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Article: 'Refs and cards are ruining World Cup'.
- Article from:
- The Star (Sheffield) (Sheffield, England)
- Article date:
- June 29, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Johnston Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FOOTBALL'S World Cup is a great spectacle but it is being tarnished by inept referees and play-acting players, believes Owls captain Graham Coughlan.
As a rugged defender himself, the experienced centre-half is dismayed at the high number of yellow and red cards and frequent bad decisions, and believes that the art of tackling is under threat.
"It's taking away from what should be a magical spectacle," he said.
He cites the France v Spain as a example with a "pedantic" referee booking Spain defender Carlos Puyol after Thierry Henry controversially seemed to over-react to a collision, holding his face, and France were awarded a free-kick with ...