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Ooijer Admits His Handball Should Have Been a Penalty

June 15th, 2008 | By: Laurie | 16 Comments »

We’re all familiar with that “Who ME?” look most players give when they’re called for a foul. Eyes wide. Hands raised. Mouth open in shock that the ref could mistake their sweet and innocent behavior for a foul. And this is particularly true when the suspected foul takes place anywhere even remotely close to the box.

So when a defender admits to the press that a penalty should have been called on him, it’s pretty telling.

That’s the case with Andre Ooijer, the Dutch defender who wasn’t called for the handball in the box during Friday’s game with France, when the score was 1-0 Netherlands.

“There should have been a penalty from Thierry Henry’s shot. I stopped the ball with my hand. Without that there would have certainly been a goal.”

Here’s the video of that handball. Judge for yourself.

The game ended with a 4-1 win for Netherlands, so this is probably irrelevant. But nobody will ever know how a blown call like this might have affected the momentum of the game.

Of course, the match is over, and this is water under the bridge.

But does anybody else find it kind of refreshing to hear a player tell the truth?

Tags: Andre Ooijer, blown calls, Euro 2008 News, fouls, France Netherlands, handball, referees, Thierry Henry

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Comments

By set | June 15th, 2008 at 4:17 am

It’s easier to say when you win by such a margin
But the Dutch players seem to have a nice behavior.

Posted from France

By Infectioner | June 15th, 2008 at 4:18 am

If he told the truth DURING the game to the referee instead, I will be even more impressed

Posted from Malaysia

By Dutch | June 15th, 2008 at 4:29 am

Hehe, yeh, if it was 1-0 it would probably have been more difficult to come out and say it. That’s why I’m happy we beat both Italy and France with a convincing margin. Otherwise, this handball thing and italians going emo because they were distracted by the legit but not legit looking first goal would have been even messier than it is.

By A. | June 15th, 2008 at 4:44 am

The point is that players are devious and they are using the ‘unintentional’ clause in the rule to get away with handballs. If they can ‘make it look’ unintentional they will likely get away with it.

It happened last night too, in Greece vs Russia.

If a player is diving around, or twirling about with arms outstretched, they are denying space where the ball will travel through and they should be penalised for it, specially if the path they’re blocking is straight at the goal.

By Observer | June 15th, 2008 at 4:51 am

actually dutch, if both calls had gone the other way, the results of these matches may have been radically different but that doesn’t matter now. If Italy or France do not get through, which is a big possibility, Spain will probably go to the final. I think Holland has peaked way to soon and the flood of goals will dry up.

Posted from Canada

By set | June 15th, 2008 at 4:58 am

A. : agreed. Or else, there would be 22 goalkeepers in the game.

Posted from France

By Dutch | June 15th, 2008 at 5:39 am

Observer: But the “offside” goal call was the right one, it was a legit goal. And on top of that we simply had way more chances. We beat Italy firmly that game and not just in goal count.

France one is messier, because they should have gotten a penalty indeed. And the game was very close, since France had a good 30 minutes of the game where they were strongly in control. On the other hand, France should have been fighting with 10 guys, since that Makelele should have gotten red a long time ago for 2 elbows and a smack in the face.

By Thierry | June 15th, 2008 at 6:28 am

At least, we can say (if holland draw or beat romania, play the game i mean) that this team of holland is not only great on the pitch. Sure it would be more impressive to see Ooijer said it during the match, lol. But it is why we love this game incredible unfair and cruel.

By Lorenzo | June 15th, 2008 at 6:42 am

you guys seem to forget the goal from France was offside…

Posted from Netherlands

By Lorenzo | June 15th, 2008 at 6:52 am

and ofcourse Makelele should have gotten a red card.

Posted from Netherlands

By A. | June 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am

Henry’s goal was not offside, level at worst.

By Weston | June 15th, 2008 at 9:46 am

oh boohoo, italy concede an offside goal that is not called against the dutch, and then w/ romania, score an onside goal that is disallowed. althgough like the ooijer penalty, the nistlerooy goal being fixed by the refs would have only saved a little shame, luca toni’s header would’ve netted us another 2 pts.
(i REALLY hope that we beat France because if its that disallowed goal that knocks us out of the competition. . . . . . .)

Posted from United States

By Weston | June 15th, 2008 at 9:48 am

Italy have it tougher than everybody. Switzerland and us should start a club, our captain gets injured and knocked out and our team falls apart w/ the help from the refs.

Posted from United States

By Dutch | June 15th, 2008 at 9:50 am

I’d like to see a vid of Henry’s goal from a better angle. I honestly can’t tell whether he was offside or not. Very close call TBH. From the video I’ve seen frame for frame, his upper body seemed slightly ahead when the pass was made. I can’t tell whether his lower body was, though.

By Lorenzo | June 15th, 2008 at 10:12 am

first of all the goal from holland to italy WASNT offside

Second as far as i saw it Henry’s goal was offside (but I really dont care ^^)
also if you have the choice of a perfect game you can put a fourth official behind a television, but pfff… wouldn’t that just ruin the game?

Posted from Netherlands

By Phil | June 15th, 2008 at 12:55 pm

Well then to make up for it they can help us out and make our match with Italy count for something!!

Comments are closed