Olympiacos v Villa Pre-match Thread

[TheMalandro]

It doesn't bother me really. If they wanted a dodgy ref they could have bought one with a spotless record, rather than one who has probably been under scrutiny now for most of his career.

I don't know the ins and outs of it, but from what I've read it seems like he was a young and inexperienced lad who was given cash to not kick up a fuss, and later realised the implications of it.

How many of us haven't had a situation at work as a youngster where you've gone along with or not argued with something that you felt wasn't right, but all the senior and more experienced people just cracked on with?

He’s a bent referee. He shouldn’t be anywhere near professional football.

Why? He never made any decisions which were dodgy in the match when he took the money to look the other way? He also gave evidence to the fact not knowing if he would have a career at the end of it. And in the 20 years since that incident, apart from one exasperated Bellingham tweet, there has not been one hint of dodginess.

He accepted a bribe. Guess integrity means different things to different people.

And then he grassed himself up for taking the bribe, knowing it might have ended his fledgeling career before it had fully started.

That’s funny. I hope you wouldn’t follow the same logic with some other criminal behaviour.

[Dogtanian]

Surely if a referee was there to ensure a fair game, they'd have the power to make Man City play with 9 men against Sheffield United? Or that if a player slips over on the ball and the opposition score, the goal gets disallowed. That would be both fair and sporting, the kind of things you'd do with your kids in the park.

I'm not sure I've seen many fair games of football.

But I firmly believe that a lad in his early twenties who has made a mistake, owned up to it, and been punished for it should not have his whole life ruined by it. I don't think that would be fair at all.

[TheMalandro]

Is it to uphold justice and be the absolute paragon of integrity and virtue? No.

It's pretty much to make a decision so that a group of grown men, who otherwise would descend into arguments every five minutes, can continue to kick a ball about on the grass.

They are not here to ensure a just universe.

They are in position to enforce the laws of the game. Not to take some grubby bank notes and alter the outcomes of matches.

[Somniloquism]

That’s funny. I hope you wouldn’t follow the same logic with some other criminal behaviour.

Well criminal?? Want to tell me where the crime was?

But he also served his time, and has not been hinted at for being "bent", "corrupt" or whatever other word you want to use in the last 20 years, apart from tweets from Bellingham and some on here, especially as you would have expected he would be scrutinised more.

[Chico Hamilton III]

If he is a bent ref, why don’t we just bribe him? Sorted.

[TheMalandro]

That’s funny. I hope you wouldn’t follow the same logic with some other criminal behaviour.

Well criminal?? Want to tell me where the crime was?

But he also served his time, and has not been hinted at for being "bent", "corrupt" or whatever other word you want to use in the last 20 years, apart from tweets from Bellingham and some on here, especially as you would have expected he would be scrutinised more.

No, he didn’t get a criminal conviction - but he took the bribe - that money came from a Croatian gambling syndicate.
You don’t think he’s scrutinised in almost every game now? A quick news search suggests otherwise.

[Richard E]

I think the morally principled position to take on this is that if he gives them every decision tomorrow then it is an outrage he is allowed anywhere near football, and if he gives them all to us then it is a beautiful demonstration of the power of redemption.

[sid1964]

We could offer the ref a couple of tickets into the Lower Grounds - over to you Mr. Heck

[Dogtanian]

I think the morally principled position to take on this is that if he gives them every decision tomorrow then it is an outrage he is allowed anywhere near football, and if he gives them all to us then it is a beautiful demonstration of the power of redemption.

Hmm... can we switch between positions minute by minute though? As events unfold?

[Dogtanian]

We could offer the ref a couple of tickets into the Lower Grounds - over to you Mr. Heck

I don't think the Big Heck's communication skills are up to this. God knows what he'd think we asked for or how we decided to let the world know.

[Olneythelonely]

He had enough integrity to dob himself in and accept the consequences and stop the actual match fixer continuing to referee.

He took a bribe in his position as a referee.

Yes, you keep saying that. Why do you think the third time will miraculously change my opinion?

You seem to fail to understand what a referee’s role is.

He was an assistant referee

Ah yes, they are allowed to take bribes. They don’t have to bother with making sure the game is fair and the rules are followed.

You failed to understand what his role was, that’s all. Might as well be as factually correct as possible.

[Richard E]

I think the morally principled position to take on this is that if he gives them every decision tomorrow then it is an outrage he is allowed anywhere near football, and if he gives them all to us then it is a beautiful demonstration of the power of redemption.

Hmm... can we switch between positions minute by minute though? As events unfold?

One should always reconsider one’s position in the light of changes in the facts.

[Olneythelonely]

I’d be amazed if he looks any more corrupt than the ref in the home game, who presumably didn’t need a bribe to be so one-sided.

[PeterWithesShin]

Some 'wag' has edited his Wiki page

On Thursday 9th May 2024 Felix Zwayer refereed the second leg semi final match between Olympiacos and Aston Villa. After trailing 4.2 from the first leg, Aston villa scored 3 first half goals and looked like they would reach the final, only before Felix Zwayer awarding Olympiacos a 93rd minute penalty for what looked like a blatant dive. It was then rumoured that Felix Zwayer took a 20,000€ bribe from the Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner.

[Dogtanian]

Some 'wag' has edited his Wiki page

On Thursday 9th May 2024 Felix Zwayer refereed the second leg semi final match between Olympiacos and Aston Villa. After trailing 4.2 from the first leg, Aston villa scored 3 first half goals and looked like they would reach the final, only before Felix Zwayer awarding Olympiacos a 93rd minute penalty for what looked like a blatant dive. It was then rumoured that Felix Zwayer took a 20,000€ bribe from the Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner.

EUR 20k? A place in the final is worth EUR 2m even for the loser. I think he's got his pricing strategy wrong there.