"Result Roda JC-Willem II fixed"

Friday 14 November 2008

A reporter from Dutch daily De Telegraaf received a text message with the result of the KNVB Cup match Roda JC-Willem II of last Tuesday before kickoff and informed the KNVB straight away.

Roda JC then did indeed win by terrible mistake of Willem II defender Danny Schenkel, the behavior of Willem II coach Andries Jonker was inexplicable and Roda players said after the game that it seemed as if the players of Willem II were not interested in winning the game.

If that wasn't enough reason to investigate betting offices in Asia and Europe took extremely high bets on the outcome that was predicted in the text message.

The KNVB - without any form of investigation - said on Tuesday night (the night of the game) they see nothing wrong with the game.

An overview of events:

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf received a tip late last Tuesday afternoon that unusually high bets (millions of euros) had been placed in Asia on the Dutch Cup tie Roda JC Willem II, with Roda JC as the sure winner.

A bit later, minutes before the kickoff signal of referee Ruud Bossen, another tip came from the same informant.

It was a text message that read: "Roda to win. Watch television tonight!"

Shortly after the Telegraaf reporter received a message that at internet broker Betfair the stake for the match rose without any obvious reason from 50,000 euro to 350,000 euro.

While the game was being played that last figure was almost doubled.

The sportdesk of De Telegraaf then watched the game with the above info in mind, knowing that their biased minds might see more wrong with the game than an unknowing observer.

Still, they saw the following:

- After very tame opening minutes Roda get the first big chance in the 34th minute when Danny Mathijsen opens the offside trap without looking at his team mates. Boldizsar Bodor and Sekou Cissé get a free passage to the Willem II goal but fail to score.

- In the 42nd minute Danny Schenkel makes a massive mistake by stumbling very clumsily over a back pass from Mathijsen. Cissé again gets a free passage to the goal and this time he makes no mistake: 1-0 to Roda.

- Dutch TV commentator Leo Driessen says: "Schenkel will be angry with himself."

- Rens van Eijden (Willem II) misses a massive chance.

- Willem II-coach Jonker being 1-0 down in a knockout game takes off his best players Said Boutahar and Frank Demouge in the 45th and the 54th minute.

- Jonker after the game: "With Boutahar we knew he had trouble before the game. We said we'll try it and see how it goes. He was able to last half a game. Demouge had calf problems and during the game he also got two knocks on it. Every one could see that. Then it's over, the you have to take them off."

- TV-pundit Adrie Koster (unaware of the rumors) then says in a reaction to Jonker: "They were injured? Yeah that's what he says. But I think in any other game he would have left them on. When you take these two off - mind you, they have scored ten goals this season - you indicate that you think other matches are more important. That I can not understand."

- In the 59th minute Schenkel gets the ball from a throw from his goal keeper Aerts, and plays the ball straight into the feet of Roda player Willem Janssen.

- Willem II miss a chance from a free kick

- In the 90th minute Willem II get a corner. Schenkel is blatantly pulling the shoulders of Roda defender Jan-Paul Saeijs, who makes a handball because of it. The referee doe not give a penalty. Schenkel's team mates protest the decision vehemently. Schenkel doesn't appeal at all.

- After the game Jonker talks to Dutch TV reporter Marcel Maijer:

Maijer: "You created very few chances"

Jonker: Yes , but that's not so strange. On Saturday we had a forward line of Muhamadu, Demouge, Boutahar. Now we had not."

Maijer: "You don't seem very disappointed ?"

Jonker: "No, because you have to be realistic about this. We have been punished for a grave personal mistake."

Maijer: "Do you blame Danny Schenkel for these mistakes?"

Jonker: "Absolutely not. I am a coach who feels players are allowed to make the odd mistake without severe punishment from the coach."

Maijer: "A bit later he makes another big mistake that almost cost you..."

Jonker: "Okay, sure, but look at how well he played on Saturday..."

- A number of Roda JC players tell journalists after the game that they felt as if Willem II were not in the mood at all for the Cup tie, as they met very little resistance on the pitch.

Whether or not Roda JC-Willem II has been fixed remains open to discussion as long as the KNVB do not conduct a serious investigation.

They did issue a statement late Tuesday night: "So far there's only rumors. The KNVB have to guarantee a good dispatch of our matches and to judge that we base ourselves on the official channels. Based on the reports of the referee and official observers we have no reasons to believe the result has been manipulated."

Willem II-coach Andries Jonker has demanded a full investigation.