[Archived] Uefa Under21 Championship

[bob fleming]

Whatever happened to "Play to the whistle" anyone? If he'd knocked the ball out of play when clean through like that he'd have been slaughtered for it. It wasn't a head injury and certainly not a foul.

If the referee was concerned he'd have stopped the game, as it was it was cramp. A great finish I thought and a good celebration. Strange that the Serbs were so bothered really, they'd already qualified. I doubt we'll see that injured player again in this tournament though, he's probably having a leg off. There's not much you can do with cramp, once it takes hold you've had it.

[Ricky]

Lubez, your team carried on playing, it's as simple as that.

I'm not going to get into the racist chanting as I'm sure UEFA wil deal with that accordingly, both Onouya and Justin Hoyte suffered abuse, Hoyte's was in the tunnel so had nothing to do with fans, it was your players who were directing the abuse.

Derbs has said he didnt se the player and I believe him, he has also confirmed that he was spat at by YOUR players in the tunnel.

It was wrong for the scum label to be directed at the Serbs BUT it should certainly be directed towards the guilty parties, including the section of the team who spat at a player and who also racially abused other players.

Derbs certainly didnt run at the player who was on the floor, he ran behind the other defender and was acyually onside discounting the injured player, he timed his run well and finished brilliantly.

[Billy Castell]

Would the Serbs have put the ball out?

Face it, Serbia were just a bunch of racist cry babies last night, and were lucky not to have a few players sent off. In the Premiership, the referee blows the whistle when an injury looks bad. Until they blow it is perfectly legal (if perhaps unsporting) to carry on playing.

No doubt UEFA's 'tough' policy on racism will amount to a £2000 fine.

[Antgrad]

The video is on Youtube Lubez. Have a look at it. There is no way that Derbs knows the guy is there. Nugent plays it to him over his left shoulder and he's looking at the ball all the time. The only time he looks ahead is when he has the ball at his feet and the guy is on the floor to his right and behind him. Two seconds later the ball is in the net. Give the lad a break.

[ewoodblue]

Matt Derbyshire had every right to put that ball in the back of the net wether he noticed the player or not.There's to much feigning injury and play acting in the game today.What's not acceptable is the behavior that was unmerited towards another player afterwards.

All of it stinks of being bad losers.If it is true that Derbyshire was spat at ,then shame on anyone that condones it.For people that do think its just a lil spat, then yes, I call them scum.

An apology at least to Matt Derbyshire would be a start.

[ewoodblue]

The video is on Youtube Lubez. Have a look at it. There is no way that Derbs knows the guy is there. Nugent plays it to him over his left shoulder and he's looking at the ball all the time. The only time he looks ahead is when he has the ball at his feet and the guy is on the floor to his right and behind him. Two seconds later the ball is in the net. Give the lad a break.

This isn't about wether the guy was on the floor and Matt Derbyshire knew.Wether he knew or not he did nothing wrong.It was a perfect legitimate goal .

Ask yourself , being honrest.What would of happened if Derbyshire had kicked the ball out and then we ended up drawing the game.

In the rules of the competition,the goal was legit, and Matt Derbyshire doesn't have too answer to anybody wether he knew or not

[ewoodblue]

Agree with our Serbian friend here, the reactions on here are over the top. I'm generally against stopping play when a player is down, most of the times the player can pick himself up in time if he wants to. However, I'm sure there would be reactions from the England players if it was the other way around. And it wasn't really a mass brawl either, was it? I didn't see a single punch (have only seen the situation once mind you) or kick, so what's all the fuss about? England are through, you should be pleased about that instead.

I don't agree my opinions are over the top at all.You agree with who you want.

I just want U.E.F.A to do their jobs, and punish these racist bigots.

You vcan shake their hands, but I won't.

[modes98]

You say the Derbyshire is used to the English way of dealing with injuries. Aren't we playing on the International stage? Doesn't the fair play system come into play? Isn't Derbyshire supposed to acknowledge the International rules of the game and kick the ball out? If I am wrong with my interpretation of fair play please correct me, but I do not agree with what Derbyshire did..

I'm sorry but nowhere in the rules does it say that you have to put the ball out of play when a player is injured. From reading the official blackburn report on the matter it would seem the defender actually moved himself further toward the middle of the pitch whilst his team were attacking rather than get off the pitch. If anyone is to blame for the goal it is him and not Derbyshire for what is a top class finish.

This video also shows he doesn't once look at the player on the floor

Goal!

The 10 german bombers chants were all taken in the spirit they were meant in the world cup and not directed at people because of the colour of their skin, which is undefendable. If found guily of racism, bringing the game into disripute and spitting at another player, then i hope it is a fine or suspension that sends a message. Rather than the kop out fines that uefa normally hand out.

[Uddersfelt Blue]

I'm sorry but nowhere in the rules does it say that you have to put the ball out of play when a player is injured. From reading the official blackburn report on the matter it would seem the defender actually moved himself further toward the middle of the pitch whilst his team were attacking rather than get off the pitch. If anyone is to blame for the goal it is him and not Derbyshire for what is a top class finish.

This video also shows he doesn't once look at the player on the floor

Goal!

The 10 german bombers chants were all taken in the spirit they were meant in the world cup and not directed at people because of the colour of their skin, which is undefendable. If found guily of racism, bringing the game into disripute and spitting at another player, then i hope it is a fine or suspension that sends a message. Rather than the kop out fines that uefa normally hand out.

Maybe this is what should have happened

[Antgrad]

This isn't about wether the guy was on the floor and Matt Derbyshire knew.Wether he knew or not he did nothing wrong.It was a perfect legitimate goal .

Ask yourself , being honrest.What would of happened if Derbyshire had kicked the ball out and then we ended up drawing the game.

In the rules of the competition,the goal was legit, and Matt Derbyshire doesn't have too answer to anybody wether he knew or not

I'm not saying for a second that it wasn't legit. I totally agree with what Matt did. Lubez is trying to say that Matt deliberately cheated all I'm saying is that even it was against the rules (which it isn't) or the "spirit of fairplay" he hadn't seen the guy on the floor.

[Hasta]

Lubez - I will state now that it is clearly wrong to label all Serbian fans as scum. Unfortunately I suggested it was wrong to label all Utd fans scum after the game at Ewood last season but many people disagreed with me. You're right that all suporters cannont be tarred with the same brush because of the actions of a few (or many in this case).

However on all your points relating to the goal you're wrong. Your team carried on playing, we scored, your team lost their heads.

[ewoodblue]

I'm not saying for a second that it wasn't legit. I totally agree with what Matt did. Lubez is trying to say that Matt deliberately cheated all I'm saying is that even it was against the rules (which it isn't) or the "spirit of fairplay" he hadn't seen the guy on the floor.

Here we are some more video highlights from U.E.F.A site.

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/under21/f.../report=rp.html

[mattyboy6000]

Crikey!

I think calling 15 million people scum is crass and completely unacceptable.

The current position on players being down is the game can be stopped at the discretion of the referee and is not down to the players so much, after feigning injury and having the ball kicked out became a timewasting tactic in recent tournaments.

The player down in question did not have a serious inury and there was no need for play to be stopped: ultimately if your players aren't fit enough to carry on then its down to the players themselves. If he was off the pitch the other defenders would have had to cover his position and they ought to have done in this instance. Derbyshire has done nothing ungentlemanly at all, the Serbian fans chanting racist slogans and the serbian players themselves have brought the game into disrepute and without doubt their punishment for this should be suitably proportionate. If anyone cannot see this without their own nationalistic bias getting in the way then it really is a poor do.

[Fife Rover]

Oh please, you English aren't exactly angels when it comes to supporters either.. Don't try act all high and mighty and start paying out the serb supporters when you english are just as bad or even worse.. You can't label all Serbs as racist just because a few idiots saw fit to vent their frustrations through some racist chants... How about you look a little closer to home.. Look at some of the comments in this thread "serbs are scum".. that really angers me.

As for the play, clearly Derbyshire did a run towards our injured defender.. He took his opportunity of the situation so he could score a goal. I'm sorry but that is not fair play in any country.. As i said, you would all be singing a very different tune if this had happened the other way around or if Man Utd had done this to the Rovers..

As for the celebrations, what was the point of pointing to his name? He obviously didn't do it toward the crowd but toward the Serb players. He wanted to stir them up and a good job he did too!

I've had to come into this thread and read comments like "serbs are scum" and "throw 'em out". What am I supposed to do? Is this not racist behaviour? Talk about double standards!

You could well have a point there Lubez. But having said that, all that means is that a few on here are guilty of sounding-off in a stupid manner probably in the heat of the moment. This is definitely not the same as organised chanting by sections of a crowd that deliberately target any black opposition player and systematically abuse him in the hope that he will at the very least lose concentration or possibly flip and commit an assault on someone ; thus getting himself sent off.

Also, as others have already pointed out there are a number of points arising from the actions taken by various people in the lead-up to the Derbyshire goal.

1. The serbian defender had been down for some time before the ball got anywhere near to Derbyshire. Also this defender had gone down originally almost on the touchline and could have got himself off the field very easily but instead chose to move further infield before carrying on with his play-acting. Also at any time his team mates could have kicked the ball out if they thought there was any real problem for the player down. None of this happened.

2. In England players are well used to the rule (lawof the game) that you "play to the whistle". In other words if nobody puts the ball out of play, it is down to the referee to decide to stop play, and he should only do this for a suspected serious injury, and definitely not for cramp as the player concerned here obviously had.

[LeChuck]

if this happened to England all of you would be singing a very different tune

No we would not.

It happened recently when Robert Green was in goal for the senior squad, I think against Belarus, or someone like that anyway. I can't remember the incident very well, but I think he took a goal kick and injured himself in the process, leaving the Belarus player to put the ball into the net. There was no hassling the player being the England squad, no uproar from the fans, they just took it on the chin as 'one of those things' and it was all forgotten about.

[tcj_jones]

True, but wasn't that in a friendly as opposed to a competitive game with a semi final at stake?

But still, England had the attacking advantage and the player down was obviously faking an injury or just suffering some mild cramp, as he was up and running straight away. If our roles were reversed, I wouldn't have felt aggreived.

Green, on the other hand, tore his hamstring and was in absolute agony. The other team didn't have any kind of advantage because it was from a goal kick, but still went on to score, despite there not even being a keeper to shoot at. That was something of a hollow goal, and extremely unsporting, and yet they went on to celebrate as if they'd won the world cup. But even though it wasn't a competitive game, England did not react, and I feel they were very much entitled to do so.

[LeChuck]

True, but wasn't that in a friendly as opposed to a competitive game with a semi final at stake?

I think so, but weren't the Serbs guaranteed of going through as winners anyway? Plus they were already 1-0 down, the likelihood was they would lose anyway, regardless of Derbyshire's goal.

[brfc fan]

It's such a shame only Rovers fans appreciate Derbs' goal. :ph34r:

[lubez]

After reading up on the rules a bit more, I apologise for labelling Derbyshire a 'cheat'.. It is the job of the referee to stop the match not the players, i acknowledge this.. I admit i was wrong, and I admit I reacted to some provocative comments without thinking it through..

As for ewoodblue and anyone else who sees fit to label a whole nation on the basis of the actions of a few, I do not apologise.. Practice what you preach you racist bastard/s. You cannot excuse his and anyone else's comments because they were "sounding-off in a stupid manner probably in the heat of the moment".. That's like saying we should excuse the stupid fans for chanting racist slurs because it was in the "heat of the moment".. Racism is not acceptable in any circumstance, and if you do make a racist comment in the heat of the moment it is most probably because you have them thoughts in the first place..

Anyway, that's it from me..

[gumboots]

Who says only Rovers fans appreciate Derbyshire's goal. I've heard all sorts of people praising it. Excellent, magnificent and superb are words I've heard used on the radio and tv so far.

[Daremz]

Mates, stop the discussion. We'll kick you out of the tournament this wednesday and after that, beat Serbia in the finals, so never mind it.

Holland 4 - England 3

Hat-trick by Matt, who's on as a second half sub. Looks like the perfect scenario to me.

[ewoodblue]

I think Belgium could be the dark horses.

[LeChuck]

I think Belgium could be the dark horses.

Racist.

[Daremz]

Racist.

Hahah - post of the day.

Belgium are a very good team, but lack individual class to beat Serbia, who are a bit the same like Belgium, but with more individual class.

[brfc fan]

Who says only Rovers fans appreciate Derbyshire's goal. I've heard all sorts of people praising it. Excellent, magnificent and superb are words I've heard used on the radio and tv so far.

I mean on the pitch and the diabolical scenes there and in the tunnel.