Once again I take exception to FIFA's referees. I find it staggering, especially in regard to the ENgland Germany game, not so much in regard to the referees but their lack of resources.
Why doesn't FIFA embrace video technology? Pretty much every sport in the world uses it and has no problems with it. I don't see why football should be any different.
Apparently Sepp Blatter has said it couldn't be used at a grassroots level as some sort of justification as not using it.
I didn't no under 9's were televised, i can imagine the world's perverts would love that. I also didn't realise there were such high stakes at the same level. I can imagine the difference between awarding one team a pizza party and the other nothing must keep the teenage ref's awake at night.
Come on Sepp, video technology is barely used at state level for cricket, let alone at Milo level.
I think though, after Frank Lamard's non goal that was a goal last night that something definately has to be done.
I think at the very least that another ref behind the goal would be useful, especially as so much can happen with the 16 yard box.
Just think about it, we all want to see the best in the world playing a beautiful game, so don't ruin it by refusing to take it forward.
And while u're at it perhaps you could throw us the 2022 world cup, it's never been here and afterall we are a continent all to ourselves...
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Afghanistan.
Now, being a child of the late 20th Century or whatever you want to call me, it was said a few years ago that us children of that era were afraid of war. To an extent that stands true.
We've had the benefits of studying the First and Second World Wars as well as Vietnam and saw the utter devastation that took place. I don't think it's a bad thing for us as a generation to not want that to happen to us or any other generation, or group of people for that matter.
In saying this, as a somewhat patriot, i find it disgusting that people are using the reccent deaths of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan to question why they're there.
Don't get me wrong I don't like Aussies being killed anymore than the next person. My Grandfather fought in WW2, for England but still, and I have friends in the Armed forces and i shudder that there's a possibility of them being in harm's way but if anything these deaths, especially of the two QLD Sapper's the other week that there is still work to be done.
I don't like the rationale, that we need to bring democracy to Afghanistan because that rationality didn't work out the first few times away, but i do think that if it is in our power to bring the people peace, stability and some sort of equality then we owe it to them to try.
Our armed forces join and know what they will be asked to do. They know what sort of situations they may find themselves in and they continue to do their job in spite of this.
These are not conscripts who didn't ask to be there.
These men and women want to be there, to do their duty to their country for people who wouldn't do it.
We owe them our support. They're fighting over there so that these horrible things don't come here.
I may not support the war but I will always, always support our troops.
We've had the benefits of studying the First and Second World Wars as well as Vietnam and saw the utter devastation that took place. I don't think it's a bad thing for us as a generation to not want that to happen to us or any other generation, or group of people for that matter.
In saying this, as a somewhat patriot, i find it disgusting that people are using the reccent deaths of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan to question why they're there.
Don't get me wrong I don't like Aussies being killed anymore than the next person. My Grandfather fought in WW2, for England but still, and I have friends in the Armed forces and i shudder that there's a possibility of them being in harm's way but if anything these deaths, especially of the two QLD Sapper's the other week that there is still work to be done.
I don't like the rationale, that we need to bring democracy to Afghanistan because that rationality didn't work out the first few times away, but i do think that if it is in our power to bring the people peace, stability and some sort of equality then we owe it to them to try.
Our armed forces join and know what they will be asked to do. They know what sort of situations they may find themselves in and they continue to do their job in spite of this.
These are not conscripts who didn't ask to be there.
These men and women want to be there, to do their duty to their country for people who wouldn't do it.
We owe them our support. They're fighting over there so that these horrible things don't come here.
I may not support the war but I will always, always support our troops.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Referees
I find it utterly confounding as to why the referees at the FIFA World Cup are so horribly inconsistent with their calls?
I am also confounded as to why FIFA are letting so many weird and inconsistent decisions stand and why the appeal process is not more evenly weighted.
For the second time in as many games we have a had a player receive a red card for a non red card offence.
In the case of Harry Kewell FIFA showed a presentation to all 32 teams regarding hand balls and apparently covered the exact situation in which Harry and the Socceroos found themselves in on Sunday morning, with the FIFA ruling being play on. Not red card and penalty.
At the very most I find a yellow and a penalty all that should be given.
But maybe Harry doesn't play for the right team, maybe he needs to change his name to Nemanja Vidic...
I think FIFA should, if they don't already, should be constantly assessing the refs and addressing inconsistent penalties that are given out.
I thought what we all wanted was a fair game, but it seems that Australia cannot get a fair game for whatever reason.
I'm trying to be reasonable but i find it so very disheartening to try and respect the officials when they obviously don't respect our players enough to give them a fair game.
I also think SANZAAR need to do something about the ref's for the Wallabies game on Saturday. When is a forward pass not a forward pass? When it goes backwards out of the hand... Quade Cooper might be accused of being a thief but he doesn't throw the ball forward....
I am also confounded as to why FIFA are letting so many weird and inconsistent decisions stand and why the appeal process is not more evenly weighted.
For the second time in as many games we have a had a player receive a red card for a non red card offence.
In the case of Harry Kewell FIFA showed a presentation to all 32 teams regarding hand balls and apparently covered the exact situation in which Harry and the Socceroos found themselves in on Sunday morning, with the FIFA ruling being play on. Not red card and penalty.
At the very most I find a yellow and a penalty all that should be given.
But maybe Harry doesn't play for the right team, maybe he needs to change his name to Nemanja Vidic...
I think FIFA should, if they don't already, should be constantly assessing the refs and addressing inconsistent penalties that are given out.
I thought what we all wanted was a fair game, but it seems that Australia cannot get a fair game for whatever reason.
I'm trying to be reasonable but i find it so very disheartening to try and respect the officials when they obviously don't respect our players enough to give them a fair game.
I also think SANZAAR need to do something about the ref's for the Wallabies game on Saturday. When is a forward pass not a forward pass? When it goes backwards out of the hand... Quade Cooper might be accused of being a thief but he doesn't throw the ball forward....
Monday, June 14, 2010
Catholic Church
I've been doing some thinking about religion and what not.
Now, i consider myself semi-religious, as well as a spiritual person. I was baptised in the Catholic faith and have done my reconciliation, communion and confirmation and plan to get married in a catholic church.
But what gets me is when old people moan about young people, especially Gen Y, not attending church.
Personally I don't feel I need to attend Church to talk to God and feel his presence or whatever it is that going to Church is supposed to make you feel.
I think some of that has to do with the fact that the Church is so far out of touch with young people. Their stances on so many things are so way out of date that young people can't relate.
We weren't taught by Nuns at school, in fact I doubt whether any young catholics have had anything to so with a nun.
Firstly, the Church's stance on women Priests.
Many of us Gen Y's have grown up with our mother's working. Mine certainly did, full time, for quite early on in my life. So it's second nature to see women working and in positions of authority. While women may not have equality in the workplace yet, make no mistake that it is coming. Women now occupy many high power positions around the world. Take the German Chancellor Angela Merkl, Hilary Clinton etc etc.
Secondly, homosexuality.
For a lot of people homosexuality is not something that can be helped, it was how the person was born and thus was meant to be like that, something that God, the creator, did.
Many of us have homosexual friends and we accept them. We've grown up with Ellen DeGeneres on our tv screens, we've listened to Freddie Mercury and Ricky Martin.
Isn't religion about acceptance? If so then why do we leave these people out in the cold?
Aren't we all God's creatures and deserve his love?
Thirdly contraception.
This is just ridiculous. We've grown up with AIDS and we know that it's not nice and something to avoid. Studies have shown condoms are the most effective way of preventing STI's of HIV/AIDs is the most dangerous. We can all see the spread of HIV/AIDs in Africa because of the lack of sexual education and don't want that to become a reality in our world too.
Fourth, sex before marriage.
Personally im of the try before you buy camp. And while i can respect people who want to save themselves for their hubsband/wife i think it's unrealistic to think the majority of people will do the same.
Even in the 50's and 60's it was realistic and times have changed a lot since then.
You can see in the United States with the practice of promise rings that it can sometimes do more harm than good with rates of STIs very high within this group because they don't have any education about safe sex. Unwanted pregancies also result.
I just don't see how the Catholic Church, or any major religion for that matter can hope to stay relevant when they are so out of touch with the people they are ministering.
It doesn't make sense.
The law adapts and changes in response to changes in science and technology, why can't religion?
I don't mean the Pope taking to twitter or facebook in order to reach a wider audience, I mean changing the big things that are turing the youth away.
It's well publicised that Gen Y don't listen to their parents so why would we listen to an old German virgin preaching at us from Rome.
DOn't get me wrong, the Vatican is a lovely and extremly revrent place but what's coming from it isn't relevant to us, the people who will carry the church when the current lot are gone.
Now, i consider myself semi-religious, as well as a spiritual person. I was baptised in the Catholic faith and have done my reconciliation, communion and confirmation and plan to get married in a catholic church.
But what gets me is when old people moan about young people, especially Gen Y, not attending church.
Personally I don't feel I need to attend Church to talk to God and feel his presence or whatever it is that going to Church is supposed to make you feel.
I think some of that has to do with the fact that the Church is so far out of touch with young people. Their stances on so many things are so way out of date that young people can't relate.
We weren't taught by Nuns at school, in fact I doubt whether any young catholics have had anything to so with a nun.
Firstly, the Church's stance on women Priests.
Many of us Gen Y's have grown up with our mother's working. Mine certainly did, full time, for quite early on in my life. So it's second nature to see women working and in positions of authority. While women may not have equality in the workplace yet, make no mistake that it is coming. Women now occupy many high power positions around the world. Take the German Chancellor Angela Merkl, Hilary Clinton etc etc.
Secondly, homosexuality.
For a lot of people homosexuality is not something that can be helped, it was how the person was born and thus was meant to be like that, something that God, the creator, did.
Many of us have homosexual friends and we accept them. We've grown up with Ellen DeGeneres on our tv screens, we've listened to Freddie Mercury and Ricky Martin.
Isn't religion about acceptance? If so then why do we leave these people out in the cold?
Aren't we all God's creatures and deserve his love?
Thirdly contraception.
This is just ridiculous. We've grown up with AIDS and we know that it's not nice and something to avoid. Studies have shown condoms are the most effective way of preventing STI's of HIV/AIDs is the most dangerous. We can all see the spread of HIV/AIDs in Africa because of the lack of sexual education and don't want that to become a reality in our world too.
Fourth, sex before marriage.
Personally im of the try before you buy camp. And while i can respect people who want to save themselves for their hubsband/wife i think it's unrealistic to think the majority of people will do the same.
Even in the 50's and 60's it was realistic and times have changed a lot since then.
You can see in the United States with the practice of promise rings that it can sometimes do more harm than good with rates of STIs very high within this group because they don't have any education about safe sex. Unwanted pregancies also result.
I just don't see how the Catholic Church, or any major religion for that matter can hope to stay relevant when they are so out of touch with the people they are ministering.
It doesn't make sense.
The law adapts and changes in response to changes in science and technology, why can't religion?
I don't mean the Pope taking to twitter or facebook in order to reach a wider audience, I mean changing the big things that are turing the youth away.
It's well publicised that Gen Y don't listen to their parents so why would we listen to an old German virgin preaching at us from Rome.
DOn't get me wrong, the Vatican is a lovely and extremly revrent place but what's coming from it isn't relevant to us, the people who will carry the church when the current lot are gone.
Sports
This is a little pet hate of mine, but what I really can't stand is people criticising things they don't understand, particularly sport.
Carrie Bickmore I'm talking about you.
On the 7pm project she never likes Dave Hughes talking about sport and then last night jumps on the Socceroos bashing bandwagon.
I'm sorry but if you don't know what's going on then don't talk about how you could do better.
Say it was disappointing and that we all hope they do better next time. Trust me it makes you look stupid, especially to people who have a long memory or just remember random things and happened to remember that.
Honestly you don't see me going round saying i could fix the health system better than K Dudd or i could raise her kids better than her, so how about you stick to what you know and i stay sticking to what i know...
Carrie Bickmore I'm talking about you.
On the 7pm project she never likes Dave Hughes talking about sport and then last night jumps on the Socceroos bashing bandwagon.
I'm sorry but if you don't know what's going on then don't talk about how you could do better.
Say it was disappointing and that we all hope they do better next time. Trust me it makes you look stupid, especially to people who have a long memory or just remember random things and happened to remember that.
Honestly you don't see me going round saying i could fix the health system better than K Dudd or i could raise her kids better than her, so how about you stick to what you know and i stay sticking to what i know...
Socceroos
Although words cannot express how incredibly angry I am at Pim Verbeek's utterly perplexing selections on Monday morning I'm going to try.
We all know that Pim is a defensive coach. As the saying goes defence wins premierships. But we're nto after premierships here. This is the World Cup, a competition that Pim Verbeek has never gone to as head coach.
Yes he did a fine job to get us through qualifying but this is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Perhaps because of the job Pim did in qualifying is why we were thinking there might be a possibility of getting something from this game.
But the team and tactics Pim employed for the game against Germany said to them, and the rest of the world that we were not going to attack, we were going to sit back and let them come at us for 90 minutes.
That's not what Aussies do. We have pride and passion and want to win every game, not settle for a draw before the game has even started.
I don't know what Pim Verbeek has done to those boys but they played without passion. Actually i do what he did, he sent them out with a 4-6 effectively. I was zapped of passion the minute i saw the line up, no wonder the boys played without heart.
I'm sure had Richard Garcia's goal gone in we might be talking a little differently here but it didn't and we got our asses handed to us on a plate.
After the first goal he should have made attaking changes. Obviously our defence couldn't absorb their pressure, so why not take the game to them? Put Kennedy on, surely if Jason Culina can out jump Phillip Lahm then Josh Kennedy wouldn't need to get off the ground in order to beat him. But instead he puts of Brett Holman,a player who has scored twice for the Socceroos. Why does he persist with Brett Holman? He couldn't hit the side of a barn if he tried. Remember the Netherlands friendly in Sydney Pim? I do and we would have had it won if it wasn't for him and his "ability".
And playing Jason Culina out of position? Yeah, nice one, worked a treat!
We need to be more attacking, put on Kewell, Bresciano, Vidosic.
And as for the FFA. Get of our arses, stop sucking up to people to improve our bid and try and get Timmy off that card! It wasn't even worth a yellow and yet he got a straight red. If the player involved said that the card was unwarranted then surely something isn't right! Timmy is a massive part of our team and if we want to make it to the round of 16 then we need him to help us get past Ghana and Serbia.
Pim, you may be our most successful coach but we don't love you. We loved Guus because of what he did with our boys. We love them and we want them, so desperately, for them to do well. What happened on Monday morning was an abomination and spits in the face of Australian football and all we have done to try and raise our reputation.
Pull your finger out and play it like we know they can!!
We all know that Pim is a defensive coach. As the saying goes defence wins premierships. But we're nto after premierships here. This is the World Cup, a competition that Pim Verbeek has never gone to as head coach.
Yes he did a fine job to get us through qualifying but this is an entirely different kettle of fish.
Perhaps because of the job Pim did in qualifying is why we were thinking there might be a possibility of getting something from this game.
But the team and tactics Pim employed for the game against Germany said to them, and the rest of the world that we were not going to attack, we were going to sit back and let them come at us for 90 minutes.
That's not what Aussies do. We have pride and passion and want to win every game, not settle for a draw before the game has even started.
I don't know what Pim Verbeek has done to those boys but they played without passion. Actually i do what he did, he sent them out with a 4-6 effectively. I was zapped of passion the minute i saw the line up, no wonder the boys played without heart.
I'm sure had Richard Garcia's goal gone in we might be talking a little differently here but it didn't and we got our asses handed to us on a plate.
After the first goal he should have made attaking changes. Obviously our defence couldn't absorb their pressure, so why not take the game to them? Put Kennedy on, surely if Jason Culina can out jump Phillip Lahm then Josh Kennedy wouldn't need to get off the ground in order to beat him. But instead he puts of Brett Holman,a player who has scored twice for the Socceroos. Why does he persist with Brett Holman? He couldn't hit the side of a barn if he tried. Remember the Netherlands friendly in Sydney Pim? I do and we would have had it won if it wasn't for him and his "ability".
And playing Jason Culina out of position? Yeah, nice one, worked a treat!
We need to be more attacking, put on Kewell, Bresciano, Vidosic.
And as for the FFA. Get of our arses, stop sucking up to people to improve our bid and try and get Timmy off that card! It wasn't even worth a yellow and yet he got a straight red. If the player involved said that the card was unwarranted then surely something isn't right! Timmy is a massive part of our team and if we want to make it to the round of 16 then we need him to help us get past Ghana and Serbia.
Pim, you may be our most successful coach but we don't love you. We loved Guus because of what he did with our boys. We love them and we want them, so desperately, for them to do well. What happened on Monday morning was an abomination and spits in the face of Australian football and all we have done to try and raise our reputation.
Pull your finger out and play it like we know they can!!
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