The Sun-Herald

It doesnt surprise me that now chelsea have fallen short the reverse snobbery from Foster would begin which in turn would bring all those who have been seething inside for years about CFC success made possible by Russian $$. Finally their foe has made a mistake and they are all jumping in failing to see their own incredible bias. The referee was appauling, the players were appauling but so is the transparent bias to kick a club that has grown in a way not approved by the so called self appointed football media elite.

• by Matt on May 10, 2009 at 07:46 AM

Dog-ba, Ballack and the others should be banned immediately for bringing the game into disrepute. However, football around the world needs to unite against the constant abuse of referees by players and coaches. In other sports such as rugby and aussie rules the referee is sacrosant... no touching, abuse... the captain gets to have a say but that is it. A crack down at the start of the new European season across all leagues with yellow and red cards is required... they will soon get the message.

PS. I saw a young kid in an U12 match yesterday fall in the penalty area, do an extra roll, look up at the ref and gesticulate with his arms. This was a disgrace that can only be blamed on the likes of Dog-ba and his precious mates.

• by Pado on May 10, 2009 at 08:56 AM

Didier Drogba has obviously forgotten the story - the boy who cried wolf. Which one of the twelve histrionic appeals for a penalty did he want the ref to give? As for Ballack, i sit and wait to see the consistency coming from FIFA. Seemed to me he manhandled the ref? Isn't that a twelve month suspension in the Southern Hemisphere? Or do Chelsea$ result in a different approach by FIFA to such incidents?
The results of such appalling behavious were immediately apparent yesterday on the park. I coach a Division 1 Under 16 team. The language directed at the ref was straight out of Didier's mouth. Hard to discipline at grass roots level when FIFA sit idly by whilst referees are constantly belittled, abused and aggressively challenged about their decisions on the big screen.

• by Cicero on May 10, 2009 at 09:25 AM

Drogba is a disgrace to the football world. The thing which galls me about him is that he doesn't need to carry on like that because when he actually gets down and plays football he is very good.

He should be banned for a long time for the way he carried on, it was unacceptable, so should Ballack and for that matter Terry. But Chelsea have never taken losing well, look back to Louis Garcia's goal and the carry on by Morinho and Co on whether it crossed the line.

Drogba's diving is no secret, Morinho went as far as saying that it was nearly always a deliberate attempt to win a penalty. What I can't understand is why the FA or UEFA hasn't stepped in and banned him. It is cheating and also wastes an inordinate amount of time. You could see Liverpool were very frustrated with Drogbas antics in the last 10 min of their epic quater final so much so you could see Carraghar making his feelings known to Drogba after the final whistle who was blatently not even listening.

It is clear that none of the Cehlsea players respect the game, the opposition or even one another (remember the carry on between Drogba and Ballack late last season over who should take a free kick?). They are over paid glory boys who know nothing about teamwork, humilty in defeat and respect for the opposition. They can learn a lot from the likes of Barca, Liverpool and Man Utd.

• by reds for ever on May 10, 2009 at 10:45 AM

Foster and Hall you make me laugh. The ONLY blemish on Chelsea that night was an over reaction of a few players because of a hugely incompetent referee. Most football teams around the world would give anything to be as good and consistent as Chelsea. You dont get into and up to the finals of the Champions League 3 years running without being a great football team! Its you that should wake up to yourself...

• by Sam on May 10, 2009 at 10:56 AM

Some wag on Melbourne noted on radio this week that his wild chase of the referee was the hardest Michael Ballack had worked since moving to Stamford Bridge.

There are always questionable decisions in football and I didn't think any of the penalty decisions over both legs were clear cut. I used to have a soft spot for Chelsea, always supported them against the other big three in the EPL, but their petulance was astonishing. They have lost my respect.

• by Roberto9 on May 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM

Matthew - pathetic and biased blog.

Way to take the easy option and kick a club that’s down. And to infer Barca was hard done by with umpiring decision the first leg is undermines your footballing knowledge.

I’m sure that the entire Chelsea team would agree that there are much bigger problems in the world than losing a football match, but to isolate Chelsea and infer they are the only team that would act like this is ridiculous. I would strongly suggest that any English club would be just as upset, if not more so (with perhaps even some media support, rather than the ridicule Chelsea has received). Just look at Man U – I’ve never seen a manager whinge and criticise as much Fergie does when umpiring decision do not go his way – it just doesn’t happen to Man U very often, does it? Do you not recall Arsenal’s antics when one penalty decision did not go their way in a near end of season premier league game last season? Chelsea has received support from many rival clubs regarding the injustice they received.

I agree Drogba and Ballack’s actions should not be condoned, but as Hiddink said, their actions were understandable given the unbelievable circumstances of the result. These sort of poor umpiring performances are very rare in games of such magnitude. As much as I agree that Drogba acted liked a kindergarten child, the umpiring was equally disappointing. However, Chelsea missed a golden opportunity to put Barca out of the contest and once again paid the penalty for leaving too much to chance.

Chelsea clearly dictated the both legs of the semi-final and ensured the football was played the way they wanted it to be played. Barca only had 1 shot on target in game 2, which is a credit to Chelsea’s tactics. To keep the best attacking team in the world scoreless for over 180 minutes is a credit to Chelsea.

You clearly do not understand the emotion it takes to be a world class professional sportsman. If the Chelsea players did not show the emotion they showed they would not be the elite sportsman’s that they are. It’s unfortunate that in rare circumstances these exceptional events take place where emotions are publicised - but that’s life isn’t it? Plus, it gives you something to earn a living from hey?

• by andrew (barbados) on May 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM

Be kind to them, they are English after all!
Last time I went past Stamford Bridge, the place was crawling with white supremacists, neanderthals and skin heads all in Chelsea colours. Glad I am no longeer a supporter!
JD

• by John Davies on May 10, 2009 at 12:54 PM

Why do you print anything from Mr Foster. He is, after all, the Chelsea of Australian football community. not well liked at all.

• by Andre on May 10, 2009 at 01:37 PM

Well said, Matt,(May 10, 7.46am).

So who is Matthew Hall that wrote this column? Really? Who is he? What has he done worth reporting? Most likely just like Craig Foster, who's opinion means nought.

Everyone likes to bring tall poppies down. No more so than Matthew and Craig.

• by Brett on May 10, 2009 at 02:39 PM

Matthew Hall - your comment was one sided just like that ref. Anelka was tripped on the leg if not deliberately for that red card to Barcelona defender.

In South America the ref would be executed later for such performance. Lucky he isn't refereing there. We should blam UEFA too for not presenting a fair match. So it is both Chelsea and UEFA are to blame.

If the EPL clubs believe UEFA want more intercontinental teams playing in the final rather then having all English clubs final, then maybe EPL should boycott Cmap Lg. Then lets see how that will discredit the Cham Lg. Maybe have UEFA turn around and apologize for putting such inexpereince in a match like that.

• by tony on May 10, 2009 at 05:23 PM

I am a die hard Chelsea fan but I totally agree with the comments panning their criticism of the referee.

I was totally sickened and disgusted by Drogba's pathetic antics throughout the game. He can be a great player, but he prefered to take a dive at the chance to win penalties and free kicks, instead of simply trying to boot the ball into the goal.

It was a shame given the effort of most of the team, players such as Essien and Lampard who worked their guts out. Even Malouda was having an ok game and Hiddink seems to have done much to turn around his game.

The Barcelona defender was sent off because Anelka tripped over himself. I saw no complaints from the Blues then about poor refereeing ! Apart from this glitch ( in Chelsea's favour ! ) I thought the ref had a fair game and there was absoutely no cause for any major whingers.

The best thing Hiddink did was to give Drogba the hook, although Anelka then took up similar diving tactics that even Ronaldo would be too ashamed to try.

Good luck to Barcelona, they scored their goal with one man down and never gave up the hunt. They were a far superior attacking side to Chelsea, although I admired the Blues defensive efforts in both quarter finals.

It should be a great spectacle to watch Man U and Barca fight it out in the final, hopefully Messi will be able to put on more of a show.

I reckon there will be a massive cleanout of the Chelsea ranks at the end of the season. They may get some glory with the FA Cup but Abramovich should send Drogba to the gulag. John Terry, for one, will be dreading the final 2 minutes of that final from his experience of failing when right at the winning post.

• by Greg on May 10, 2009 at 08:42 PM

Matthe Hall your idiot. You lack passion and you lack the idea that you have ever watched a football game in your life. I would write more, but your too stupid to listen and not worth the dissection of your poorly wriiten blog. Just go to sleep believeing all games and reffered fairly, the world is fair and everything in sport is fair. God forbid players have passion! Lets make them all borring people who just play for the money and lack passion and comments.

I was not going to publish this comment because of it's incoherence and poor spelling but then decided all that and your reaction probably underlines everything I've just written. Have a good weekend. MH

• by Jessica Wong on May 10, 2009 at 10:10 PM

Er, yes Matthew Hall's blog is not objective and is one-sided. That's because it's a blog - which is OPINION, and not news, which needs to be balanced. There is a time and place for objectivity. A blog is not one, you bunch of idiots.

• by Sally on May 11, 2009 at 03:35 AM

Apologies for using your blog to respond to Foster but he does not put his e-mail address on his articles. I wonder why?

Yet another opportunistic and self-serving article (10/5/09) from Foster.
Never let the facts get in the way of an obsession.

His bias was evident in his statement on SBS that "Chelsea were the worst footballing team left in the competition" and he must have been sorely troubled that three of the CL semi-finalists were from the EPL. Nevertheless, to review the Chelsea v Barcelona game and not mention:(1) the Essien goal (arguably the finest CL goal of the season) or;(2) the disproportionate impact the performance of the referee had on the outcome of the tie is lazy at best or plain disingenuous.

Nor do the statistics support Foster's point of view. Chelsea were indeed the first team to deny Barca a goal at the Nou Camp this season but this outstanding defensive achievement seems only to heighten Foster's contempt. In the second game, Chelsea had 4 shots on target to Barca's 1. Chelsea had four penalty appeals turned down. This hardly supports the contention that it was "intent only on spoiling and containing". Yes, Barca did pass the ball around but mainly in their own half and rarely if ever "through the blue wall" as claimed.

There were unsavoury scenes but even there Barca contributed in full with 1 red and 2 yellow cards while Abidal took over 2 minutes to leave the pitch after being sent off. Barca commited 17 fouls to Chelsea's 16.

As for the comment that there is "deep revulsion" about Chelsea, I have been heartened, to the contrary, how restrained other EPL supporters have been as they consider how gutted they would have been had their team been ejected so unjustly.

The words of the song misquoted are actually "We are Chelsea, you all hate us and we don't care" and we really don't care that you hate us Craig but we do care that you write a vituperative Barca fan's blog under the guise of being an unbiased, objective journalist in a national newspaper.

• by Peter Cawley on May 11, 2009 at 02:35 PM

Aaaaaaaaaaaahh, the Chelsea Haters can't control themselves. President of CH, Mr Craig Foster carried on like the jealous boy that he is. VP Hall getting in his usual cheap shot. Get over it Foster and Hall, Man U have some competition and don't you just hate it. Suggest you contact another fool to join your club, G Poll (the three card trick ref.)

I sat up to watch a match between two good football teams that morning, and was thoroughly entertained. I saw nothing of your biased observations of negative play by Chelsea FC. Barcelona had more possesion of the ball, but Chelsea FC managed as many shots. More actually were "on goal" than Barcelona. On one occasion I was able to go out and put the kettle on and when I got back Barcelona were stilll passing the ball (beautifully) around the centre circle going nowhere. So, your assertions that CFC played negative defensive football does not add up.
To make it clearer for you. CFC had less of the ball, had more shots on goal, and had 4 more sortees to the Barcelona penalty area spoiled.
Do you still insist Barcelona played better, smarter on the day ?
At the end of the game player behaviour was not the best. Drogba, what can I add ? Ballack, dumb. Lampard, just let the ref. know that he too could count to four. Terry, the Chelsea captain was fully entitled to talk to the moron that stole his teams dreams.

I have just watched the first game to catch up.
Again I disagree with your views. CFC tried to play the same way other teams have done in Barcelona. OK it was a little cruder than Arsenal or Man U - I guess playing this style was as strange to the CFC players as it was to the spectators. But it worked just as well. 0-0 almost 0-1. Barcelona's beautiful game (pass the ball and bore the life out of the opposition) had no answers to a simple defensive screen. Genious Hiddink to play a right footed defender on Maestro Messi !! Barcelona were left frustrated and confused. Came to play Chelsea and got Liverpool in blue instead.

I guess you lot will go to your graves insisting that you know best, and the rest of us can go to hell. So be it - I won't be wasting my money on the SunHerald anymore. SBS is not necessary either, the NET has plenty of alternatives.

The referee from Norway was a disgrace. Should have been replaced at halftime. He should be re-trained or retired before he is allowed on a football pitch.
The German ref also made errors.
Summary, Chelsea 4 Barcelona 1 (penalties).

ps Drogba's behaviour was bad, but imagine - Man U done the same way in the final ! Rooney, Ronaldo and the SAF gang will not go quietly.

• by Jock on May 12, 2009 at 03:43 AM

Jock.....a quick note....
"Terry, the Chelsea Captain was fully entitled to talk to the moron who stole his teams dreams"..
Wrong Jock. This is not Rugby League...the captain has no status on a football field...he is merely the 'go to' person for the Referee when he needs it. He runs the risk as much as any other player for 'dissent' and a yellow card for questioning rulings.
Learn the rules mate or go back to Scotland. The number of times I (as a Ref) have been told by a player that 'he is the Captain and has a right to ask' is a sure display of ignorance.
Any player who cannot accept that there will be times when you will not get the rub of the green (including the likes of Drogba et al) should take up Bingo instead.

• by Cav on May 17, 2009 at 07:52 PM