Calling Wenger and Arsenal: You cannot be Serious!
Unless one has been in a coma for the past two weeks, they would have noticed the controversy surrounding the (just about) Croatian Eduardo’s attempt to “deceive the referee” in Arsenal’s Champions League Qualifier against Celtic and his subsequent two match ban by UEFA.
After the entire British Isles bar the red side of North London cried “cheat” at Eduardo, UEFA handed out a two match ban to Eduardo and one would have thought that justice has been served and the world can move on to other football controversies like Gael Kakuta and APOEL FC’s presence in the Champions League. However, Arsene Wenger, supported by his trusty executives, would not let us do so and informed us that UEFA’s decision was “deeply flawed” and that it contained “obvious errors” on which they intend to appeal
HAVE THEY LOST THEIR MINDS?!
After years of inept handling of similar cases UEFA have finally taken a stand (unlike Eduardo) against the diving issue with a just ban to Eduardo and yet Arsenal see fit to appeal a ban against an obvious dive. Immediately after the match against Celtic, Wenger commented, “it doesn’t look to be a penalty” and continued with “sometimes they [players] dive” and then followed to recall Ryan Babel’s “dive” against Arsenal two years ago in an attempt to justify Eduardo’s actions.
However, since then, Wenger’s tone has transformed into an aggressive rhetoric against UEFA, branding the charge a “witch-hunt” against Eduardo and a “complete disgrace”. Wenger recalls cases where “UEFA did not act at all” yet while for once in this rant Wenger produces correct information, it is not a justification for the case that Eduardo should not be banned, UEFA have simply for once done something positive for world football.
Their challenge now, identical to FIFA’s after their action over the Kakuta affair, is to be consistent and to punish perpetrators of the same crime each and every single time it is committed which unfortunately, given UEFA’s track record, you cannot envisage them doing.
In addition, while Wenger complains the ban is unprecedented and that “Eduardo has been treated like he’s killed someone”, I call for UEFA to follow up on a precedent set in June and to be consistent with a fine and a match ban for Arsene Wenger for his abusive comments to UEFA after Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa was banned for four games after their infamous semi-final with Barcelona for calling the referee a “thief”.
UEFA: You have done the right thing but you MUST continue with this or you remain an inept organisation!
Zak is obviously NOT an Arsenal supporter and is therefore probably among those who cried cheat at Eduardo’s apparent ‘dive’. Also, to say that Uefa have made the correct decision goes against any of the video evidence that was submitted by Arsenal in their appeal against an imminent ban for their player, evidence which was clearly not considered by Uefa, given that it was also accompanied by a considerable dossier on Dudu and the event. Uefa took barely 40 minutes to decide on a ban (which on the face of it, looks like they’d already made a decision, meaning Uefa is something of a kangaroo court when it comes to justice!). Wenger and Arsenal were perfectly within their right to appeal against the rough justice dished out, especially as it seems yet again that there’s something of a conspiracy when it comes to the Arsenal. Had it been Messi for Barca would Uefa take the same action?? Many times before we’ve seen blatant penalties waved away and blatant dives not only going unpunished, but often being rewarded, not only before the Celtic game, but most probably since (given the amount of games played through the many national leagues in Europe), but these surely won’t all be given the same attention. Finally, Uefa must decide whether they are going to back up their referee’s or not. How many times before have we been told that if a referee has seen an incident and stands by his decision that it can’t be overturned in hindsight? Now, suddenly, we find that this was purely fiction to stop people complaining about an event that had already passed. WHen in reality, if it suits them, Uefa have now (dangerously) set a precedent that they WILL look at the video evidence to dish out retrospective punishment. Sort yourselves out Uefa and I hope Arsenal go on to win the Champions League to really get under the noses of Platini and his cronies!
Eduardo definitely dived and deserves the ban, no doubt about that. however if i remember correctly i recall UEFA saying that they wont be reviewing any more cases of diving this season. now i hate diving and everything that comes with it, but i would be pissed off too if i was arsene wenger and my player got banned for diving, while everyone else gets off with nothing. the way i see it, either ban everyone who dives or dont ban anyone. i watched a couple qualifying games and i remember seeing a player clearly dive in the area. now the referee didnt fall for it and he waved play on, but the player didnt receive a yellow card. however it got me thinking and i believe that that player should also receive a two match ban. just because the referee didnt award a penalty doesnt mean that the player didnt dive or didnt attempt to con the ref. so the way i see it, UEFA should ban everyone who dives, regardless of whether they won a penalty/freekick or not. however i know there is no way in hell that is going to happen so arsene has every right to be aggrieved.
ZAK your artticle is far from objective typical just like the rest of the british media. Your view on the diving issue is utterly prejudiced. I wonder what you would have said if Eduardo and Wenger were both English. Oh and Rooney is not a diver is he? Arsenal point of view very is simple, if you gonna get rid off it then make sure their no exception. the concept of diving is not reserved to those outside the british isles.
a two match ban is not justice. the normal punishment for such an offense during the course of a match is a yellow card. the point here is consistancy, which is what you seem to want as well. UEFA has already said not to expect them to review every potential dive, which is where this all goes wrong. because the punishment is not just a yellow card and since UEFA will almost surely fail to uphold this precedent consistantly, it means that eduardo is being treated unfairly. plain and simple.
ZAK.
Just for the sake of argument if I agree with you reply me one thing. Did you see England-Slovenia match? Did you? You Rooney’s dive. Did you hear expert comments afterward? I am talking about a player who only couple of days before diving said loudly in press “I am an honest player”.
Now do u think he should be banned as well?
you’re all missing the point. eduardo dived, i know, you know, everyone knows this. He definitely dived, but yet they’re trying to appeal the decision even they know that he dived. That’s the sheer ridiculous nature of appeal.
btw uefa are spineless. they only reacted because the british media ran riot with the story.
uefa only stepped in the review the case because it was european tie, thats why dives in the premier league are left up to the FA and therefore the referee right there. If the ref doesnt do anything, the FA wont.
The reason for the appeal is not I think to prove whether or not Eduardo dived, I’m an Arsenal fan and I believe he definitely embellished a minor brush into a full on flop.
I believe that Arsenal are appealing to give UEFA another chance to think about the consequences of their decision. To come out right after the Eduardo suspension and say they won’t be making any more decisions as far as diving this season (as kaza pointed out) is ludicrous. They might as well tell Wenger they prefer Singapore Airlines to Emirates and slap him with a £500,000 fine.
Have a look at the Honest Roo not dives compilation. Eduardo is an inspiration to many around the world for his courage, determination, talent and honesty. If you don’t know that, it must be something to do with your intelligence or bias.
to dive or not to dive.
go Gooners go. Eduardo received a red card in the boardroom, what next? say the penalty was the turning point of the match at hand, give Celtic a draw maybe, what about a one zero win? they still would not have qualified. remove Eduardo from the games to follow and see if THE GUNNERS would go to the knock out stage?
seriously let the refs give accounts for their performances and don’t blow the wistle on players in the boardroom and if and when a player tries to cheat let the ref deal with them. i’ve seen Rooney take a dive during our 2.1 lossing at Ould Traf and we had to contend with that. a player with both his feet together before going to groud is more convincing that he is diving than a players legs thats appart indecating motion.
Me like many numerous Arsenal fans are really aggrieved by the UEFA’s take on diving. Well by the look of it Eduardo was made the scapegoat, and lets be honest with it. I have seen more dives by a certain Famous Player and he was never, i mean never punished. Not even a yellow card maybe. So this all ends to nothing.
And being a manager i would obviously protect my player.