Van Marwijk has learned from red card bonanza in 2006

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Holland were knocked out of the 2006 World Cup by Portugal after a red and yellow card bonanza that left both teams with nine players after 90 minutes.

Much of that was due to the fact that the players didn't know the referee and didn't know about his inexperience with top games. Russian referee Ivanov crumbled under the pressure of the big stage and lost control of the game. A largely inexperienced Dutch side was dragged down with him.

Russian referee Ivanov lost control of Holland-Portugal at the 2006 World Cup. Had the Dutch players been instructed about his inexperience on the big stage Dutch players might have reacted differently

Holland manager Bert van Marwijk does not want to see that happening again and is instructing his players about the characteristics of the referees as well.

Van Marwijk: "I want my players to know more about the referee than just the country he is from. I hope I can provide them with more specific knowledge. There are plenty of people in our network who know the majority of the FIFA referees. They can inform our players."

The Dutch players and the staff were instructed yesterday about the new penalty rules of FIFA. The referee committee of FIFA was in the players hotel yesterday. At this World Cup referees will sanction players who interrupt their movement towards the ball at the last moment when they take a penalty kick.

"When they get to the ball players will have to kick the ball in one smooth movement," Van Marwijk said. "A player who tries to trick the goal keeper with a dummy will get a yellow card, and if he scores he will have to take the penalty again. If he doesn't score he will just get a yellow card."

It's actually not a new rule, as it has been in the rule book as long as we of DF can remember. But FIFA seem determined to uphold this rule a bit firmer from now on.

Sadly FIFA have not said anything about the behavior of goal keepers on or in front of their goal line when a penalty is taken. There is a rule that says the goal keeper is to remain on his line until the ball is kicked. More and more goal keepers are bending that rule.