FIFA World Cup Final: Dutch Manager Blames Referee
In one of the most violent World Cup final matches ever played, the English referee Howard Webb brandished a total of fourteen yellow cards. Two of the yellow cards were seen by Heitenga, as a result the Dutch defender was also shown a red card and thus he was ejected from the field.
Holland are thought of as pioneers of total football. A style that is associated with symmetry and beauty, however there was no symmetry or beauty on the field from the Dutch during the World Cup final match as they tried to literally kick the Spanish out of the match.
It would be wrong to totally blame the Dutch for the sorry state of football that was played in the pen-ultimate match of the tournament because the Spanish players made the most of the fouls that were committed on them. Countless times during the match, Spanish players were seen rolling on the floor in an effort to tempt the referee into showing a yellow or a red card to their opponents.
At the end of the match, it was Andres Iniesta’s late goal in the second period of extra time that proved to be the deciding factor. It was perhaps the only bright moment in an otherwise lackluster football match which presented a kind of an anti-climax, to the hype that led everyone to expect great attacking football from the final match.
After the Dutch had suffered their defeat, their manager came out and said that the referee didn’t control the game. He also added that the best team won the match. Van Marwijk said that referee was influenced by the Spanish media. Howard Webb, who was in charge of the final also officiated Spain’s opening match against Switzerland.
Webb was widely criticized by the Spanish media for his performance in that match. Marwijk explained that Webb was affected by the condemnation that he suffered at the hands of the Spanish media. The Dutch manager conceded to the fact that some of the fouls that were committed during the match were terrible.
The most atrocious of tackles were committed by Van Bommel and Nigel De Jong, both of are renounced for their fierce football styles. Van Marwijk defended his players and said that it is not the Dutch way to commit dangerous fouls and petty tackles. He also added that players were tense because it was the World Cup final.
The Dutch manager commented that the Netherlands had done magnificently well to reach the finals because no one expected them to do so. He said that, his team could have scored through Robben or they could have even had a penalty. He further added that it was his team’s intention to play good football but they were against a very good team.
He also said that Dutch did a good job in matching the Spanish tactically. He stated that his players got into good positions throughout the match and that the fouls that were committed were regrettable, but teams play a match to win it. Van Marwijk also explained that due to the nature of the match, there was a lot of emotion out amongst the players on the field.
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