Keeper v pitch invader

[Yngwie]

Big story in Dutch football.

It's not just Scottish football that has crazy and controversial incidents

Was the keeper justified in attacking the fan?

Was the ref right to send the keeper off?

Was the coach right to take his players off and cause the match to be abandoned?

[Scotty]

read this story but didnt see the video (blocked at work)

1. Yes and No - justified in stopping him, but the stills I saw looked like he was giving or about to give the pitch invader a good kicking ... that was or would be excessive. restrain yes, assault, no.

2. No - Its happened before when a pitch invader was stopped by a player, cant remember the game, but was sometime this year too. In that case the player got sent off as well so maybe the rules are tying the hands of the ref. I believe both sendings off were wrong as the player is only trying to get the game restarted by removing the invader (even if he does it with excessive force - which is for someone else (police) to deal with). The invader is not part of the game and therefore the ref should not book or send the player off ... he should shake his hand instead for trying to get it restarted !

3. Yes. I believe the sending off was wrong ... maybe not by the laws of the game, which perhaps ties the hands of the ref in making a decision, but in the spirit of the game, the team should not be disadvantaged in that manner where the player is trying to stop an external force from disrupting the game. I would support the decision by the manager, although I would be quite frustrated had I been a member of the crowd in attendance !

[ICTPaisley]

The fan has come charging up ready to kick the keeper, the player uses his speed and agility to get in there first and defend himself. Not a sending off it's unfair, well done for the manager sticking up for his player.

[+Wanderer]

Big topic of discussion around the water-cooler today at this Netherlands office. Keeper clearly fearing for his safety, note his reaction when the official comes on, who can blame him?

Red card chucked out by the Dutch FA today. Of course it should never have been given in the first place.

Referees...common sense...when were those words last seen in the same sentence?

[caley100]

Keeper was mainly defending himself, the punter should never have got near the pitch if the stewards had being doing their job right it would never have happened.

Just confirms that most ref's are feckin clowns.

[+DoofersDad]

He was justified in defending himself initially but not in kicking his attacker once he was on the ground - however much we may empathise with him. He should have simply moved away and allowed the stewards and the police to do their job. I believe the ref was wrong to send him off but the police would have been quite entitled to come on to the pitch to arrest him for assault as his actions were beyond what was reasonable to defend himself. Had that happened, do the rules of the game allow for a player who has been arrested but not sent off to be substituted?

[PaderbornCaley]

If the keeper hadn't carried on kicking him, he would have got up and attacked again. He may even have had a knife. The keeper can't take a chance. Someone who invades a pitch, trys to fly kick a player is obviously mental. He could have done anything if the keeper didn't kick him to stay down.

If the club security fail to protect the players, then they are forced to protect themselves. So:

1) The keeper didn't attack the fan! The fan attacked him, and the keeper took the appopriate measures to keep the fan on the deck without holding on to him - if he had simply pinned him to the ground he may have been stabbed by a knife or even a needle. Kicking him kept him down untill the authorties took over.

2) No. He should not have been sent off

3) Yes. 100%. If a fan is going to be able to attack a player and the player is not allowed to defend themselves, then he cannot endanger the lives of any more of his players.

Edited December 22, 2011 by CapitalCaley

[+Fraz]

If the keeper hadn't carried on kicking him, he would have got up and attacked again. He may even of had a knife. The keeper can't take a chance. Someone who invades a pitch, trys to fly kick a player is obviously mental. He could have done anything if the keeper didn't kick him to stay down.

If the club security fail to protect the players, then they are forced to protect themselves. So:

1) The keeper didn't attack the fan! The fan attacked him, and the keeper took the appopriate measures to keep the fan on the deck without holding on to him - if he had simply pinned him to the ground he may have been stabbed by a knife or even a needle. Kicking him kept him down untill the authorties took over.

2) No. He should not have been sent off

3) Yes. 100%. If a fan is going to be able to attack a player and the player is not allowed to defend themselves, then he cannot endanger the lives of any more of his players.

This

[CaleyD]

If the keeper hadn't carried on kicking him, he would have got up and attacked again. He may even have had a knife. The keeper can't take a chance. Someone who invades a pitch, trys to fly kick a player is obviously mental. He could have done anything if the keeper didn't kick him to stay down.

If the club security fail to protect the players, then they are forced to protect themselves. So:

1) The keeper didn't attack the fan! The fan attacked him, and the keeper took the appopriate measures to keep the fan on the deck without holding on to him - if he had simply pinned him to the ground he may have been stabbed by a knife or even a needle. Kicking him kept him down untill the authorties took over.

2) No. He should not have been sent off

3) Yes. 100%. If a fan is going to be able to attack a player and the player is not allowed to defend themselves, then he cannot endanger the lives of any more of his players.

This is how I see it. The only thing going through the keepers head in that situation is "not giving this guy a chance to get at me", and whilst that might appear a little excessive to some, it's better that than put himself and others on the pitch at risk by standing off and giving the attacker any chance at getting back to his feet.

We don't know how much the referee saw or if he knew how it kicked off. If he didn't see the initial attack by the fan then he can only base his decision on what he saw...and that was the goalkeeper booting the fan. He has no option but to issue a red card under those circumstances.

Should the Coach have pulled the team off the park? IMO, Yes, but it's a tough one...and it risks setting a bad precedent if it is ignored. By allowing it to go "unpunished" you then raise the question of "when is it acceptable" and risk any manager pulling his team off the park if/when he believes a decision has gone against his team.

On the basis of their being a risk to the players then yeah, all for it, but not sure that risk existed on this occasion.

[Scotty]

having now watched the video ... keeper is in the right, albeit a little over enthusiastic with his self-defense, and the referee is a total t0sspot. Also, fair play to the coach !!!

[PullMyFinger]

If he hadn't pursued the fan and got another couple of kicks in we wouldn't be discussing this. The fan was on the ground with an official approaching, if he was worried about another attack why follow him? Spur of the moment decision but in my opinion he should walk.

[PullMyFinger]

Card rescinded

[Caleyjag]

Sky Sports News is reporting today that this game is to be replayed in full in a closed doors game.