The Nick Armitage Column
Columnist: Nick Armitage

The Shortest Straw
30 August 2005

I don’t like the phrase "conspiracy theory".  If you happen to question the official line or the motives of any official body then you are immediately labelled a nutcase.  I confess that I do question the bullshit that we are fed by idiots in the corridors of power but I believe I have good reason to.  People in power have lied to, conned and cheated us mere plebs for centuries so why would they be any different today?

If you believe that Blair and Bush invaded Iraq because of Weapons of Mass Destruction then don’t waste anymore of your time reading this.

Before we proceed let’s get one fact straight; Uefa did not want Everton in the Champions League at the ‘expense’ of Liverpool, they would have been perfectly happy for the FA to choose the redshite instead of us.  Unfortunately for Uefa the English FA stuck to their guns and the rules and in we went.  Uefa then capitulated in a pathetic manner to appease the moneymen and gave the redshite an undeserved entry.

Uefa then potentially had five English clubs going into the group stages.  They didn’t want this so what could they do to resolve it?  Would a rock hard draw do the trick?  Would a biased referee help to swing things in their favour?

I love to watch defensive play so I have spent many a Sunday afternoon watching Serie A on the box.  I have seen Collina referee many games and not once in all those games have I seen him blow up for such minor infringements as those he constantly penalised Everton for.  Collina clamped down on Duncan Ferguson from his first attempt to head a ball and after that the focal point of Everton’s attack was nullified.  Why did Collina penalise Everton for a type of ‘foul’ that I have seen him let go for so many years in Italy?  Why did he disallow a perfectly good goal?

It comes as no surprise that Pierluigi Collina has just announced his retirement with immediate effect after 28 years of service to FIGC (the Italian FA).  What a way to bow out of football.  It all seems a bit convenient to me; Collina appeared from out of nowhere, screwed us over big time, and disappeared into the sunset without a word.

There have been questions asked in Italy regarding his impartiality after signing a lucrative sponsorship deal with the club sponsors of AC Milan, who incidentally are owned by the alleged serial briber and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Collina certainly didn’t appear to be impartial last week.

Uefa drew the shortest straw for us.  We got a rock hard draw and we got a biased referee and then in the end Uefa got four English teams in the group stages.  Some people call that a coincidence.

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Nick Armitage

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