English Ref Appointed

okay, troy, I’ll give Viduka 101 penalties if we receive 102, that means we will win by 1-0.

Posted from  Australia

just found out merk has been assigned the ghana usa game. probably worth watching to see if he is consistent and compare the physicality of the game to the aus – braz game.

Posted from  Australia

Poll should be familiar with several of Australia’s players. Whether that’s an advantage or not (not in influencing his decisions, but being able to control the game better) remains to be seen, but I was impressed with his performances in earlier games. He let’s the game flow more and has no patience for flopping and diving. This is good for both teams, not just Australia.

Either way it’s going to be a cracking game and I’m stoked I have a ticket

Posted from  Germany

Poll is a good ref. Respected in the Premier League. Should call a good game and let the football flow. Just what a game like this needs. No silly cards which could lead to an early shower for someone who is only busting his gut and showing commitment that a game like this needs.

Jack, you lucky bastard!

Posted from  United States

and one more thing … how can you say the reff was so bad to australia .. did he disalow a goal?? call an offside when it wanst which could have resulted in a goal? gave more cards to australia than brazil?? sent some one off that should not have been sent off?? NOOOOOO!!! just coz he gave brazil more free kicks coz australia pushed brazil over all the time … i think what merk did to AC minal in the semi fianl against Barca was 100 times worse (disalowed shevas goal) which may have just seen milan to go on to win the championship– i remember when South kora fixed the games in 2002 and italy got liek 4 legit goal disalowed and italy complained all of australia was liek ahh your a bunch of girls … now whos the real bucn of sooks (winging over a few free kicks) .. all you guys ever do in this blog is contradict your selves

Posted from  Australia

CROATIA vs AUSTRALIA

LETS GO CROATIA, LETS go!!!

Tommorow are the last games for group F!!

If croatia beats Australia we’re in!! And Australia is out….Im perrty sure Croatia will beat you…

Luck only last for a while not for ever, tomorow is the day when your luck runs out Australia and pack you bags back home.

Japan, it was nice to see you here in this world cup, but there is no chance you can beat Brazil, eve if you do beat them..maybe by 1 goal..its still not enough to advance because croatia will win on Goal diffrence!!

IDEMO HRVATSKA ALL THE WAY!!!!

Posted from  United States

Denis….Talk is cheap and anyone can say anything. The time for talk is nearly over. Underestimate Australia at your peril.

Posted from  Australia

Denis
No team gets to the world cup on luck.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie
oi, oi, oi.

Posted from  Australia

i think it’s perfect that we do the talking and the players do the playing. see y’all tomorrow after the game. gazi gazi hrvatska!

Posted from  Germany

Denis,
If australia are out of the WC tomorow and seeing as though you are an authority on the game, how about you organize a ‘friendly’ between the USA and Australia…hahaha

Anyway, my prediction:
Goals: Australia 3 – Croatia 1. Yellow cards: Australia 2 – Croatia 3

Penalties: about even.

Lets hope shooting practice pays off for the ‘roos…

Go the Aussies!!!!

Peace and Sun

Posted from  Australia

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if Bruce Arena has backtracked on his claim Aust was one of the two worst teams in the WC? I guess he’s been dealing with his own problems, maybe after the Cup he’ll say something. Of course our case will be helped after we beat Croatia.

Posted from  Australia

Who was the other worst team?

Posted from  Australia

T&T

Posted from  Australia

In a strange way, I hope the seppos, oh sorry, Americans actually get through and we meet them in the next round, Amanda. Oh, what a joy it would be to see that arrogant rotund you-know-what get his just desserts and the Aussies beat the US. Well – one can dream, anyway.
(By the way, a British mate at work here said “Bruce Arena – sounds like a stadium in Australia.” Geddit? Python…Bruce…ahh…anyways…Go Aussies!)

Posted from  Japan

I have nothing agianst the Seppos as a team, I hope they finish strongly whatever the result. And yes, love to meet them in the 16. The Croatians are being cocky enough to add satisfaction to the victory tomorrow though.

Love the Bruce Arena joke — ha!

Posted from  Australia

Poll is known for keeping a dialogue open with the players in games he referees.

Posted from  United Kingdom

A great win for Australia. I supported Australia because of their coach Guus whose a excellent coach. He has make Australia play good passing game. A great match with Croatia with a very poor ref. Ref make a first by awarding a Croatia player 3 yellow card, missing a clear penalty claim for a deliberate handball, and disallowing a final goal for full time. What a disgrace.

Posted from  Singapore

JAPAN v BRAZIL, CROATIA v AUSTRALIA – FIERY STUTTGART CLASH ON THE CARDS
by Jonathan Turner

We putting our cards on the table straight away for Thursday’s Group F finale by recommending a buy of the bookings in the crunch clash between Australia and Croatia.

Unless Japan can claim an astonishing win over holders Brazil, this is effectively a play-off for a place in the last 16.

Given the make-up of the two sides it was always likely to be a bruising encounter but with so much at stake the likelihood of it being a seriously testing night for referee Graham Poll has been magnified.

Poll – a genuine contender to officiate in the final so long as England don’t get there – hasn’t exactly been given the highest profile games yet but he’s suddenly going to be thrust into the spotlight here.

He’s still managed to hand out 11 yellows and one red combined in South Korea v Togo and Saudi Arabia v Ukraine so even though we’re asked to buy at as high as 76 it’s a price we’re prepared to pay for any number of reasons.

Australia have been busy trying to play down their over-aggressive reputation, skipper Mark Viduka saying after their defeat by Brazil: “I think this talk of us being a physical side is a bit of a cliche.

“We are a tough team but then so are many others. It’s just that people are making a big deal of it as far as we are concerned.”

And that’s really generated a siege mentality, Viduka adding: “The game with Brazil was not a dirty one but it seems when we go for our tackles we are being too rough. When the opposition does the same, nothing happens.”

That was echoed by Harry Kewell’s actions at the final whistle when he launched a volley of abuse at referee Markus Merk which almost landed him in hot water.

But a glance at the disciplinary record of some of their key players does suggest the reputation isn’t altogether undeserved.

Lucas Neill collected no fewer than 11 yellow cards and one red for Blackburn last season, Tim Cahill was cautioned eight times at Everton while there are plenty of other strong characters in the side.

And remember that the Aussies even managed to have Luke Wilkshire sent off in an abrasive ‘friendly’ ahead of the World Cup with a clearly-rattled Holland side.

And they now meet a Croatia outfit which has the unenviable record of having collected the most yellow cards (28) of any European side during the qualifying campaign.

Both sides – especially Australia – have targeted this as their key game and the beauty of the fixture for neutrals is that whatever happens in Brazil v Japan there will still be something at stake here.

Throw in the close links between the two countries and the case becomes even more compelling.

As far as the match result is concerned the draw is on Australia’s side as they aim to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history.

And on the evidence of what we’ve seen so far – their come-from-behind-win over Japan and a battling display against Brazil – they look capable of achieving that.

However we’re happy to just concentrate on our bookings recommendation.

Switching to Brazil v Japan in Dortmund and a watching brief looks in order.

The holders are all but certain to qualify in top spot and that will no doubt be reflected in their team selection – but Japan, coached by Zico, haven’t shown enough to suggest they will be able to take any sort of advantage.

They were strangely cautious in the goalless draw last time out against Croatia, a policy which will surely cost them.

The only price that really caught the eye was the 23/10 at expekt about Robinho getting on the scoresheet for the first time in this World Cup after a couple of decent cameos in place of the ineffective Ronaldo.

The fact Ronaldo is on a yellow card would appear to give Brazil the perfect excuse to rest him in this match but, frustratingly, Robinho was also cautioned against the Aussies so is far from certain to start either.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Cheers Rayner – Yeah Poll will be spectating for the rest of the World Cup. Can’t believe he was even pegged to ref the final !!!!

Posted from  Australia

well done Aussies. I am English, no Aussie relatives, but cheering you on. A great win, despite playing Croatia and one totally useless ref. What a complete and utter plonker. Sorry about him. I will always cheer England first but wish you all the best.

Posted from  United Kingdom

As sixteen nations pack their bags and go home after the end of the first round, so should a few referees. I can think of three. Can any contributor think of more.

Posted from  Australia

Graham Poll was as good as the other two in Australia’s games. If 16 teams have to pack their games and go because they weren’t good enough, I can’t see why some of the referees shouldn’t be forced to do the same.

Posted from  Australia

Sorry, for the two comments giving the same opinion, but I was given a rejected message for the first, checked if it was there but found nothing, so I tried again later as proven by the times. Weird!

Posted from  Australia

For anyone who hasn’t seen it, below is the offcial statement from FIFA’s Referees Committee regarding Graham Poll.

Thursday evening’s 2-2 draw between Croatia and Australia in Stuttgart saw referee Graham Poll make an error. In the 61st minute of the game the English official showed the Croatian No. 3 Josip Simunic his first yellow card, followed by a second caution with just one minute of the game remaining. Instead of ordering the defender off for a second yellow card, however, the referee allowed him to stay on the pitch thinking he had only booked him once. Immediately after blowing the final whistle, Poll gave Simunic another yellow card before finally showing him the red.

The experienced official is disappointed at having committed the error, the first such mistake in his 26-year career.

The FIFA Referees Committee also recognised the oversight and the fact that none of the match officials at the stadium picked up on the error.

In explaining his actions to the Committee, Poll said he incorrectly noted down the name of the Australia No. 3 Craig Moore when booking Simunic for the second time and failed to realise his error.

In confirming the official’s mistake, Angel Maria Villar Llona, the President of the FIFA Referees Committee, added that Poll was an exceptional referee and a great sportsman, who would be able to overcome the situation thanks to his strong personality and love of the game.

Posted from  Australia

Well, USA sucks at soccer, lets to Australia!

Posted from  United States