International Football - England - Euros - World Cup Etc

[wassy04]

Belgium being allowed to appeal the overturning of Balogun's red card and CAS have set up a special division to deal with in-tournament cases.

What a pathetic and avoidable mess.

UEFA aren't much better but I'd love them to - after this World Cup has finished - announce their own spinoff organisation with all the European teams and anyone else they choose to invite in it.

I was thinking if Belgium lost to a Balogun goal maybe that could be the catalyst for them to quit FIFA and start a movement.

[wassy04]

Bit frustrating setting my alarm clock amd then waiting for an hour.

I'm in the pub, flagging though! Wish it would hurry up and start.

Watched at home with the wife, what was the pub atmosphere like? many people go too early having sunday afternoon pints?

Not really the impression I got, most people started for the Brazil game so was the right amount of pints. Was about 40 odd people in the pub I was in I reckon. 

What a f*****g night though, got home around 5am, am now pretending to work. Atmosphere was really good, I guess you've got to care a decent amount to watch a game in town at 2am.

[Sausage Roll]

I was feeling a bit sorry for Pochettino for being put in that position but having heard his latest interview now he can do one. Praising the decision because the sending off was wrong without thinking for one second what it means for the integrity of the World Cup and football in general.

Was wanting America to win beforehand but now praying for De Bruyne and Lukaku to roll back the years and hammer them.

[toddy]

if balogun plays belgium should refuse to play and then usa kicked out

[wassy04]

Ha even Sepp Blatter is slagging off the Balogun decision

[Sausage Roll]

Ha even Sepp Blatter is slagging off the Balogun decision

You're in a pretty bad place if Sepp Blatter correctly has the moral high ground.

[Sausage Roll]

So Trump has confirmed that he asked (i.e. told) Infantino to postpone Balogun's suspension.

I know my politics are different to some people's on here and I imagine a few on here probably support Trump - but surely even those who do have to concede that this is an appalling decision. FIFA's own rules say that government involvement in a team means that the team should be disqualified from competition.

A precedent has been set now. Where does it end?

[Paplane]

So Trump has confirmed that he asked (i.e. told) Infantino to postpone Balogun's suspension.

I know my politics are different to some people's on here and I imagine a few on here probably support Trump - but surely even those who do have to concede that this is an appalling decision. FIFA's own rules say that government involvement in a team means that the team should be disqualified from competition.

A precedent has been set now. Where does it end?

It's hard to support him Sausage, no matter what your politics. The bloke's a bloody nutcase. 

I think he thinks he's personally saved the world cup by allowing it to be held in the USA. The truth is, the Mexican's showed last night what a love for a country's football side really looks like, and should be, rather than the apathetic americans who couldn't give a shit about the game, the tournament or anything other than their own 'sports'.

[Forest1970]

So Trump has confirmed that he asked (i.e. told) Infantino to postpone Balogun's suspension.

I know my politics are different to some people's on here and I imagine a few on here probably support Trump - but surely even those who do have to concede that this is an appalling decision. FIFA's own rules say that government involvement in a team means that the team should be disqualified from competition.

A precedent has been set now. Where does it end?

I suppose if you have the balls and thick skin like Trump then asking the FIFA main man to look at the sending off then again wasn't in doubt and I'm not saying it's right. But if the rules are there then it should be abided.

[Sausage Roll]

What's the point in playing the rest of the matches now? Anytime something happens that Trump doesn't like what's stopping him from telling FIFA to overturn it? He clearly doesn't care and neither do they - if they did they wouldn't have suspended Balogun's ban.

There's literally nothing stopping this happening again.

[JohnG]

And they're making out it wasn't a bad challenge, even suggestion it shouldn't have been a free kick. They don't have proper interest in the sport, they know nothing. If a Forest player had his studs over a players ankle like that I'd be expecting a red.

I suspect Trump would tarnish things sooner or later, surprised it took this long. I guess pre tournament, Ronaldo's ban being shortened a few days after visiting the Whitehouse also stank. But I put that down to $$ more.

[Plymouth red]

National fa's and other regional bodies must take a stand - they need to send a message that this blatant corruption by infantino has to stop. The introduction of mid half breaks in air conditioned stadiums to benefit American advertisers and CR ban could be explained away with some valid justification if you ignored certain facts. But this is surely a step too far. Anyone defending this is defending corruption. There is no appeals process in this tournament... Unless you are the president of the USA.

If balogun plays, let alone scores a winner, this tournaments legitimacy is forever tarnished.

I'm even starting to question the legitimacy of the FIFA peace prize now.