World Cup: Sepp Blatter's Inappropriate words

"The Socceroos should have gone to the quarterfinals instead of Italy...because they were up to beating Italy..." So are the words of FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Let's dissect this like a frog in science class shall we?

First, Australia should stop whining. Welcome to international soccer boys where everyone has a grievance.

Next, this is the fallout you get when an underdog manages to exceed expectations. People begin to romanticize and assume the David vs. Goliath syndrome.

The famous penalty has to be rehashed here. Once again from the top. Defense 101. In a critical moment of a game do not come barreling into a player with an angled slide tackle. Why take such a chance? In doing so, you essentially leave the referee no choice but to call it against you.

Lucas Neil would have been better off playing positional man to man defense. It is true that refs tend to give defenders the benefit of the doubt, but everyone should put themselves in the ref's shoes for a second. Neil came full force into Fabio Grosso. What was the ref expected to do? Even if he suspected a dive, the tackle was probably more dubious in his judgment. It was the correct call. What made the decision unbearable for Aussie fans is that it happened in the last second. That does indeed, well, suck.

Italian midfielder Gennaro Gattuso felt the call was harsh but such is soccer; indeed sports.

Has anyone noticed that Lucas Neil since the World Cup has had two penalties called against him in the Premiership? His judgment has much to be desired.

Blatter adds that Australia were up to beating Italy? Aside from the reality that they didn't, it's all moot now. The first half of that game was one of best one in the tournament. It was technically sound and Australia did indeed come with their lunch pails.

It was in the 2nd half where everything turned for the worse. First, there was the mistake of sending Marco Materazzi off. Clearly, the ref goofed. This reduced Italy to 10-men against an Aussie side that was gaining confidence. Naturally, Italy gave possession to Australia. The reality is that Australia, despite their frenetic paces, created very little - just like France in the final*. Italy sized them up for a counter attack. In fact, Italy was far more dangerous on the counter. On this day, Australia just wasn't going to score. They were up against one of the finest defensive sides in World Cup history. Not even Germany managed to score on the Azzurri and France got one thanks to a dubious penalty.

Italy deserved the victory. But this is not the point now is it? Listen to Blatter's logic. In his mind, it was ok to apologize to one country by disparaging another. Did he feel Australia should have beaten Brazil? Did he feel France deserved to beat Portugal on a dubious call? Did Germany deserve to beat Argentina? Did he really believe for one minute Zidane was the best player in the tournament? Where was he in the aftermath of the shameful display by Zidane?

Did he feel South Korea deserved to beat Spain in 2002? France over Italy in 2000? Does he care to mention that Luca Toni had a goal turned away for Italy in the final against France? Yet, a very similar goal was allowed for France against Spain - a country with their own justified grievances. Let us not bring up the debacle in 2002 when Italy had three perfectly legitimate goals - one in extra time against South Korea - turned away.

The list of teams who 'should not have won' in world cup history is very long and it includes many countries. Yet, I have not seen such scorn heaped upon one nation to this degree. That Blatter has a possible dislike of Italy seems plausible as this is not the first time he practices verbal buffoonery. Recall that he did not even present the trophy to Italy as is the custom for the President of FIFA to do.

Sepp Blatter is void of any class. France too should itself to be classless in the aftermath of their 'unjust' loss to Italy. It went as far as lying about Materazzi's comments. Remember his comments were allegedly racist in nature and that it involved the word 'terrorist?' Nothing of the such happened according to FIFA's investigation.

*If France was not awarded that penalty where Malouda dove - Materazzi did not clip him as many claim - and Toni's goal stands it's game over. True, Zambrotta flagrantly fouled a French player but that was, in my opinion, an 'evening out' call by the ref. France outhustled Italy but did not outwit them. Head coach Marcello Lippi outfoxed the animated and sarcastic Raymond Domenech.