Manchester United Class of 1992 Arrive in Hong Kong

Seen in Hong Kong on the MTR!

Manchester United legends Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt travel by metro to five-a-side in Hong Kong

• The Manchester United quintet are in Asia for a veterans five-a-side match 
• They each received t-shirts with caricatures drawn on the front
• Gary Neville later shared a picture from the tallest bar in the world  

By Jack Bezants for MailOnline

Published: 10:03 BST, 29 June 2017 | Updated: 11:20 BST, 29 June 2017

It has been a long time since Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt needed public transport to arrive at a match they were playing in.

But out in Hong Kong, the quintet used the metro to head to a veterans five-a-side match.

The Manchester United legends may have called time on their professional playing careers but they still pose quite the threat as a five-a-side combination.

 Phil Neville is in Hong Kong with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brother Gary

The players were given a warm welcome from the United supporters in Hong Kong

The five United legends have headed to Hong Kong for a five-a-side veterans match

Phil Neville shared a picture on his Instagram account of the group heading out on their travels, captioning the image 'Road trip with these guys!!!'

And he tweeted the welcome they had, with fans lining up to catch a glimpse of their heroes donning United attire and waving flags. 

And his older brother Gary shared some pictures of t-shirts that they had been presented with, featuring caricatures of each player on the front.

He seemed a little underwhelmed with his own t-shirt, writing 'not nice' alongside the post he uploaded on Instagram.

But overall, he seemed to be very much enjoying his time in Asia. Neville later published a picture of an impressive view from what he said is the 'tallest bar in the world, apparently'.

That venue would be the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong hotel, where the cocktail bar is on the 118th floor and 1,608 feet above sea level. 

Neville also visited 'the tallest bar in the world' - the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong hotel

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4650068/Manchester-United-legends-travel-metro-five-side.html#ixzz4lOIG9r1r

Referees are Players at Heart: Mike Riley

Players at heart: Mike Riley’s love of the game keeps him focused on job

Former English Premier League official still relishes the game and hopes to develop the standards of refereeing

PUBLISHED : Sunday, 22 May, 2016, 1:37am

Paul Ryding

paul.ryding@scmp.com

http://twitter.com/pjrydo

If there was a referee that might have reason to be angry about the plight of officials in the modern game that might well be Mike Riley.

There is the constant sniping in the media, an excruciating focus on every dubious decision they make, an abundance of new technology leaving them open to even more criticism and a pervasive lack of respect from highly paid players.

There aren’t too many referees who feature in their own nine-minute YouTube video chronicling every tiny error from one particularly criticised performance in the 2004-05 season.

The video, made up of a series of clips from the Manchester United-Arsenal match has amassed well over 350,000 views, and more than 650 comments, the overwhelming majority of which are rabidly critical of him.

And yet, despite this, he maintains it was a love of the game that started him off in refereeing and he still finds joy in doing it today.

“I used to play. Ask any referee and we’re players at heart,” says Riley on the sidelines of the HKFC Soccer Sevens yesterday, where he was delighted to referee children’s and special needs matches.

“If we could be players we would be. Very quickly I realised the limits of my ability as a player and refereeing was the next best thing.”

Riley, the current general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOB), a body which is tasked with monitoring referees and developing excellence in officiating, was an at times divisive figure during his long top-flight refereeing career.

He professes his love for Hong Kong and the Soccer Sevens tournament in particular and has been a regular at Hong Kong Football Club for eight years. In 2007 he oversaw the Hong Kong FA Cup final.

An approachable character, a bruising career has failed to dim his enthusiasm for the game.

Perhaps most notably, he speaks in glowing terms about the respect afforded to officials by players and managers.

“I actually think that the players should be given an awful lot of credit for the way that they conduct themselves. And the relationships between players and referees, and referees and managers is really first class,” said Riley.

Now 51, the mild-mannered Yorkshireman enjoyed a 20-year career in refereeing and worked his way up from being an assistant in the football league, to a Premier League official in 2006, before being granted the vaunted Fifa status to officiate over international matches.

But it is a day in Cardiff back in 2002 that he considers to be the pinnacle of his career.

“As an English referee, you only ever get to referee the FA Cup final one time, so that’s a very special occasion,” said Riley.

“To walk out at the Millennium Stadium with the ball under your arm – it was Arsenal-Chelsea and a fantastic game of football – one of those things that you’ll always remember.”

Upon his retirement in 2009, he replaced Keith Hackett as general manager of the PGMOB, and in that capacity, he’s keen to develop the standards of refereeing, even if it means a greater reliance on technology.

“Referees want decisions to be correct,” said Riley. “The Premier League introduced goal line technology three years ago. Last season, there were around 20 decisions when we used the technology.

“In four or five of those, we’re talking millimetres – did the ball cross the line or did it not – virtually undetectable to the human eye. Now we have the answer.

“Can we extend that? Referees want to enhance the game. We want to get the key decisions right. If you look at the other sports that have harnessed technology it’s benefited match officials. I’m sure it will in football.”

Reference: article in SCMP.com

Rational Ref: In search of the 'spirit' of the game of soccer

In search of the 'spirit' of the game of soccer

Authorities often talk of the 'spirit' soccer should be played in, but refuse to define it, leaving the game vulnerable to cheats

• 

Hong Kong Football Association chief executive Mark Sutcliffe. Photo: Felix Wong

Exactly what is the "spirit" that is expected of players and coaches in the beautiful game? How do players and coaches understand and apply the "spirit of the game"? And, more importantly, how should referees interpret this?

These are important questions for Hong Kong because for the coming soccer season and beyond, the Hong Kong Football Association has asked players, team officials and match officials to sign a "rules of conduct" document, which previously was available only in Chinese.

According to HKFA chief executive Mark Sutcliffe, the document has been translated for the first time into English as part of the association's commitment to become more bilingual. The document is important and will further develop into one based on Fifa's "code of conduct" to help fight match manipulation. Any player, coach or referee who refuses to sign the document will be barred from HKFA activities.

The first sentence of the English version states: "Players and team/match officials shall at all time [sic] play football in the spirit of the game."

Strangely, there is no official definition of "spirit of the game" available from Fifa or other bodies. It is simply assumed that soccer lovers intrinsically know what this spirit is. Therefore, the statement could mean all manner of things to all manner of people in all manner of situations.

The humour website Urban Dictionary states: "The spirit of the game is defined by the intended rules as perceived in reflection to the other rules. This most comes into [play] when the action in question is not governed by a set rule. In this case, you are bound to play by the spirit of the game."

It uses the board game Monopoly as an example.
"If after a considerable number of turns have been taken by each player, and one player gets into trouble and debt, instead of losing and congratulating the winner, he proposes to 'join forces' with another player - sharing money, property, and victory. Though this joining has no rules set against it, this is against the spirit of the game, though not implicitly stated. To join forces to tip the game in your favour is against the spirit of the game."

In this sense, the idea of not being able to accept defeat graciously, and instead attempting to manipulate the game in one's favour, is considered to be against the spirit of the game. This sounds very much like being a bad loser and trying to win at all costs.

How often do we see players, coaches and supporters behave like this? And how frequently do we see teams attempt to manipulate the game in their favour or to blame match officials for the result?

One example where an action is not governed by a set rule, but is bound by the spirit of the game, is when players deliberately stop the game so an injured player may receive treatment. When play resumes, players and supporters clap in appreciation of this gesture. From Rational Ref's perspective, the clapping is usually insincere, mechanical and superficial.

Consider further when a goalkeeper has the ball in his hands and an opposition player is down injured. The goalkeeper will throw the ball out so the injured player can receive treatment. Usually, the player is not seriously injured, probably the reason the referee did not stop the game in the first place.

Players who put the ball out of play take the risk of being duped. Nevertheless, after the injured player has been dealt with, his teammates will usually return the ball. Now depending on different people's interpretation of "spirit of the game", the way the ball is returned can take on different forms. Since the goalkeeper previously had the ball in his hands, it would be fair to return the ball directly to him; but this rarely happens. It is more common for the team to put the ball out over the goal line to force a goal kick.

Do players perceive a goal kick, rather than the goalkeeper kicking the ball out from his hands, to be more or less favourable? Occasionally, a team will return the ball over the touch-line and close to the corner flag for a throw-in. Are these actions - which are clearly not reciprocal - in keeping with the spirit of the game?

Moreover, is the fact that a player who pretends to be injured and therefore dupes his opponents into wasting time considered to be acting against the spirit of the game? Or is it in keeping with the spirit because it is better to be safe than sorry after receiving a knock? Without a proper definition from the authorities, these situations are both justified and vilified.

During tough competitive matches we rarely see the spirit of the game because teams go out to win, and not to make friends. Even the handful of pre-season matches being played this week in Hong Kong by the four visiting English Premier League teams (Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Manchester United) and HKFA Division One teams (South China and Kitchee) will be far from "friendly".

Considering there is no official definition of the spirit of the game, it is extraordinary how match officials throughout the decades have done their level best to ensure that matches are played fairly, safely and in an enjoyable manner that is in keeping with the "spirit of the game" … whatever that is supposed to be.

It is simply a fuzzy, hazy and unclear concept that is used to instil a sense of sporting behaviour and respect in the game.

Agree or disagree? Contact Rational Ref at rationalref@gmail.com

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as In search of the 'spirit' of the game

PUBLISHED : Friday, 26 July, 2013

Rational Ref: Genuine refereeing howlers are unforgivable

Genuine refereeing howlers are unforgivable, but it's important to know the difference

Errors in applying the laws of the game should be punished

• 

Referees are judged harshly, especially when they make a wrong call, but it's important to recognise when the referee is genuinely at fault. Photo: AFP

 

Not all refereeing mistakes are equal; some are more equal than others. So can soccer lovers distinguish between honest mistakes and the inexcusable?

Many howlers such as incorrect handballs, offsides and penalties occur naturally as a consequence of human error, but unfortunately they obtain huge media exposure when in the English Premier League. If we cut through all the noise, vitriol and bias, many of these decisions are forgivable and only a handful are indefensible.

The unacceptable was Jan Vertonghen being adjudged offside when the Tottenham Hotspur defender should have been celebrating his second goal against Sunderland during the final seconds of the match.  

Replays clearly showed Jan Vertonghen to be inside his own half as he ran clear to score a disallowed goal

Offsides are straightforward black-and-white judgment calls and assistant referees get them more right than wrong. These are genuinely honest mistakes, although referee assessors will still give ARs poor marks for judging them wrong.

However, the decision against Vertonghen was not a judgment call. Technically, it was an error in law, and referees know this is the worst kind of mistake they can commit.

 

Technical errors that involve incorrect application of the laws is tantamount to being declared incompetent and unfit for purpose. Vertonghen was in his own half when the ball was played to him by his teammate. He cannot be in an offside position, no matter what else has occurred.

Assistant referee Stuart Burt should have been rooted at the halfway line because his main task is to keep in line with the second-last defender or the ball.

Since the Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon had gone up for his team's corner, there was no second-last defender in Sunderland's half during Spurs' counterattack and obviously the ball was way behind the halfway line when it was passed to Vertonghen. At the halfway line, Burt would have realised he was facing a no-offside situation. We can only assume he panicked and flagged.

The most infamous error in law was the "three-card trick" by former EPL referee Graham Poll when he gave Croatia's Josip Simunic a hat-trick of cautions in the same match during the 2006 World Cup.
English referee Graham Poll made possibly the worst howler in World Cup history when he booked Croatia's Josip Simunic three times before sending him off at the 2006 World Cup. Photo: AP
Asia's top referee, Ravsham Irmatov, made an unbelievable blunder at the 2013 Confederations Cup when Italy played Brazil. During a corner kick, Italy forward Mario Balotelli was hauled down by a defender and Irmatov blew his whistle and pointed to the spot.

However, moments later the ball reached Italy's Giorgio Chiellini, who promptly scored. Unfathomably, Irmatov changed his mind and awarded the goal, which is a major error in law.
Although indefensible, confident referees are chastened by such harrowing experiences and return stronger.

Irmatov quickly bounced back at last year's World Cup to set the record for refereeing the most number of World Cup matches and this year became AFC Referee of the Year for the fifth time.

In contrast, errors of judgment are simply honest mistakes. Anthony Taylor's incorrect yellow card to Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas for diving is forgivable.


Although not an excuse, the speed of the game can make it difficult to judge incidents in real time because referees are not infallible. Referees do not sleep well at night knowing that they have made errors.

Errors aside, the real problem is that players, coaches and supporters have become stubbornly accustomed to complaining about every referee decision going against them, regardless of whether it is correct or not.

In last weekend's Hong Kong Premier League match between Tai Po and YFCMD, referee Cheng Oi-cho made a courageous and correct call when he awarded a penalty to YFCMD in the final minute of added time, when the score was 0-0. Tai Po players were incensed, but video replays (watch here at 49:30) undisputedly revealed their captain, Lui Chi-hing, had manhandled YFCMD's Mamadou Hady Barry to the ground.

 

At the final whistle, Tai Po players rounded on the referee. Li Ka-chun bodychecked the referee, Jing Teng clapped sarcastically, Sze Kin-wai hurled abuse and to cap it off the Tai Po coach rushed over and confronted the referee, too.

The fact that the referee made the correct decision is beside the point. Players and coaches, no matter what the circumstances, cannot abuse match officials.

Competition organisers must publicly support referees, and the HKFA must punish Tai Po in the strongest possible terms for their unacceptable behaviour.

Agree or disagree? Contact Rational Ref at rationalref@gmail.com

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Howlers are unforgivable, but know the difference

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 29 January, 2015

Rational Ref: Beyond perfection, referees are the real superheroes

Referees who display mortal weaknesses are abused or even vilified

• 

English premier League referee Mark Clattenburg is not afraid to lay down the law. Photo: AFP

 

Forget Flash, Spider-Man and Wolverine. Referees are the real superheroes in the world of soccer. And like these superhumans who do good deeds and fight for justice, referees are treated as freaks and mutants because they are seen to be different from normal human beings.

Referees are superhuman because there are certain expectations and high standards that they are held to. By the same token, they are also considered to be subhuman. There is no middle ground.

First, referees must have amazing powers of vision plus an extra pair of eyes in the back of their heads just in case they miss anything. If they fail to spot a ball entering the goal, which video cameras can easily confirm, then referees are simply useless and biased.

Referees are expected to spot the slightest contact between players, see through crowds, and identify all kinds of cheating. Referees are expected to perform to the same level as the multiple-camera systems dotted around the stadiums.

Second, they must be indestructible. Referees are not allowed to pick up injuries, whereas players get injured all the time. Injured players are permitted to be assessed by medical personnel on the pitch, are treated with sympathy when they suffer run-of-the-mill injuries, and are given the best medical care for their rehabilitation. Injured referees are just expected to pick themselves up and carry on officiating. If they pull a muscle or accidentally trip over, players, coaches and supporters will instantly be on their backs.

Third, referees must exhibit model behaviour. Referees cannot swear or use abusive language even though they are regularly subjected to vile torrents from players, coaches and supporters. It is ironic that mouthy players who verbally abuse referees suddenly become sensitive and offended by the words "shut up".

Many referees, for instance EPL referee Mark Clattenburg, tell wayward players to "shut it" and players become outraged. They respond with: "You can't talk like that to me" and "you can't tell me to 'shut up'". The hypocrisy exhibited by players and coaches is unbelievable.

Fourth, referees must be infallible. They cannot make mistakes such as forgetting their cards, pens or whistles. Any errors on their part are unforgivable and a deluge of abuse will come their way should they tie their bootlaces or replace a piece of broken equipment during a match.

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi talks with referee Mark Clattenburg as Spanish midfielder Juan Mata looks on. Referees are expected to be superhuman. Photo: AFP 
Fifth, referees must be super conditioned and not need to rehydrate on the pitch. During a match, a referee can easily run more than 10km, which is similar to the distance covered by many players. Players will take any opportunity they can to grab a drink, such as when another player is being treated for an injury. Or players will run to the touchlines to grab a water bottle.

It is astonishing to see goalkeepers drinking far more than outfield players, even though keepers do not run around as much as referees, linesmen and players. Yet, if a referee grabs a drink, he is looked down upon.

Rational Ref has had players remark at half-time: "You need to drink water?" In such moments, it is obvious how some players feel about referees. It is an "us against them" outlook and the psychology of such group divisions has been well researched. This division is the basis of why players, coaches and fans consider referees to be subhuman.

Essentially, whenever authority figures come into the spotlight while performing their duties, they will inevitably be criticised and vilified. In light of Occupy Central, the police have similarly taken a bad rap for simply performing their duties according to the law. A recent poll has shown public sentiment towards Hong Kong police is even below that of the People's Liberation Army.

That's how crazy popular opinion can be when people do not understand the meaning of "rule of law". Before condemning and abusing the police for simply doing their jobs, supporters of the Occupy movement first need to brush up on the law. The parallel here is that referees officiate according to the laws of the game and are vilified because their actions are unpopular and misunderstood.

Referees know players, coaches and supporters give them a hard time. Although this kind of abuse and antagonism comes with the territory, it nevertheless does not make it right. Good behaviour and respect are far more important than cheating, abusing and winning at all costs. This is why referees are the real superheroes in the villainous and immoral world of soccer.

Agree or disagree? Contact Rational Ref at rationalref@gmail.com

 

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as Beyond perfect, officials are the real superheroes

PUBLISHED : Friday, 12 December, 2014

Hong Kong Killer Pitch

Hong Kong played host to the Barclays Asia Trophy on Wednesday 24 July and Saturday 27 July. The three EPL teams were Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland, with reigning local champions South China making up the quartet.

Sunderland coach Paolo Di Canio called the 40,000-seater Hong Kong Stadium a "killer pitch" due to its poor drainage during torrential downpours. Spurs boss Andre Villa-Boas was not happy because his team lost 1—3 to Sunderland plus his Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen twisted ankle ligaments on the sodden surface. Villa-Boas flew in his own head groundsman to help with the pitch conditions at Hong Kong Stadium (see story here).


Here are some photos of Hong Kong Stadium during the BAT pre-season tournament ...

 First day's first match (Sunderland vs Tottenham) and the pitch is getting cut up

 The pitch conditions worsen. Pic courtesy Getty Images.

Hong Kong groundstaff doing their best to keep dry from the rain and mud-free from the pitch. Pic courtesy Getty Images.

Second day's second match (Man City vs Sunderland) and Spurs' head groundsman flew in and advised laying sand in the muddy patches of the pitch

The match Referees for the BAT tournament were EPL referees Anthony Taylor and Neil Swarbrick, who were joined by Hong Kong Referee Liu Kwok Man.


Next up, just two days after the end of the BAT, Manchester United play Kitchee (local league runners-up) on Monday 29 July. United manager David Moyes attended the BAT on Saturday 27 July to inspect the pitch. Understandably, Moyes called off the planned open training session for Sunday 28 July, in the hope that the pitch would be "playable" on Monday (see story here).


References

Tottenham 6 South China 0

Manchester City 1 Sunderland 0

United Refuse To Train At 'Killer' Hong Kong Stadium

An Explosion On The Soccer Pitch

The following incident occurred during an AFC Asian Champions League quarterfinal first-leg match between Foolad Sepahan (Iran) and Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia) on 20 September 2012. The match finished 0—0.

In the 64', away team Al Ahli won a corner kick and home supporters threw objects on to the pitch near the corner flag. After the corner was taken and the ball was out of play, AR2 Chow Chun-kit (Hong Kong) signalled that there was debris in his area. Referee Liu Kwok-man (Hong Kong) went to investigate. Videos of the incident show what happened:

Grenade Explodes on Football Pitch (The Guardian)

Luckiest Man of the Week (YouTube)




Firecracker Explosion in Iran (YouTube)





Referee Liu was responsive and responsible. As the match Referee he is empowered to stop, suspend or abandon the match as he sees fit. Eventually, the match was suspended for about five minutes and then play resumed. The AFC is now investigating the incident.

Hong Kong Police Arrest 10-year-old Soccer Player

The unfolding saga sees the police arrest the 10-year-old ESF Lions player who kicked his opponent in the head.


What in Hong Kong is going on?


Reference

10-year-old arrested for kicking opponent in Hong Kong football match

Hazel Parry | 18 March 2012

Hong Kong (dpa) – A 10-year-old boy was arrested for allegedly kicking an opposing player in the head during a football match in Hong Kong, a news report said Sunday.

Police arrested the expatriate boy for assault after a video of the incident last weekend was viewed by more than 200,000 people on YouTube, the Sunday Morning Post newspaper said.

The boy was released on bail to report to police next month.

The injured 12-year-old reportedly suffered bruising and loose teeth but was not seriously injured.

The minimum age for criminal liability in Hong Kong is 10.

Violent Conduct by a 10-year-old Football Player in Hong Kong

Last weekend in a U12 football match in Hong Kong, a 10-year-old boy kicked his opponent in the head. The videoclip of the incident, plus other unfair challenges, went viral within days.

ESF player (blue 2) kicks his opponent (Kitchee white) straight in the face

The caption is written by the videoclip uploader.
IMHO, kids at that age should understand what is right and wrong.

Kitchee U12 v ESF U12 dirty tackles (YouTube)



The youth football community in Hong Kong is taking a long hard look at itself. In the past week there has been much written and blogged about this issue, and there will be more to come in the weeks ahead.

What is the root cause, and who is ultimately responsible?

Similar Similar Means Different Part 3

Manchester City's Vincent Kompany was sent off by Referee Chris Foy for lunging at an opponent with both legs in a scissors formation (please see Part 1 and Part 2).

Serbia forward Mateja Kezman will be ending his football career (i.e. hanging up his boots) in Hong Kong after he plays his two final matches in the city on 23 and 26 January 2012. See excerpts of news story below.

Question: What do the above two statements have in common?
Answer: Mateja Kezman was sent off at the 2006 World Cup in Germany for doing exactly what Vincent Kompany did in Manchester in 2012. Furthermore, Kezman has chosen to end his football career in Hong Kong which coincidentally brings in the 'Hong Kong connection'.


The following incident occurred during the 2006 World Cup group match between Argentina and Serbia on 16 June 2006. The match finished 6—0, and the goal of the tournament also came from this match (i.e. Argentina's 24 or 25 pass move that came several years before the appearance of the current Messi-Xavi-Iniesta-inspired Barcelona side who now 'routinely' produce such wonderful goals every time they play! Messi was a 74' substitute in that 2006 Word Cup match).

Round 2. Argentina vs Serbia 2006 World Cup (FIFA Highlights)



At 1:20 of the highlights videoclip which corresponds to the 65' of the match, Mateja Kezman (white 8) lunges at Javier Mascherano (blue 8). Here are the freeze frames:

Camera view 1

Camera view 2

Referee Roberto Rosetti sends off Kezman for SFP

There was nothing wrong with Italian Referee Roberto Rosetti's performance; he ended up refereeing a total of 4 matches at the WC in Germany.

Kezman sarcastically claps the Referee's decision while also trying to appear to clap for the fans

CONCLUSION
Kezman's two-footed lunge at his opponent is the same as Vincent Kompany's two-footed lunge at his opponent. Both were correctly sanctioned with a DFK to the other team and a red card to the offending player.

Follow Up:
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee gave Kezman a two-match ban for SFP (note: since then Serbia has never called up Kezman to play for his country again).
The FA's Disciplinary Commission upheld Kompany's three-match ban for SFP (note: as a result of a previous red card earlier in the season, Kompany received an extra one-match ban).

I hope this post, along with Part 1 and Part 2 completes this analysis of Chris Foy The Courageous.


I repeat. Chris Foy should be applauded for taking a firm stand against the expectation of leniency in the Premiership. Given the EPL's reputation, popularity and global following where entertainment is apparently prioritized over player safety, Chris Foy has clearly demonstrated Pierluigi Collina's Principle: “The best referee is one who has the courage to make decisions even when it would be easier not to.”


Aside: The interesting thing is that Mateja Kezman spent four months in Hong Kong in early 2011 and really got to like the place and its people. Toward the end of 2011, Kezman didn't appear to be having the best of times in terms of football (i.e. he played 11 games for Belarusian side BATE Borisov; 6 in the league and 5 in the Champions League, without scoring). Therefore, he announced he will end his career in Hong Kong this month, playing in an exhibition international four-team tournament called the Lunar New Year Cup.

It is nice to hear that Kezman has a fondness for Hong Kong and he is probably a nice guy. However from a Referee's perspective, on the pitch Kezman generally does not respect match officials and has a tendency to get himself in trouble during matches (e.g. Nicky Butt Sees Red in Hong Kong).

HKRef wishes everyone a prosperous Chinese New Year of the Dragon!
Thank you for visiting this site.


Excerpts from the South China Morning Post (SCMP)

HK matches will be Kezman's last

Serbian striker to appear for South China in Asian Challenge Cup before hanging up his boots for good
SOCCER
Chan Kin-wa
Jan 19, 2012

Former Serbia international Mateja Kezman will finish his glittering career in Hong Kong after playing for South China in the Asian Challenge Cup next week.

The 32-year-old striker, whose former clubs include PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, will return to Hong Kong tomorrow after agreeing to play for the Caroliners in the four-team tournament to celebrate Lunar New Year.

"Kezman likes Hong Kong very much and has had a lot support from fans during his time here," South China convenor Steven Lo Kit-sing said.

"If he wants a place to call it a day in his soccer career, there is no better place than Hong Kong. This is an honour for Hong Kong soccer. We will arrange some activities for him on the second day of the tournament, which will be Mateja's last match as he bids farewell to a career of almost two decades. We will reserve the number 38 jersey he used in Hong Kong."

Kezman joined Zemun in Belgrade as a 15-year-old before moving to Partizan, the country's leading club, four years later. He then joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven from 2000 to 2003, scoring 35 goals in 2003 to help them win the league title. After playing for a long list of European clubs, he moved to South China in December 2010, along with former Manchester United star Nicky Butt.

The Serbian scored seven goals during his four-month stint with the Caroliners.

The influence of [Kezman and Butt], however, was not enough to help South China progress beyond the group stage of the AFC Cup. The Caroliners also lost the all-important local league title to Kitchee, a result which kept them out of this season's AFC Cup.

In Hong Kong It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better

The promising career of a young Hong Kong football player has all but ended after the 20-year-old admitted to match fixing during an international friendly between hosts Hong Kong and Russia on 5 November 2011. The match finished 1—2.

20-year-old Iu Wai faces a life suspension from the game

Hong Kong has had its share of match-fixing cases, and this latest one follows on from a similar case that occurred two years ago (see Life Ban For Player Found Guilty of Match-Fixing in Hong Kong).

The above two cases involved corrupt players, however referees have been implicated and caught in match-fixing probes too. Thankfully, not in Hong Kong. Recently, referees from China (see China's Golden Whistle Admits Accepting US$44,000 Bribe) and from Niger (see Suspect Referee Performance: Nigeria v Argentina) faced credibility issues and have been investigated.

Notice in the Hong Kong corruption case that there is a lack of investigation (or lack of media reports) looking beyond the 20-year-old player. Obviously, there must be a mastermind or masterminds that set up such match fixing cases. Only the small fish have been caught.

Things will get worse before they get better because at present in Hong Kong there are moves afoot to open things up and to be more transparent. This is due to a new initiative codenamed Project Phoenix which aims to make significant changes in the management structure and future operations of Hong Kong Football. As with all 'shake ups', skeletons may fall out before things get better.


Reference

Bribes bid admitted by soccer player (SCMP; subscription required)

Iu Wai reverses earlier plea and says he tried to bribe teammates to fix a showpiece youth friendly against Russia at Mong Kok Stadium
Austin Chiu and Colleen Lee
Dec 17, 2011

A young Hong Kong soccer player yesterday admitted that he tried to bribe his teammates to fix a showpiece international friendly match, reversing an earlier plea of not guilty he made after his arrest.

Iu Wai, 20, an up-and-coming defender for Hong Kong Sapling Football Club who also turns out for Hong Kong's under-21 side, was remanded in custody after pleading guilty at Kowloon City Court to two counts of offering an advantage.

Iu was arrested when ICAC investigators staged an unprecedented raid on a friendly youth match between Hong Kong and Russia, attended by 5,000 spectators, at Mong Kok Stadium on November 5. The Russians won 2-1.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption raid was not only a blow to the already battered reputation of soccer in the city, but led to an important government public relations coup backfiring spectacularly.

The international match at the centre of the investigation was arranged in April during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Hong Kong, when Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen invited Russia's youth squad to play in the city, and initiated an exchange opportunity for young players.

Yesterday in court, Iu admitted that he approached teammate Chan Cham-hei, a defender, and Chiu Yu-ming, a goalkeeper, to throw the match in return for several tens of thousands of dollars. The two turned down his requests and called the ICAC.

Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen adjourned sentencing until December 30, pending a background report, detention centre report and training centre report on Iu.

The court heard that in November Iu was approached by a man, whom he referred to as "Ah Liu", in Shenzhen to bribe Hong Kong youth representative team players to fix the match.

Iu set out to lure Chan and Chiu during a four-day residential training camp days before the match.

Last year, Iu was arrested but not charged when mainlander Yu Yang was jailed for 10 months for trying to fix a First Division match between Happy Valley and Fourway Rangers.

Philip Lee Fai-lap, Sapling's team manager, said: "Iu is foolish to have made the mistake. His career as a football player has just started but it's likely that it's reaching the end."

Lee said Iu was likely to receive a life suspension from the game.

"But we have to appreciate kids do make mistakes. He is going to be punished by law. The next thing the club will do is to give him a helping hand." Lee said.

He said the club would remind its members to always stay clean and abide by the law, adding that the scandal had had a huge impact on the club's reputation.

The Hong Kong Football Association declined to comment.

Timothy Tong Hin-ming, the ICAC commissioner, said the commission completed the investigation and prosecution of Iu within a month of receiving the report.

In the first 11 months of this year, the ICAC received 31 bribery complaints regarding sport and recreational activities, compared with about 20 last year, Tong said on the sidelines of an ICAC seminar.

Hong Kong Scorpion Kick Makes Own Goal and Net Sensation

Another news item sees Hong Kong hitting the headlines again for all the wrong reasons. This time, netizens are promoting the Greatest Ever Own Goal (see here and here and here and Google search), and it comes from the top-tier of Hong Kong Football. Never mind that the facts are wrong.

All stories, for example in the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and YahooSports have the team facts back to front … rather like the own goal.

港甲最佳烏龍波法圖斯 Hong Kong Best Own Goal (close to half a million views already on YouTube)




To set the record straight, in the 80' league leaders Sun Hei (neon orange) were losing 3—0 to fifth-placed Citizen (purple) and were attacking down the right wing. Instead of taking in the incorrect description in the news reports, the following commentary makes more sense:

A Sun Hei winger (orange) crosses the ball into the Citizen penalty area, where Citizen captain Festus Baise (purple) connects with the ball 'scorpion style' and subsequently loops the ball over his own goalkeeper and into the goal.

That made the scoreline 3—1, and five minutes later Sun Hei scored another goal (this time using only their own players!). This set up a rather tense final five minutes of normal time plus stoppage time. I have to report that Citizen captain Festus Baise was up to his usual tricks again and did everything he could to run down the clock. In fact, he collapsed on the pitch with no other players near him twice. Yes, twice in 6 minutes and both times he delayed and disrupted play by asking to be stretchered off.

Citizen captain Festus Baise, a 31-year-old Nigerian, is no stranger to courting controversy. He is well known in Hong Kong for his timewasting and player theatrics (e.g. see here).

Nicky Butt Sees Red in Hong Kong

The following incident occurred during a Hong Kong league match between Kitchee and South China on Sunday 3 April 2011. The match finished 2—0.

Butt Off!

Serbian Mateja Kezman (red #38) should know better

In a highly-charged encounter between the two leading teams in Hong Kong, the winner of this crucial league match would top the table and, with three matches remaining to play, would be in pole position to become league champions. In total, there were 10 YCs and 2 RCs in the match.

In the 65', English midfielder Nicky Butt was sent off for violent conduct after he swung his right elbow at Kitchee's Spanish defender Ubay Luzardo Santana. You can just see Butt swing his elbow toward Ubay's face at 02:31 of the videoclip before it goes off screen.

YouTube link from scaawebtv2


What followed after is woeful and shows the lack of discipline and respect among football players to one another and to match officials in Hong Kong.

YouTube link from WaiKuenHo (part 1)

YouTube link from WaiKuenHo (part 2)

Admittedly, the match officials perhaps could have managed the mass confrontations better (e.g. see here). But nevertheless, there is no excuse for the disrespectful behaviour of both teams.

After the HKFA Disciplinary Task Force reviewed the sending off incident on 19 April (16 days post-match), Butt received a two-match ban (i.e. an immediate one-match ban plus an additional one-match ban).

However, it is perhaps a reflection of the power wielded by the big clubs in Hong Kong that disrespectful comments from South China chairman Steven Lo Kit-sing to the media about the match officials are allowed to go unpunished by the HKFA Disciplinary Task Force (e.g. see here). Also, here is a news article excerpt:

South China boss Steven Lo Kit-sing accused the referee of making unfair decisions, which led to his side's second defeat by Kitchee in the league this season.

"No one will invest in Hong Kong soccer if the refereeing standard is so terrible," said Lo. "The poor decisions provoked the players and as a result, the players failed to control their heads on the field and could not play their game."

Compare this with the EPL, where the FA handed Sir Alex Ferguson a five-match touchline ban plus a fine of £30,000 for his disrespectful comments about referee Martin Atkinson during the EPL encounter between Manchester United and Chelsea on 1 March 2011.** Here's what Ferguson said:

"You want a fair referee, or a strong referee anyway - and we didn't get that."

Here's another example where the FA took action against managers who made inflammatory post-match comments about referees.


** Considering the fact that Stephen Lo is reported to be paying both Nicky Butt and Mateja Kezman £30,000 each every week (see here), why not fine him for his comments? If the aim is to raise the standard of Hong Kong soccer, then everyone with a vested interest needs to pull together, buck up their ideas and improve as a whole. It is little use simply pumping money into clubs whilst simultaneously neglecting the development of match officials. If finances are limited at the HKFA, then why not impose fines? Subsequently, part of those finances may be put towards the development of match officials in Hong Kong. Then, everyone wins.

South China Get Their Man Butt

Following a successful guest appearance for South China last week, Nicky Butt will return to action in Hong Kong in late January 2011.

Nicky Butt with South China (Pic courtesy BBC sport)

Butt is expected to play until May, with the main goals to help the reigning Hong Kong league holders retain the First Division title and to progress significantly better than ever in the AFC Cup. Along the way, Butt is expected to help nurture and guide his new team-mates.

South China chairman Steven Lo Kit-sing said the club would pay Butt similarly to an English Premier League player, which means the 35-year-old former England player could be earning between £25,000 and £30,000 per week.

Following his Hong Kong and Asian adventure, Butt has plans to start his coaching career in Europe in May.

Reference

Record Signing (The Standard)

Caroliners get their man as Butt signs (SCMP; subscription required)