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Howard Webb: Man in the middle
The tournament started with the excitement of Leytonstone's finest - Colin "Kazim" Kazim-Richards - making the starting line-up for Turkey against Portugal. Then came the disappointment of Simone Perrotta being left on the bench for Italy's opener against Holland. But on Thursday night, fans of English-born Euro 2008 personalities were able to cheer again - for Austria v Poland marked the debut of arguably Rotherham's fourth most famous son (after, of course, Barry and Paul Chuckle, and David Seaman), referee Howard Webb. Actually I've just noticed William Hague also comes from Rotherham. Make that fourth equal.
However you rank the celebrity sons and daughters (Paul Shane aka Hi-de-Hi's Ted Bovis is also a strong contender), there is little denying that football has been a cause of disappointment in Rotherham for far too long. The Millers have twice been in administration in recent years, and from next season they will no longer be playing in Rotherham. A row between the club's new owners and the landlords means the club has been forced to up sticks and move out of Millmoor. Their new home will be the Don Valley Stadium in nearby Sheffield, a 25,000-seater venue built for athletics. And any Brighton fan can tell you such arenas don't make good football grounds.
Heartfelt
But the rise and rise of Webb in the noble art of refereeing has at least brought some pride back to the south Yorkshire town - and as I discovered, there's even been an anthem written in his honour. On first listen, I can only describe the sound as being very 'indie schmindie' but the lyrics are honest and heartfelt, in the style of 'Three Lions'. "There's no hope of glory, running low on pride," sings James Tinney of The Bar Chord. But he then asks: "Where's a man who'll save us, who's on our side?" Cue chorus hailing Howard Webb, and his representation of Britain (?) at the Euros.
It's not going to win many fans from the Polish community in Rotherham, however. The decision to award Austria a 93rd-minute penalty in Vienna for what looked to be minor shirt-pulling was hugely controversial. Leo Beenhakker felt Webb, who is on a five-year break from his day job as a police sergeant, wanted to prove he was "a big boy". At 6ft 3ins, I'd say that was obvious.
However Beenhakker might have a point. Here's a quote Webb gave the Sheffield Star before jetting out to referees camp in Zurich: "Of course, some decisions are controversial whichever way you call them but sometimes you have to stand up and make the big ones. It's not being the star of the show - I never want to be that - but sometimes I have to raise my profile." Job done.
Consequences
Now I don't want to start an international incident but a quick look on Rotherham's council website informs me that the town has a "Partnership Agreement" with the Polish city of Zabrze. In fact, the local club Gornik has two players in the current Poland squad - Tomasz Zahorski and Michal Pazdan. Whether or not Webb contravened the terms of this accord by pointing to the spot at the Ernst Happel Stadion has not yet been made clear. But don't be surprised if a motion is tabled imminently at Zabrze Town Hall, severing all ties with Rotherham. After all, big decisions have big consequences.
Webb is being followed around Euro 2008 by a Belgian film crew who are making a documentary about the "human side of refereeing". Having read Graham Poll's self-righteous autobiography, that phrase sent a shiver down my spine although Webb seems a decent bloke. But even the aforementioned anthem continues with the line "the referee is the one" while Austria coach Josef Hickersberger said the man with the whistle is "like God". Webb is not the ultimate authority, however - that job belongs to the referees assessor, and our man at Euro 2008 will be praying he gets to go further in the tournament.
Bastian Schweinsteiger picked up the first red card of Euro 2008, late on in Germany's 2-1 defeat by Croatia in Klagenfurt after a rumble with Jerko Leko. Schweinsteiger has a bit of a wild reputation in Germany after a widely-reported act of debauchery. On a night out in Munich, he met a girl at a disco and took her to Bayern's training centre for some late-night naked jacuzzi action. When security discovered Schweinsteiger at 2am, he claimed the young lady was his cousin. And Leko didn't even get asked back for coffee. How humiliating for him.
Comments
Jack Blakemore (Tranmere Rovers fan) says...
There will always be those who know not the first thing about refereeing who will criticise from that basis of little knowledge. I can tell you that Howard Webb is one of the very best referees in the Premiership. Ask every manager there and he will put Webb up there in the top three. The fact that he is one of the nicest, most humble people you could ever wish to meet, helps him know how to handle any game.
Posted 14:49 16th June 2008
Rhys Harrold (Arsenal fan) says...
i think it is discracefull the way he has been treated and i think some serious action needs to be taken.
Posted 13:06 16th June 2008
Clive Bruce (Leicester City fan) says...
I am due to See Howard give a lecture in September, and am looking forward to it. I am surprised at any commotion caused by what was a clear shirt pull,in full view and just yards in front of the Referee. havent spoke to a Referee who said they wouldnt have blown for a penalty. I honestly think there would have been more complaints about the first goal, which looked to me that the player could have been offside. I think he had a good game and hopefully we will see him in the latter stages if not the last stage of teh competition. he certainly let the game flow more that his european colleagues
Posted 12:12 16th June 2008
Lee Stewart (Manchester United fan) says...
Hello, I met Howard Webb last month in Birmingham and he's a top top professional and also a great guy with a lot of respect for the game. I think it's far too easy to point at referees now and blame them for this and that, but refereeing is a hard job and decisions will go against you.
Posted 05:06 16th June 2008
The editor says.... Absolutely. Let's hear it for Howard. It was a tough call but he did what he felt was just and fair and you can't really criticise him for that. Hopefully he'll have a brilliant game in Greece v Spain on Wednesday and go further in the tournament. J
John Lansley (West Ham United fan) says...
Re comments.from John Gavin.You have it excactly spot on.All managers and coaches had a dvd telling them about this pushing,holding and wrestling in the penalty area.about time eufa and the rest stopped changing the rules and get back to the original rules.have a go at the cheats not at the refs.
Posted 18:09 15th June 2008
Kevin Cuckow (Sunderland fan) says...
We all know that football matches, in particular cup tournaments are pre determined. Gilberto of Arsenal once said that it was Brazil's god given right to win the world cup, and if that meant cheating so be it. This of course means paying vast sums of money to FIFA, as Brazil have done on a couple of times I would presume. USA, Korea for example. Let's face it, there is certainly a conspiracy against France and Italy. Although I am happy to see that against the Italians. However it is very simple to resolve this matter. Wire up the Refs, so we can hear every decision they make, just as they do in Rugby. It will be a laugh then to hear why a particular decision was made, or goal disallowed!
Posted 12:16 15th June 2008
The editor says.... I think you're taking the conspiracy theories a little too far on this one Kevin, although I won't deny match-fixing must take place in football at various levels. But in a major tournament with the eyes of the world's media upon it? That is a hell of a risk to take. J
Mathew B (Manchester United fan) says...
He is ****, not a referee! How does he work in the Premiership?! Two years ago a fat English referee showed three yellow cards to one player! I think the F.A. should do something with our referees. I watch one Premiership match every week and I see many situations like that but there was a different decision! P.S. I think Mr. Webb should go to very long holidays!
Posted 13:59 14th June 2008
The editor says.... It seems like he'll need to go into hiding after that decision, judging by the reaction it's provoked... J
Sean Perry (Crystal Palace fan) says...
JB, i agree with the ga part!! If that was a penaly and webb's going to that next year, i'll be putting ten penalty takers in my dream team! And then ill bet on that aswell!!
Posted 16:49 13th June 2008
Rob Harris (Sheffield Wednesday fan) says...
Brian Blessed also born in Rotherham . . but he's crap at football allegedly.
Posted 15:31 13th June 2008
The editor says.... Is Mexborough classed as Doncaster or Rotherham? This is crucial to your argument. J
John Knotts (Arsenal fan) says...
What a cheeky beggar !!! It's such a disgrace for this small town. Such idiots shouldn't be allowed to referee top games. Go back to your village you ratter !!!
Posted 15:27 13th June 2008
Dan Faries (Rotherham United fan) says...
I'd never thought I'd see Paul Shane and the Chuckle Brothers mentioned in an article on the Euros. As a son of Rotherham, I'd like to congratulate you - and to point out that hopefully our move to Don Valley is only a temporary one and we will be back playing in Rotherham in a new stadium in a only a few years. Millmoor RIP. P.S. Gordon Banks was also born in Rotherham.
Posted 14:11 13th June 2008
The editor says.... Wouldn't it be great if the Chuckle Brothers were Howard Webb's assistant referees? Now that would be proper comedy. Paul Shane can be fourth official, with Su Pollard helping him with the electronic board. Apologies to Gordon Banks and family. Massive oversight! J
J B (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
hope you have a good lawyer sean ga might be a good idea for you as well
Posted 13:50 13th June 2008
John Galvin (Gillingham fan) says...
I am fed up with so-called professional and amateur pundits banging on about penalty decisions like this. If it was outside the box and a free-kick is given, no-one would bat an eye-lid. Just because it is in the box it doesn't mean it is a lesser offence, refs don't usually give it for purely psychological reasons ie a goal is likely, but they should. Referees should award 3 or 4 penalties every game until it finally sinks in to the thick skulls of defenders and coaches that they should actually play to the rules instead of cheating at every corner or free-kick. Once they get the message, defenders will back off, penalties will return to normal and more goals will arrive naturally from decent play. Not that it will ever happen because the TV broadcasters and newspapers love to talk about such 'controversy'. Personally I am sick of it all. I would love to see the so-called experts try and run the line or ref at a top game without the benefit of countless replays from many different angles, we will then see how many 'disgraceful', 'shocking' and 'ridiculous' decisions they make. Even with those benefits in the studio, they still can't agree and yet the ref or linesman is supposed to get it right with one split-second view. Pathetic.
Posted 13:27 13th June 2008
The editor says.... That would be a great experiment. I think Euro 2008 is already proving how hard it is to referee in the modern game. J
Dave Kenworth (Liverpool fan) says...
that decision was pathetic. it was only a little tug at the player. if every referee gave the same decision as that, we would have about 3 penalties to each side in a game of football. anyway, when that austrian player hit the polish player, it should have been a free-kick to poland! worst referee decision i have ever seen in a very important match. if i was part of poland, i would be absolutely fuming if UEFA don't do anything about that decision.
Posted 13:07 13th June 2008
The editor says.... Everyone was talking about the Ruud van Nistelrooy 'offside' decision but I think this one has become a bigger talking point! Do you think Howard Webb will go any further in the tournament? UEFA have backed him, so I guess he'll get another game... J
Sean Perry (Crystal Palace fan) says...
Disgrace. Must have taken a back hander to keep one of the home nations in. Never a penalty. Two players behind the so-called foul were doing exactly the same. Howard Webb, not only did you cost me money, but I'm sure you made yourself a nice pretty penny from the Austrian FA. I hope you're happy, you have sold your soul to the devil.
Posted 11:26 13th June 2008
The editor says.... Accusing a police officer of bribery is a criminal offence Sean, be careful what you say! Jon
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