No idea who wrote it but I agree with most of it. On top of officiating CL fixtures Ovrebo has also been accredited to the 2010 WC. It's like spitting in somebody's face and then laughing about it. How do these so called governing bodies continue to operate in that manner and get away with it I don't know.

http://www.bridgeviews.co.uk/bridge_views/...ent-ovrebo.html

Chelsea conspiracy theories proved true as disgraceful UEFA stick by incompetent Ovrebo

The scandal of Tom Henning Ovrebo's performance as referee in the second leg tie of last season's Champions League semi final between Chelsea and Barcelona is now complete: he will referee tomorrow's Juventus v. Bordeaux Champions League game. Hardly a small-time fixture: Ovrebo's terrible performance back in May has clearly had no bearing on his career development whatsoever.

Ovrebo's woeful performance at Stamford Bridge, in which he ignored at least three obvious penalties for the home team, can only be interpreted in two ways: one, that the Norwegian is entirely incompetent or two, that he was acting corruptly as part of some wider agenda.

Let's remind ourselves how Matt Dickinson of the Times reported Ovrebo's performance back in May:

Conspiracy theories flew out of the Chelsea dressing-room faster than you could say Jose Mourinho last night, but there is one simple way of measuring if they are true. Should Tom Henning Ovrebo officiate a match above under-13 level outside his native Norway, then something is rotten at the heart of UEFAs headquarters."

He has a point, and something is rotten in their HQ. The loyalty UEFA have showed the referee in the face of his abject performance at Stamford Bridge can only reinforce the view that UEFA is a corrupt organisation only too pleased to see Chelsea put out of that competition. What other way can its reaction to Ovrebo's display or to put it more accurately, its lack of reaction be explained? We have heard nothing from UEFA to explain their actions, they have only been concerned with punishing Chelsea for the post-match reaction of the players and fans.

We shouldn't be surprised. UEFA are an absolute disgrace and in no way can be said to represent the best interests of the game's main stakeholders, the fans. No other business, organisation or governing body could so seriously ignore its customers and expect to survive. Back in June in a post on Ovrebo's performance I wrote:

Most crucially, UEFA's lack of accountability spits in the face of football fans. When Chelsea went out of the Champions League to that late Iniesta goal, it was after a 12 game campaign that saw Blues fans watching 18 hours of football. Supporters going to all the home games would have paid at least £300 (plus programme, food and travel costs). It is an investment of time, money and emotion that was made redundant by a single inept performance of a referee. UEFA would do well to not take that so lightly.

It seems no-one at UEFA reads this blog. UEFA have made no public recognition of the Ovrebo issue, even just to say that they thought his performance was good enough. Their complete lack of open comment is insulting to anyone who watched the game that night. They clearly feel they are an omnipotent organisation sitting far above reproach or question. Again, this is something I referred to back in June:

Where am I going with this? If UEFA scrutinise clubs like Chelsea for their actions, they should accept a level of scrutiny themselves. They should be an accountable body, open and willing to look at failings and challenge itself to improve. Perhaps a UEFA statement on a review of Ovrebo's performance will be forthcoming. But I wouldn't bet on it.

I also wrote:

Drogba called Ovrebo's performance a disgrace. It was. But turning to look at the bigger picture, the real disgrace is UEFA's attitude in their running of the game. There has been no public admission that the referee's performance was sub-standard and no hint that it has (or will) come under review. Which of us, in whatever walk of life, could make mistakes on that scale without serious repercussions?

I dearly wish I could bank on the kind of support Ovrebo received from his employer should I make such a big mistake at work. UEFA are propagating a refereeing system that rewards incompetence (or competence at putting Chelsea out, either way). There is no way that Ovrebo should be allowed to referee another Champions League game this season, it's an unfathomable decision.

I'll be writing a letter to UEFA to request they let us know how they reviewed Ovrebo's performance and what the result was. I will also be asking for an explanation as to how he can be back refereeing at the top level so quickly, and I'll post the letter here for you all to read. I'll also keep you updated on any response, although UEFA's track record on supporter relations suggests I'll receive no reply.

Edited September 14, 200916 yr by abramovich

bang on abramovich!

but of course UEFA will want a bloke in the middle that will do what they want him to, that way they get the final they want

opps sorry that was last year, they couldnt do it again could they????

Good read. Unfortunately, I don't see anything coming of it. It's a definite slap in the face that Orvebo never had his performance reviewed. Without spitting out words of a conspiracy theory, why else would UEFA not review that performance? I've seen some bad refs in my time (everyone makes mistakes, right?) but that ref and match certainly took the cake.

And yes, UEFA could do it again this year. Would anyone really be surprised?

I was looking forward to watching Juventus play tomorrow, but now I'm not so interested anymore.

And the fact that he's in for the World Cup is a f*cking disgrace (might as well quite Drogba).

w**kers. Absolute w**kers. I feel my level of rage building up to what it was 6 months ago.....

Argh, I don't think I can express my feelings without too much cursing, so I'm just going to go and throw something at a wall instead.

in the words of the drog " ITS A F*%*ING DISGRACE" :)

I can't even get angry anymore, which as sad as it essentially means that I have learnt to simply accept that one of the two most powerful controlling bodies in charge of our beautiful game is, at worst, corrupt to the core or, at best, run by idiotic egomaniacs.

F**king shame, it really is. They've written the book on how to reward incompetence.

oh, Mon Dieu. Change ze record. Dis is eggs akerly why ever one hates you whiny Ongleash Chelsea peeples. Wid your "oh, is not fair, is not fair, I wants my mummy" crying all ze time.

Monsieur Ovrebo is a eggs alont referee and his performance in dat game was tres bon. Well, me and my ami Sepp taught it was. In fact we can hardly wait to do it to vous again zis year.

Yours wid a raspberry.

Michel Platini and UEFA

I can't even get angry anymore, which as sad as it essentially means that I have learnt to simply accept that one of the two most powerful controlling bodies in charge of our beautiful game is, at worst, corrupt to the core or, at best, run by idiotic egomaniacs.

F**king shame, it really is. They've written the book on how to reward incompetence.

Exactly my sentiment, Tim. I just feel empty, powerless disinterestedness. They just go as the effing please. It's like a dictator saying people love him after he's killed thousands in a rally.

I'm as disgusted as I was back when it happened. What else is there to say than "a f*cking disgrace"?? ¬¬

bet didier and bosingwa will be even more chuffed when they're sitting in the stands tonight, while that di*k runs around in Turin as if nothing happened

oh, Mon Dieu. Change ze record. Dis is eggs akerly why ever one hates you whiny Ongleash Chelsea peeples. Wid your "oh, is not fair, is not fair, I wants my mummy" crying all ze time.

Monsieur Ovrebo is a eggs alont referee and his performance in dat game was tres bon. Well, me and my ami Sepp taught it was. In fact we can hardly wait to do it to vous again zis year.

Yours wid a raspberry.

Michel Platini and UEFA

Mr Platini, I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

im not even slightly surprised by this, which in itself shows how much contempt i have for these useless f**kers. expect to see our beloved ovrebo reffing an england game or 2 in the world cup to come. lets see how the media like that.

its an absolute disgrace that ovrebo is allowed to continue refereeing in the worlds biggest club competition, i havent bought into all the conspiracy theories but this certainly is very suspicious

I'm actually curious to watch the match, there will be quite a few more alarm bells if he runs the match well, if however there is a poor display in the calls then I would be less likely to spin off any conspiracies on Ovrebo. Other then the fact that then UEFA would know he was a complete twat and put him in that match against us somewhat on purpose.

Exactly the sentiments that some here are having. No f*cking surprise! I guess this is what happens when you let footballers run an organization that matters. In words of Lofty, f*ck 'em all!

Be honest - what did you really expect?

Be honest - what did you really expect?

The trouble is were used to seeing referees held accountable and reprimanded for exceptionally bad performances in the Premier League.

he actually refereed the match between liverpool and standard liege in the champion league qualifiers last year and gave standard liege a penalty for a handball outside the box. So with that in mind as well as his nightmare in euro 2008 i think he is completely incompetent, Just whether he is actually as incompetent as he showed the world in our semi.

The trouble is were used to seeing referees held accountable and reprimanded for exceptionally bad performances in the Premier League.

That doesn't happen elsewhere? Well then it should.

Exactly the sentiments that some here are having. No f*cking surprise! I guess this is what happens when you let footballers run an organization that matters. In words of Lofty, f*ck 'em all!

Let's get this straight. f**k 'em all isn't just according to me, it's Chelsea tradition going all the way back to the '70s. Let me remind you:

f**k 'em all

f**k 'em all

United, West Ham, Liverpool

Cause we are the Chelsea

And we are the best

We are the Chelsea

So f**k all the rest

As for Ovrebo, I don't actually buy the conspiracy theory. Anti-Chelsea prejudice yes, but prejudice alone doesn't add to a conscious conspiracy. What there is, is a prevailing attitude that we are to be presumed guilty because of the numerous times we've been put up as examples of everything that's wrong with the game. Whether it's Drogba's diving, players surrounding the ref, similar and more extreme examples are repeatedly overlooked and quickly forgotten. Many Stoke fans actually believe they were cheated at the weekend because, according to them, our players were a disgrace, diving all over the place. Truth is, Stoke are a bunch of cloggers; the wonder to me was how long it took for, I think it was Delap, and some other Stoke player who's name escapes me, to wind up in the book, and yet they'll swear blind the referee gave us all the decisions. Similarly with the amount of first half injury time. There were two or three extended stoppages, fully justifying the addition of 8 minutes, and yet calls are heard from all quarters (yes that ginger twat was at it again) that the amount of injury time was a disgrace.

No there's no conspiracy. They (and that's an extremely large collective "they") just don't like us. Some of it this is the club's own making, from Jose to Kenyon to the Ashley Cole episode, but a huge part of it is also down to the way the media choose to portray us as the bad guys wherever possible. Put this down to a bias towards the unholy red trinity, combined with large amounts of jealousy and you have a willingness to see the club, it's players, staff and supporters in the worst possible light in any given situation.

What was I saying? Oh yeah.

f**k 'em all.

As Bonetti says, what did we really expect from Uefa? Any reduction in Ovrebo’s CL appointments would always be construed as admittance of guilt and when you are above accountability for malpractice in any shape or form [because it’s your competition and effectively your ball that you can pick up and walk away with when challenged] why bother with even the slightest pretence of fairness or honesty? Just ridicules Platini and his cronies with de franglais, but I’ve gone beyond even gallows humour where this competition is concerned.

Quite frankly, any club that enters it knows what to expect by now and when the next example of corruption rears its ugly head the recipient team will deserve it by virtue of their compliance in the first place - us included. More to the point, should Blind Tom be assigned to a Chelsea game this time around we should not only withdraw from the competition in protest immediately, whatever stage we have reached, but also acknowledge our naivety in not appreciating that his appointment was a possibility, even a probability, by making it abundantly clear we will accept all rearrangement costs involved as a penance.

Be careful what you write lads. The muppets of UEFA may read this and impose another ban..

There's supposed to be BOOOOS when they play the Champions League anthem tonight, let's hope everyone in the stadium joins in..

'It's a disgrace

a f#cking disgraaace

F#ck off UEFA

A f#cking disgrace'

As many have already said i cant even get angry anymore. I'd love to win the CL just to stick to fingers up at UEFA and because after their efforts over the last few seasons the players deserve a medal. Otherwise the whole competition for me is a sham. How can a governing body have a preference as to which teams make its final?????

Blatter and Platini both stated before that Barca game that they did'nt want another all English final and low and behold the Ref misses 4 penalties which had any 1 been given would have killed the tie. In the words of Sounes ' Uefa will be pleased with the ref tonight,they got the final that they wanted'

Cu*ts.

As many have already said i cant even get angry anymore. I'd love to win the CL just to stick to fingers up at UEFA and because after their efforts over the last few seasons the players deserve a medal. Otherwise the whole competition for me is a sham. How can a governing body have a preference as to which teams make its final?????

Blatter and Platini both stated before that Barca game that they did'nt want another all English final and low and behold the Ref misses 4 penalties which had any 1 been given would have killed the tie. In the words of Sounes ' Uefa will be pleased with the ref tonight,they got the final that they wanted'

Cu*ts.