When FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced that he wanted to see referees red-card players who dive or feign injuries, I thought about two Americans: Cobi Jones and Jeff Agoos.
In 1999, Jones was twice cautioned after being fouled because the refs thought he dived. MLS referee boss Joe Machnik is honest: “After we instructed referees to caution players for diving [at FIFA’s behest], players who should have been awarded penalty kicks received yellow cards.”
Imagine Jones getting ejected instead of getting a penalty kick at next year’s World Cup.
Recognizing dives is difficult enough – it’s a fast game; plus, players often leap to avoid danger. Blatter not only wants to put refs at risk of compounding their misjudgment with an ejection, he also wants them to diagnose the genuineness of an injury. He talks of showing red to a player “lying on the field of play …”
Here we come to Agoos, a defender to be hailed for an overall fair approach to the tackle. But is he guilty in the feigning-injury department?
In this year’s semifinal decider against Miami, he collapsed after beating Ian Bishop to the ball. Agoos grimaced in utter agony as Bishop left to a red card.
During replays, pro-Quakes TV commentator John Doyle said he “didn’t see much there,” as Bishop’s foot completed a follow-through with no sign of contact. I had difficulty giving Agoos the benefit of doubt because of an incident in the April 25 game against Costa Rica. After a slight collision with Paulo Wanchope, a kneeling Agoos was patted on the head and dropped as if his bones had turned to jelly. It was U.S. keeper Kasey Keller who delivered the pat.
Was Agoos trying to get Wanchope in trouble? It’s all very difficult to judge. Imagine what it’s going to be like for the referees.
by Soccer America Executive Editor Mike Woitalla