Many congratulations to local boy and colleague of my brother - apparently, “you wouldn’t mess” – Howard Webb for being awarded (I believe this is the official technical term) the job of refereeing Sunday evening’s World Cup Final in Johannesburg.
As the Sheffield Star (ah, the memories…) reports:
The 38-year-old former police sergeant, from Rotherham, has been chosen by Fifa’s referees committee.
It makes him the first Englishman to make it to the World Cup final since 1974 – when the job went to Jack Taylor.Webb and his assistants, Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey, will officiate in the match between Spain and Holland at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.
Webb hung up his helmet and took a five-year career break from South Yorkshire Police in 2008 so he could concentrate on refereeing.
It might not really seem like a big thing with so many star players on show in the Dutch and Spanish sides, but I guess that for a referee, this is as big a gig as you can get and given that only 18 men before him have ever had the honour, he’s joining a pretty elite group.
I’m sure he’ll do England proud – much more so that that shower that flew home a couple of weeks ago.
[Please note that this line may be deleted on Sunday evening if deemed necessary]
Nice work, Howard.
7 Comments
Well done Howard.
Well done to him.
Another England player did win another award though – Wayne Rooney was voted ugliest player in the World Cup. lol!!!
Stan > I taught him all he knows.
Pamela > I’d go along with that (his first touch was particularly ugly). Although Germany/Turkey hybrid and ugly tree fallee Mesut Oezil must have run him close.
Aha, now it all makes sense
Emil > Why he refereed it so well? Or why he’s used to dealing with thugs?
Why you think he refereed so well, and why you think he dealt with thugs – correct!
Then again, I am Dutch … and a thug, so I think differently
Emil > There’s no problem with being irrational about football as long as you know you’re being irrational.