Dietmar Hamann about Leon Andreasen’s handball against Cologne – SPIEGEL ONLINE

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    Dietmar “Didi” Hamann (born in 1973) took place in 1993 made his Bundesliga debut for Bayern. Five years later he moved to the Premier League, where he, Liverpool and Manchester City played for Newcastle United. Hamann completed 59 internationals and in 2002 Vice World Champion. He now lives near Manchester, is working as an expert for the channel Sky and commented on SPIEGEL ONLINE regularly developments in the Bundesliga and in international football.


 

It was the great Aufreger the ninth match day: 38 minutes crossed Hanover Hiroshi Kiyotake extended the lead of 1. FC Köln, Christian Schulz. FC goalkeeper Timo Horn still got fingertips to the ball, the bog behind him lurking Hanover Leon Andreasen his torso at the last moment in the trajectory and hit the arm for the decisive 1: 0th Referee Bastian Dankert confessed his error later, but the Cologne raged. FC Manager Jörg Schmadtke said: “I have read, we have the world’s best referee, but I’ll know better every week..” SPIEGEL ONLINE expert Dietmar Hamann analyzes the controversial scene.

Who do you make the larger allegation: referee Bastian Dankert, who has not seen the action? Or the player Andreasen?

Clearly the referee. It is nunmal his job to see something. I defend the Bundesliga referee always, they really do a good job – but that may not happen. Meanwhile, we have four referees and off the court, and no one has recognized. I believe that behind another problem lies: The refereeing trios come to me many times before so, as if four road warrior. It just so happens too rarely that turns on the one who had the best view. And, although the referees are indeed wired for years and can be replaced immediately. It seems to me, as the linesman would often think: “. I’ll take care only about what happens in my half”

But the starting point for the discussion was now even the handball by Andreasen. How do you assess because the action? For me, the player is not at fault. Of course he touches the ball with his hand, he moves even actively there. But for me, it’s a reflex, no planned action, such as the time when Maradona’s “Hand of God”. Cologne goalkeeper Timo Horn had previously even tried only with the fingertips on the ball, Andreasen has to respond somehow. I can understand him, I do not even something does happen quite like that. In a game for Bayern I shot on goal, the ball bounced off the keeper back in my direction. I have my hand neither Extra outstretched still pulled away, but I knew he flies it. So it happened, then he lay at my feet and I saw him kick into the goal. A handball it, intention was not. Such actions just happen.

In the case of Andreasen it looked already like something more intent. The Cologne have referee Bastian Dankert invited to consult Andreasen. He did not. Would you have found the right?

No, not at all. We can not expect that a pro after such an action at the score of 0: 0 arrives by itself and says, “referee, that was single source.” That’s unrealistic. And we should not get into a situation where the referee ask the player after every contentious action. So we would just open a new discussion. There would be this supposed relationship of trust, but that would apply only in one direction – when the referee asks the players. If a player but, for example, is running for a challenge to the referee and maintained his innocence, can not exactly trust the players and take back his decision.

Helps ie only the video evidence?

On the contrary. I think the video evidence helps in such cases continue at all, it would complicate everything. It is virtually impossible to set up a for all by looking rule for every eventuality. There are at fouls, hand games and even offsides so many gray areas, where top experts themselves would not agree. We must not lose the big picture out of sight under the impression this scene. Football is so popular because it is a simple game. And the most important thing for a good game, is the river. If you start now to evaluate each action on the monitor later, this river can not arise. The audience would go home later than after 60 minutes. For me, the video evidence is not an option.