By Patrick Omorodion
Englishman and referee Howard Webb could be dubbed Mr. Controversy if records of his football refereeing are anything to go by. Like in 2006, he ended the 2010 assignment with some controversies.

Webb (c) before 2010 World Cup final in South African

Down in his home country England however, Webb, a South Yorkshire Police sergeant who is on a five year break from duty is seen as a hero whom lifted the name of the country in South Africa where their team, the Three Lions fumbled.

The son of a miner was quoted to have said that he was not afraid to be involved in controversies while doing his job as a referee because “If you don’t, because you are trying to avoid controversy, (then) you are not doing your job right. If the situation presents itself, you have to react.”

He however added that, “You hope that you don’t have controversies but sometimes you have to make the big decisions.”

By officiating the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands, 38 year old Webb achieved a lifetime’s dream and also made history as the first English referee of a World Cup for 36 years, after the 1974 final handled by his compatriot, Jack Taylor, ironically involving the Netherlands also.

While Taylor may have been hailed by the Dutch that year for awarding them the first World Cup final penalty in just a minute into the match, Webb is being vilified this year for depleting their team with the second booking to John Heitinga. Seven other Dutch players got booked while Spain had five yellow cards including the match winner, Andres Iniesta.

The Spaniards did not spare him either. When he was named by FIFA as the referee for the final, the Spanish players frowned at it because Webb handled their opening game against Switzerland and they lost 1-0. They blamed him for the defeat. A Spanish newspaper, Marca actually scored him four out 10 marks.
That song however changed after Sunday’s final as both Spanish people and newspapers hailed him for handling the match with maturity.
Before the 2010 World Cup final, Webb was also at the centre when Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich to the 2010 European Champions League crown at the Bernabeu in Madrid.

In 2008 he was reported to have suffered death threats ostensibly from some Polish fans after he awarded a last-minute penalty to Austria against their team for shirt-pulling. He was not deterred though.

Two years earlier at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Webb suffered his most humiliating embarrassment when he controversially booked a Croat, Josip Simunic three times.

The action humbled him and he almost threw in the towel but like a cat with nine lives he bounced back four years after to become the first referee in history to officiate the first World Cup in Africa, the referee at the centre when Europe won the World Cup for the first time outside of their continent.

The referee at the centre when Spain added their name on the trophy to become the eight winners of the trophy. He also became the first referee in history to handle the final of European Champions League and the World Cup in the same year.

When it was being speculated that he would handle the final, Webb said, “It would be a great honour to be given the Final but it would be for all the officials here. We want to progress to the latter stages of this tournament but not at the expense of other people’s mistakes.”

A proud Premier League referees chief, Mike Riley praised Webb and his assistants Cann, from Norfolk, and Mullarkey, from Exeter for making history. Riley, general manager of Professional Match Game Officials was reported to have said: “It’s not only recognition for their excellent tournament in South Africa so far but also the progress they have made internationally over the last four years.”

Riley while saying he hoped their appointment would attract new officials to refereeing added thus:”Their appointment is fantastic recognition for English refereeing and should act as an inspiration for all young referees wanting to enter into the game. It just shows what you can achieve if you work hard.”