Francesco Totti of Italy - after scoring the penalty kick in the final seconds.
Italy vs Australia
(26 June 2006)
Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)
Dear Luis,
With a heavy and shattered heart, please allow me to pen you my two cents' worth after staying awake till the wee hours to watch the match you refereed between Italy and Australia yesterday.
With due respect to your professionalism, there is no disputes on your judging skill throughout the 90 minutes' match - it was well fought by both teams though I must explicitly made known to all that the Aussie was a much better team last night. The teamwork was excellent to say the least and I was totally impressed with all the players.
I felt compelled to voice my unhappiness over your last minute decision in awarding a penalty kick to Italy. Do you absolutely need to be that decisive when Grosso tripped in the penalty box? Yes, I might not qualify and definitely not esoteric when it comes to soccer but c'mon...... within seconds you have dashed the beauty of this match. Because of your harsh judgement at that precise moment, you have literally 'nailed' it for the guys from Downunder.
Could you not pause in that dying second to check with the linesman? Is it possible to re-look at the videos? Why must it be assumed that it was a foul?
Yes, the ball is round anything can happen. Football is a cruel game and to always 'unexpect the unexpected' as I used to coil it on my lips all the time. But just to register a point to you Mr. Luis - I am not questioning your professionalism as I've mentioned but I hope as the dust settled today, take a shower have a cold beer - replay that match. Watch the match with a third eye...you'll be surprised and that you would know what I meant by 'my heart was shattered'..... along with all the Aussie warriors.
Enough said Mr. Luis, I sincerely hope that you will take my constructive two cents' worth in good faith.
Trusting that there would be "Fair Play Always" !
Cheers!
Shionge
