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Talk about Newsnight

Paul Mason's Idle Scrawl

Why, Zizou, why?

  • Paul Mason
  • 10 Jul 06, 09:46 AM

zizou_afp203.jpgAs always Youtube has various illicitly copied bits of the relevant footage of Zidan's head-butt last night, and the provocation. You can see it . Or here with the courtesty of Austrian TV. I can't make it out clearly but maybe, just maybe, Materazzi is saying something like "chipolata como Prescotto". But it's indistinct. The full truth later, no doubt.

Comments  Post your comment

I thought the head-butt was the most interesting thing of that match. It livened up extra time thats for sure.

Its a shame though that one of the best players of his generation will be forever remembered for that act, and not the amazing goals he scored and how skillful he was e.g in the Brazil game.

  • 2.
  • At 12:44 PM on 10 Jul 2006,
  • carolyn wrote:

I note with interest that Zidan was honoured with the golden ball award at the end of the world cup, despite being red carded in extra time. A golden ball?, a head the ball more like it, a very mixed message that we promote for the younger members watching the game. I doubt he would have been given such excuses or awards had his name been Wayne Rooney !

  • 3.
  • At 12:45 PM on 10 Jul 2006,
  • Mills wrote:

I agree - the headbutt was the most entertaining part of the final (which Italy won by returning to their old stultifying ways).

But what did Materazzi say? Must have been pretty bad, possibly linked to comments by one of Le Pen's supporters (see about Zizou's dad.

The seeming use of video replay by the officials to decide to send him off is another potentially controversial point. Currently, if the ref and the linesmen didn't see it - it didn't happen within the context of the game. That they seemed to make the decision on the back of watching the replay fundamentally changes football.

Italy VS France [including the head butt] was excellent. Zidane will be remembered for his contributions to football including the head-butt and the red card. What a sad way to retire.

Mills - thanks for the article. It was a good insight to the player and his background showing whilst he was a great player, like many other great players he sometimes has difficulty channeling his aggression. It also shows how divided France is/was on the issues of race and ethnicity.

  • 6.
  • At 04:30 PM on 10 Jul 2006,
  • Paul Mason wrote:

What a sad way to retire? I can think of many people who would like nothing better on their retirement day, when all thoughts of final written warnings can be forgotten, to nut the most racist person at their workplace. I do not condone it but I bet he felt, in a way, liberated.

  • 7.
  • At 07:04 PM on 10 Jul 2006,
  • Jo-Anna wrote:

Zizou has reminded us that apart from being a hero he is also human.

His footballing career made him famous and his headbutt made him infamous.

(P.S you cannot mention Wayne Rooney and Zinedine Zidane in the same context)

I presumed that the provocative comment was about Zidane's mother. The French seem to have a thing about insulting each other's female relatives.
Violence on the filed of sport is obviously a bad thing, but Zidane has actually cemented his reputation as a folk hero. Even Jacques Chirac realises this.

Paul: After reading more on the reason for the head butting, I think that Zidane might have done the right thing. Roberto

  • 10.
  • At 11:32 AM on 11 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

To "kick racism out of football", will FIFA and the FA now suggest that all victims resort to violence? I seem to recall that Eric Cantona served a lengthy ban for his "zero tolerance" to racist abuse.

  • 11.
  • At 08:39 PM on 11 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Having though more on the incident I realised that if I was walking down the street and someone insulted my mother/family and did what Zidane did to Materazzi then I would be arrested and charged with assault.

Why can footballers get away with aggressive and violent acts?

  • 12.
  • At 08:42 PM on 11 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Having thought more on the issue in general - if I was walking down the street and someone insulted my mother/family and did what Zidane did to Materazzi then I would be arrested and charged with assault.

Why can footballers get away with aggressive and violent acts?

  • 13.
  • At 03:46 AM on 12 Jul 2006,
  • wrote:

Abuse with words... even if you couldn't see it with your eyes.. it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. In fact, the wound will last much longer than a mere headbutt.

The incident doesn't show us how people would act with absurd words.. ZZ is just human.. but the incident shows us.. Italian have taken football to it's lowest level.

I remembered Materazzi says before the match regarding 'take care' of ZZ. I never expect using vulgar words is in their plan too.

  • 14.
  • At 09:17 AM on 12 Jul 2006,
  • Lisa (Socceroos fan) wrote:

'This one's for the Socceroos'
(with image of Zidane head-butting Materazzi).

Have you seen the email going around? Maybe it's just for us in the Southern hemisphere. I think it's a classic! Very funny.

Thought the final was a complete disappointment. France played so well and deserved to win.

Maybe Zidane should have been more disciplined, by frankly, there's no place in sport for racism! I'm glad Zidane, having been such a prominent anti-racist in his country, still won his award.

  • 15.
  • At 09:00 PM on 12 Jul 2006,
  • peter edinburgh wrote:

ZZ may have lost out. But I think in the long term Italians will lose out more. Their win at all costs attitude does not go down well with other nations. The silence coming out of that nation about the disgusting things said to ZZ is deafening.

  • 16.
  • At 06:20 PM on 19 Jul 2006,
  • June wrote:

People should stop butting their heads (yes pun intended) to analyse Zizou's agression/lack of discipline/blah blah blah. It's very simple:

You mutter something: I find it very offensive but I walk away.You say it again, I keep walking, you keep talking (yes it's very insulting). Carry on... you know what? You're talking about my Blood. This? - its just a football game. Get real people!

(must admit as a mother I am biased!)

  • 17.
  • At 02:53 PM on 02 Jan 2007,
  • vr wrote:

For Russianspeakers part of the World (English part will be opened soon)
=

  • 18.
  • At 05:25 PM on 14 Apr 2008,
  • wrote:


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