Sundowns
Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
When Durban assistant referee Tiny Chandermoney raised his flag to signal a “goal” by Joel Masilela of Sundowns offside last weekend he could hardly have imagined just how big a storm he would stir.
My mind went back in time to the late Liverpool manager Bill Shankly and his remark that football was not a matter of life and death – it was far more important than that.
In a week when the inhabitants of this beautiful land discovered that 1E500 people are infected with the HIV virus each day, a war of words (mainly ignorant words) seemed far too trivial for the media attention it received.
For those who were holidaying on Mars last weekend let me update you on the dramatic conclusion to extra time in the Rothmans Cup final between Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.
The teams had scored two goals each entering the final minute of extra time when Sundowns midfielder Alex Bapela passed forward to Masilela, who raced through and beat goalkeeper Brian Baloyi for what seemed the winner.
Chandermoney believed Masilela received the ball in an offside position, raised his flag and referee Robbie Williams disallowed the “goal”. Television replays proved Masilela was well onside when he received possession.
Had Sundowns gone on to win a bizarre penalty shootout in which nine of the 12 kicks were not converted, the goal that never was would probably have faded fast into an abyss.
Unfortunately, Sundowns lost 2-1 and had to settle for a R500E000 prize instead of the R1,1-million collected by Chiefs for the second year in a row. The Amakhosi won the inaugural event after another shootout with Sundowns.
While the Chandermoney blunder was possibly the worst at a South African match for many a long day, it must be remembered that the assistant referee is also a human being and makes mistakes like the rest of us.
Fortunately for mere mortals like you and me, our mistakes are not shown 20 times in slow motion on Laduma (who should know by now that the name of the club is Sundowns, not Mamelodi Sundowns).
To err is human; to forgive is divine. Or so this humble descendant of the Muchineripi empire thought. What I read in the mainstream Johannesburg press this week made me extremely angry.
Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone . This passage from the Bible clearly has not been read by the husband and wife team of Angelo and Natasia Tsichlas, who are leading officials at Sundowns.
With the greatest respect to journalists from the mainstream press, some of the talk-before-you-think “rubbish” uttered by the pair should never have found its way into print.
Perhaps the most laughable was the suggestion by Angelo Tsichlas that Sundowns were considering court action. Apart from the fact that the Rothmans Cup rules forbid such action, world governing body Fifa would frown on it.
Football matches are won and lost on green turf, Tsichlas, not in the mahogany chambers. Can you imagine the consequences of legal action each time there is a disputed goal or offside. The game would need a courthouse of its own.
Tsichlas alleged there was a “mastermind” behind the clique (of corrupt match officials.) “He controls many referees and linesmen (sic) and should one fail to take instructions from him, one must forget about refereeing.”
That is a serious allegation, Tsichlas, and no doubt you have proof, which you just happened to forget to give to the media. While I look forward to the day when you name the “mastermind” and his “clique”, I shall not hold my breadth.
Natasia Tsichlas, the so-called Iron Lady of South African football, obviously was not happy to see her husband stealing the media limelight, so she climbed into the ring with a few choice words of her own.
She accused outgoing (I suspect he is counting the minutes) Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive Trevor Phillips of appointing the “incompetent” match officials and “creating confusion in our soccer”.
“He knows that if South Africa has a dark cloud hanging over it, his country’s (England) chances of winning the 2006 World Cup bid are enhanced,” said the Iron Lady, or should that be Sherlock Holmes.
Phillips, who did more for our football in 10 days than the queen of Sundowns in 10 years, explained that he did not know who the officials were until he arrived at the ground.
“I am not going to dignify her statements by commenting further,” he said. Well put, bra Trevor.
Only the fire engine was missing from the weekly PSL media conference as the league and South African Football Association tried to douse the flames of fury which Angelo and Natasia Tsichlas had so recklessly poured petrol on.
Rather than talking nonsense, why don’t they investigate how a team of expensively assembled stars like Sundowns missed five of six penalty kicks. Instead of shooting your mouths off, help your players to shoot straight.
l Soccer stars of old will play an exhibition match on Friday December 4 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Greats like Roger Milla, Cameroon’s star at the 1990 World Cup, Alain Giresse, Frank Rijkaard and Joseph Antoine Bell will be part of the “world black stars” to play South African legends such as Jomo Sono and Trot Moloto, as well as sporting personalities Baby Jake Matlala and Doctor Khumalo.
Organised by the European Union for Human Rights Foundation in South Africa, the match will kick off at 4.30pm at Orlando Stadium. Tickets: R10 from Computicket and details from Sport for Peace on (011) 728-9063.
The international and South African stars will also play a teenage team from Diepkloof prison on Sunday.