Comments on: Match-fixing claims in Germany 2006 and Bundesliga

By: William

William — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:18:16 +0000

I’m an American in London who loves soccer. I don’t know Declan Hill and couldn’t care less if he went to Oxford or not, I have friends who went to Oxford and they are as nutty and clumsy as the rest of us. But I’m reading The Fix because I’m not an idiot who will believe anything Blatter comes up with to protect his name, nor am I too blind to follow the chant of the beautiful game cannot be tarnished. I’m reading the book because I want to know what this guy has to say, to understand if and how the game we cherish is being attacked. The next time I grab a beer with my pals to watch a game of ‘footie’ I want to feel that everything that can possibley be done is being done to protect the game I live for.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:39:45 +0000

I also saw the interview and it was very, very smooth and practised. The people who are making noise are the ones with vested interest, Blatter, Damba, Appiah, ofcourse they will deny this. For Blatter this book destroys the dream he potrays that football is pure and untarnished but i would want a balanced view. the fact that Hill is being attacked from Ghana, FIFA and Equador makes me think that he has uncovered something which Blatter most of all is trying hard not to think about. An Oxford phd is not something you get with your mind on your dinner. people should buy the book and make their own minds up not listen to those who have an interest in putting a clampdown on issues they find uncomfortable with. whether you think the guy was too polished or not it does not mean what he has to say is wrong.

By: Tony Lippincott

Tony Lippincott — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:07:59 +0000

I saw the same interview and thought he was quite polished. So I ordered the book I’m halfway through the book and its a serious piece of research. In fact it was the outcome of his Oxford phd research so its much more about explaining how corruption gets institutionalized than about picking on Ghanians. It has dozens of interviews and it almost too academic, dry, and thorough. I think rather than reviewing the reviewers reviewing reviews, you should read the book and see the ways that football outcomes can be manipulated.

By: Travis

Travis — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:39:33 +0000

Where is Declan Hill right now to prove to the world of the truth behind his book? Why hasn’t he defended the claims that he has made defamatory comments? Where is he now? Is he running away, hiding away hoping that the scandal will pass? Mr Declan Hill, if you love the game as much as you say you do come out and defend yourself? Or do we need to buy the book?

By: Ahmed Bilal

Ahmed Bilal — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 07:45:16 +0000

This comment has been removed because it violates SL’s comments policy.

By: Unke

Unke — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:29:51 +0000

You forgot to mention, that, in addition to Bundesliga matches, the World Cup 06 quarterfinal Ghana – Brazil is subject to suspicions of match fixing. Allegedly, Ghana’s players were offered EUR 30,000 each for throwing the match – but would have received EUR 300,000 each by Ghana’s FA in case they had beat Brazil and made the semis! Also, the investigative journalist, who claims to have uncovered the match fixing scandal, has published a book on match fixing this week and has not been able to provide any solid evidence for the alleged match fixing when questioned on German TV on Monday night.

In short: The whole issue might turn out to be a PR stunt after all (hopefully)

By: john degbor

john degbor — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:25:13 +0000

I am shocked that Hill is being touted as an award winning journalist in Canada. It is opathetic that he has wasted the whole world’s time with his outrightly false claims. He said he met Damba in Bangkok and was gonna provide the pictures. He has still not provided the pictures and Damba has turned up on a telly station in Ghana with his passports that he has never set foot in that country before. This is a crude work with lies all over it to make money, deceive another organisation to give him an award and then he doesn’t care about those he might have destroyed with his sensationlism. No wonder he has gone into hiding with everyone mentioned in his book suing him left right centre. He is from Canada therefore not a football fans. It is a shark infested river. Hill will be devoured.

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:58:51 +0000

Declan Hill was in a talk-show on German TV on Monday and no matter how much truth there is behind his speculation, he came across like someone desperately trying to sell his book and nothing else.

His whole demeanor was highly polished superficiality. He came across a lot like a host of the evening news. And whenever he was asked about hard facts and evidence he just kept referring to his book – as in: buy the book and you’ll know. And the way he dramatized his meetings with that Asian boss, how he tried to come across as an emotional fan of football who fears for his favorite past time. Maybe he really is that way, but it looked extremely playacted.

So at the end of the interview all I remember him saying was:
“Buy my book.”
“Go to my webpage.”
“Buy my book.”
“I’ve been to a KFC in Asia.”
“Buy my book.”
“Somebody told me something and I made a book out of it and you should buy it.”
“No, I don’t know why this Asian big boss told me everything. Maybe he wanted to be famous.”

I didn’t read the book, but I’ve read reviews, which write that it’s all highly speculative and that he wouldn’t have come far during his Oxford days with the type of sources he provides for his assumptions.

But that these things could happen or do happen is still a possibility of course. Hill just doesn’t seem to have a smoking gun. Just some more money from selling his book.