown ( which he must have refused to watch ) that it definitely didn't cross the line.

I'm not faulting Pool in this issue but the ref should have just kept his mouth shut as he looks like the idiot he is by going against convention in his analysis of the advantage rule & what constitutes a goal - or was he misquoted in translation?

 

[redfan]

Wouldn't make much difference anyway.

That's the first noise you feckers have managed for 15 years, unless your counting the booing.

 

[LWAR]

That's the first noise you feckers have managed for 15 years, unless your counting the booing.

If that was the first noise we've made in fifteen years and it completely outclassed anything you've managed in the same space of time, then you must be pretty embarassed.

"It was the noise from the crowd that stopped me hearing it. I have refereed at places like Manchester United, But I've never in my life been involved in such an atmosphere. It was incredible."