Roar Guru
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Approaching a history making World Cup final, either Spain or the Netherlands will win a first ever title. Spain produced its best performance last…
American golfer Walter Hagen once proclaimed, "No one remembers who came in second." For the most part, he is right, yet Germany and Uruguay…
A 73rd minute header from Carlos Puyol propelled Spain to its first ever World Cup final, as it held off a young German side…
[caption id="attachment_30933" width="300" caption="The forwards of the German nationa soccer team nominated for the World Cup. AP Photos"][/caption] Germany has played the most exciting…
With each World Cup come some thrilling performances – from teams and individuals. Often, a player will catch the eye of one of the…
As we digest and recover after some amazing World Cup quarter finals, the issue of whether Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez is a hero or…
Germany handed Diego Maradona’s Argentina an absolute 4-0 football lesson, on the back of comical defending, clinical build-up play and finishing, and some tactical…
The highlight of the World Cup to this point has arrived – a quarterfinal clash between Argentina and Germany. Trash talk has been the…
Errors. They have been at the forefront of this World Cup - whether it is from officials or players. And two cost a mentally…
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Drama, action and endless nerves for players and fans alike, the World Cup got its first penalty shootout of 2010 as Paraguay overcame Japan.…
The World Cup football, the Jabulani, combined with the South African altitude has robbed fans of goals and the much-loved dead ball special, although…
Football fans around the globe should be demanding an answer. England, denied a clear Frank Lampard goal, in turn goes crashing out of the…
As we begin to get used to the knockout stages of the World Cup, we face a mouth-watering encounter between rivals England and Germany…
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What an effort. It was a victory and an extremely good one. The Socceroos may be out of the World Cup and we all…
A lack of goals can always be made up for with high drama and it did as Group C, which was quickly becoming the…
Refereeing has been a major talking point at the World Cup this week, but its the players who need to take responsibility when it…
The lack of goals at the World Cup has been the biggest complaint from viewers, and they are right – not much is finding…
Maybe not ‘right’ Guy, but that’s football.
His job is done in reality.
So true about FIFA – people watch the game, we talk about the game, and they make plenty of money from the game. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?
Well, wouldn’t you just love to see Suarez play in the final… ? Haha. I’d just like to see a good game of football.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
But if everyone is playing with the win at all cost mentality it means those who aren’t – are losing.
We all love to see fair play but as long as the athletes can get away with breaking the rules, they will – and they have every right to.
It’s a high pressure job and you’re judged by results.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Good on you Guy – this is a fine assessment.
Not sure about devil’s advocate, but I like a range of opinions – and you get it by asking questions.
Most people agree the penalty was not harsh enough and dasilva raised the prospect of a penalty goal in a blog of his. I think the referee ruled Kewell had moved toward the ball and therefore deliberately stopped the ball from going in. It was upsetting, but it was a red for me as well. The penalty may not be severe enough, but Suarez was punished for breaking the rules and knew what the punishment was. In my opinion, he has kept his team in the game by slapping the ball away. It’s his job to help his team win games and he did that.
The cheating is endless because it can be. But cheating happens in almost every sport – just not to the same extent.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
dasilva, I read your pieces on technology in football frequently.
How do we know the Uruguayan people wouldn’t be asking questions about him making a header instead of using his hands?
Anyway, isn’t his job to gain the greatest possible advantage for his team, even if it means breaking the rules?
The rules maybe don’t punish him greatly enough, but isn’t he right to win at all costs?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
That’s funny because this was the most blatant piece of cheating.
Seiran, in your honest opinion, doesn’t cheating occur in all sports? Or do you simply get frustrated because it is so obvious and blatant in football?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Well put.
But he copped, where this is right or wrong, the punishment he had to receive on the ground. A red card and a penalty.
He bent the rules, copped his whack but Ghana missed the spot kick?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Nice work Ben.
Next question: can you give us a reason?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Nice point.
But given the rule is as is, is what Suarez did wrong? Or did he simply exploit the rules, as he has every right to do?
These incidents don’t happen all that often, that’s the only reason I’d be hesitant for another rule.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
But both were adjudged to have been intentional so therefore both have received one match bans.
What’s the argument for a two-match ban? I’m struggling.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
I think it’s because as a player you aren’t allowed to use your hands so therefore is much more blatant.
But you are allowed to (to some extent) tackle from behind as your excuse of ‘I was going for the ball’, last ditch tackle come into play.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
The only justification possible would be that he is missing a World Cup semi final, but there is no way they are allowed to decide like that.
It was much more blatant than Kewell’s and is kind of endorsed because his team went on to win because of it (more or less).
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
I like the way you put it Dave.
But he is a striker, he knows he isn’t allowed to use his hands?
At the same time, you are spot on though – because Fucile (the man next to him on the line) also attempts to pull of a miraculous million dollar goal keeper dive and save, but misses the ball because of the pace.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
That’s been the idea floated the most.
But if the team gets a penalty to win the game, is that punishment enough?
In reality, Asamoah Gyan should have scored from the penalty spot to win the game for Ghana.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Is that right?
I understand MVDave’s point that missing the semi-final is a hefty punishment, but was what he did blatant enough to be a two-match ban?
I guess you can compare it to Kewell’s in this sense.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
AndyRoo is honest enough to tell us he would have done the same thing – I know I would have.
Interesting thing with the penalty goal is that if it was the consequence .. he probably would have tried to header it.
He broke the rule – he paid for it – Ghana failed to capitalize on it.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Haha – there’s only one problem – if you chested it down and got out of the penalty area, the referee would have blown the final whistle!
Would you have done what Suarez did AndyRoo?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
So you’re standing on the goal line for Australia in a World Cup quarterfinal – you just let it go in? You lose, go home? That’s it?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Do you think it wouldn’t be a talking point? Or would people be asking the question of why he didn’t try to legally clear the ball? A header perhaps?
He ended up sacrificing, and it fortunately paid off for him..
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
Great question. We are already complaining about the officiating – more/changing rules would probably only make this problem greater.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
I like the comparison to the last defender bringing down the striker, the only difference is that he isn’t preventing an actual goal, he is preventing a good goal scoring opportunity.
I agree though – he copped his punishment and in reality, Gyan should have scored and won the game.
The one issue I had was that he has only copped a one-match ban, I think he should have got two. Thoughts on that?
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?
I was one who underestimated them when Kevin Prince-Boateng slid in at Wembley.
Your points are all very valid – exposed Argentina, dismantling by Germans.
If there is any team that has the game to beat Germany, it’s probably Spain, but who’d back against Germany?
As for the Jabulani – well, they’ve scored quite a few ‘indoor-like’ goals – cut back, slide into open net? But yeah, valid again – they do knock it around in general play better than almost any other side in the tournament.
Germany stunningly exposes Argentina
I don’t think JR is a big Tevez fan.
I just felt a change was needed earlier. It wasn’t working in the opening hour, why would it start to work in the final half hour?
Maybe not Tevez, maybe Higuain – but someone, something – before the second killer blow.
Germany stunningly exposes Argentina
I really think you have to play two holding midfielders against Germany, and I give Spain a chance for that reason – they employ a 4-5-1, even if they aren’t in great form.
As for the defence… why doesn’t Maradona like to play with fullbacks?
Germany stunningly exposes Argentina
Good points.
That is my argument – the players will continue to break and bend the rules until they are punished severely enough.
Take a look at Melbourne’s street violence and you’ll find people will continue to offend because all they cop in court is a slap on the wrist.
Sure enough, it is the person’s responsbility not to commit the crime, but he will because he goes – well, unpunished.
Those two are extreme examples. There hasn’t been many answers to the initial question – would you have done the same thing? Standing on the goal line in a World Cup quarter final for Australia..
AndyRoo said yes, I say yes and I think Nelson said no.
The people I’ve spoken to would.
Is 'Hand of God' Suarez a hero or villain?