Sir Alex Ferguson, José Mourinho and This Week in World Football Scandals
The headlining scandal in world football this week is the Football Association's suspension of Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson for commenting on officiating. But Fergie is just getting things started.
The England national team captain's armband changed homes, with the previous holder, Rio Ferdinand, unknowing of the switch.
Players continue to use their heads as weapons right in front of referees despite officials' continued habit of booking players who do so.
Speaking of headbutting, the most infamous victim of the trade, Iner Milan's Marco Materazzi, has gotten himself into hot water in the UEFA Champions League without even playing in the round of 16.
There's plenty of gossip and scandal to go around. Let's get right into it.
Rio Ferdinand Stripped of England Captaincy—But Only for One Match
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Tuesday, it was announced that England national team manager Fabio Capello had again made John Terry captain. Terry had his captaincy stripped 14 months ago amid a personal scandal that involved an affair with a teammates significant other.
Capello had taken the armband from Rio Ferdinand and given it back to Terry, but news quickly arose that Ferdinand didn't know about it. The scandal began to unravel.
Now, the whole thing is in backpedal mode. Apparently, the arm band is in flux for only one match, a March 26 tie with Wales. Terry is being put on captaincy trial while Ferdinand is unfit with injury. With vice-captain Steven Gerrard also injured, Capello needed a captain for the match.
He turned to Terry and stirred up a mess while doing so.
Will Goal-Line Technology Be Tested by English Premier League?
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Technology is slowing taking its hold on professional sports. American football uses instant replay and now so does Major League Baseball. College basketball and the NBA can go to video to review certain plays.
Is world football next?
Discussions of goal-line technology—intended to help determine whether or not a ball has crossed the goal-line—have surrounded the game the past couple of years.
It might finally get its first big test.
The English Premier League may invite Hawk-Eye to test its product in its EPL matches next season. The results will be secret.
Isn't it about time? Remember Frank Lampard's no goal in the World Cup this past summer against Germany? Replays showed that the ball crossed the line. The game's officiating could use improvement, even if it comes in the form of technology.
Jose Mourinho Warns Real Madrid Against Obsessing About UEFA Tie with Lyon
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Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho minced words Tuesday when talking about the second leg of his club's UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie with French side Lyon. First, he called the match the "hour of truth." Then he said that his players shouldn't be "obsessed" with the match.
So it's the most important match of the season but nothing to be too focused on?
It's understandable what Mourinho meant: obsessing over the importance of the game will hamper his team. But the message wasn't clear.
Real Madrid took care of business, winning 3-0 and advancing on a 4-1 aggregate. But advancing to the final eight isn't what Madrid faithful want. They want the club's first championship since 2002.
Radu Headbutts Simplicio and Is Sent off
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With AS Roma holding a 1-0 lead on Lazio late in the first half, Stefan Radu took offense to some time wasting Fabio Simplicio. He approached the Roma player and went after him with his head right in front of the referee.
It wasn't even very aggressive, but the growing rule is that a headbutt of any severity gets a player sent off.
How Radu expected to help his club in a 1-0 game while hanging in the dressing room, I don't know. His team had an entire half to come back and earn points. Now, he faces a ban.
Sir Alex Ferguson Receives Five-Match Ban from Football Association
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Yap to the press about distaste in match officiating and the Football Association will come down on you with a match ban. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is well versed in this lesson but took a refresher course.
For his comments about referee Alan Wiley's fitness, Ferguson received a two-game ban. Then he voiced his displeasure for referee Martin Atkinson after he oversaw Man U's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, earning Fergie three more games banned.
Of course, Ferguson is going against advice and appealing the suspension.
It is scheduled to commence March 22 when Manchester United faces Manchester City in a derby bonus in the FA Cup semi-final.
FC Schalke Sacks Manager Felix Magath
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FC Schalke 04 manager Felix Magath was rewarded by helping his club into the final eight of the UEFA Champions League by being fired.
Despite defeating Valencia by an aggregate of 4-2 in the round of 16, Magath is now jobless. The main reason why is Schalke's poor performance in the Bundesliga, in which it currently stands 10th.
It's become abundantly clear that German clubs weigh success on home soil much more heavily than they do the success throughout Europe. This was evident when Bayern Munich announced that manager Louis van Gaal would be out at the end of the year due to poor Bundesliga performance despite guiding Bayern to the Champions League final last year and the round of 16 this season.
Goalkeeper Hit by Firecracker Before Greek Match Ends in Riot
7 of 10Paok FC and AEK FC had their match interrupted by the fans. Firecrackers began intermittently raining down on the pitch before one struck a goalkeeper.
Soon after, a riot commenced, with firecracker-armed fans charged at players rushing for the safety of the tunnel.
It's world football at its finest. Security breaches happen, but grown men smuggling firecrackers into matches and then being able to set them off and throw them on the field throughout the match seems to be more than a breach.
Do you think the Greek leagues have the same text-this-number-to-alert-security-of-rowdy-fans that many American sporting events do?
Bayern's Bastian Schweinsteiger Upset with Inter's Marco Materazzi
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Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger spouted off after his club was bounced from the UEFA Champions League by Inter Milan that Milan reserve and Italian legend Marco Materazzi tried to provoke him before and after the 3-2 Milan win in Germany.
Schweinsteiger commented that "now I understand Zinedine Zidane", who infamously headbutted Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final after Materazzi allegedly made remarks about Zidane's mother.
Materazzi fired back at Schweinsteiger, stating that it was the German who was talking trash leading up to the cup tie and should have saved it for after winning rather than before.
Arsenal's Arsene Wenger Making Transfer Splashes Too Late?
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Arsenal didn't make much noise in the winter transfer window despite plenty of rumors, but manager Arsene Wenger already has the wheels turning in the summer.
On the heals of three cup exits in two weeks—much of the blame landing on a carousel in goal—the Gunners have signed Jens Lehmann. The German was with Arsenal once before and is brought back in an attempt to create stability.
Now the rumors are the Arsenal is after Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, which would be just the type of signing that goes against Wenger's past decisions.
But isn't it too late now? These moves should have been made two months ago when the Gunners will still pushing for cup titles. Better late than never.
Southampton's Oscar Gobern Delivers a Silly Tackle
10 of 10It's difficult to figure out what Southampton's Oscar Gobern was thinking when he came racing in on that tackle. He must have though he had a chance to put the ball beyond the back line and then run onto with no defense between him and the goal.
Whatever he was planning, it didn't work out, and the substitute did the last thing his manager wanted him to do by getting sent off.
Southampton was still able to win the match easily and stay in position to be promoted.
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