Harder than gestures
My brother Ben and I have been talking a fair bit about the whole Zidane thing, and we both pretty much side with him. So I'm pleased to say I agree wholeheartedly with what he says in the interview he gave today, especially this:
Zinedine Zidane: I can't regret it because if I do it would be like admitting that he was right to say all that. And above all, it was not right.
We always talk about the reaction, and inevitably it must be punished. But if there is no provocation, there is no reaction.
First of all you have to say there is provocation, and the guilty one is the one who does the provoking. The response is to always punish the reaction, but if I react, something has happened.
Do you imagine that in a World Cup final like that, with just 10 minutes to go to the end of my career, I am going to do something like that because it gives me pleasure?
Interviewer: No of course not. But at the moment you exploded...
Zinedine Zidane: There was provocation, and it was very serious, that is all. My action was inexcusable but you have to punish the real culprit, and the real culprit is the one who provoked it.
If they want to strip Zidane of the Golden Ball, that makes perfect sense - assuming they penalize Materazzi as well. Most accounts via lipreaders and so on include some element of racism on his part, and I had heard FIFA takes that very seriously indeed.
Zinedine Zidane: I can't regret it because if I do it would be like admitting that he was right to say all that. And above all, it was not right.
We always talk about the reaction, and inevitably it must be punished. But if there is no provocation, there is no reaction.
First of all you have to say there is provocation, and the guilty one is the one who does the provoking. The response is to always punish the reaction, but if I react, something has happened.
Do you imagine that in a World Cup final like that, with just 10 minutes to go to the end of my career, I am going to do something like that because it gives me pleasure?
Interviewer: No of course not. But at the moment you exploded...
Zinedine Zidane: There was provocation, and it was very serious, that is all. My action was inexcusable but you have to punish the real culprit, and the real culprit is the one who provoked it.
If they want to strip Zidane of the Golden Ball, that makes perfect sense - assuming they penalize Materazzi as well. Most accounts via lipreaders and so on include some element of racism on his part, and I had heard FIFA takes that very seriously indeed.
I have to say I agree with the guy.
Posted by
Aaron Jacklin |
8:57 AM
Last night at the bar, we saw the sports channel repeat a statement from Zidane's mom... the whole thing was pretty cool, but the kicker was "I have nothing but contempt for Materazzi and, if what he said is true, then I want his balls on a platter."
Also, even Materazzi agrees that Zidane deserves the Golden Ball.
Posted by
Ian |
11:28 AM
Allez les Bleus!
The general opinion over here is that Zizou was a dumbass for headbutting Materazzi (although, truth be told, it was an awesome headbutt), but that whatever Materazzi said, he apparently richly deserved it.
Posted by
K |
7:48 PM