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Zagallo baffled by referees' decisions
Posted: Saturday July 04, 1998 07:34 PM
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Zagallo (white hat) says penalty calls depend on a referee's personal criteria (AP) |
LESIGNY, France (Reuters)
-- The World Cup referees have left Brazil coach
Mario Zagallo perplexed. The Old Wolf has seen it all in a
career spanning six World Cups but still seems baffled by some of the
decisions made in France. He was scratching his head again on
Saturday after fullback Cafu received a yellow card for taking too long
over a free-kick during Friday's 3-2 quarterfinal win over Denmark.
Cafu, whose pace and forays upfield have made him a key player,
was also booked in the second round and is now out of Tuesday's semifinal
in Marseille. Zagallo was asked whether he would remind his
players to be careful not to get booked but replied that he had no advice
to give them because referees were so inconsistent. "Really,
I don't understand it," said Zagallo. "Players have done far worse things
[than Cafu] and not been booked. There was an incident in the Italy-France game
where an Italian elbowed an opponent and didn't get a yellow card.
"We have seen red cards for minor things and violent tackles where
there has not even been a yellow. "Then we had a player who
got knocked to the ground, raised his leg and clipped [Argentina's
Diego] Simeone and got sent off," he said, referring to the red card given
to England's
David Beckham in the second round. "Simeone knocked him over and only got a
yellow. "I don't see any criteria. We never know what will
happen, if there will be a red card or a yellow card because the criteria
are always different. "The criteria depends on the referee on
the day of the game. If there's no criteria, anything can happen."
Zagallo said he had got over the excitement of Friday's game, when he
looked pale and weak at the end. "It was just that moment,"
said the 66-year-old veteran. "It was an emotional game, not
just for me but for the team, the Brazilian fans and the media.
"I called home after the game and talking to your wife and children back
home makes you even more emotional. I'm an emotional person and talking to
my family made me feel it even more," he added.
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