Quote: CGD "Don't like this, mostly for the fact that there's gonna be a million whingers on here after the game even if he refs the perfect game. This won't change depending on who wins.'"
Given that England won't be playing, why would there be "a million whingers" on here? Our crash-out has made us all (fairly) interested neutrals, hasn't it?
No, the true reason is that it is an obvious and sick joke to have a ref of the same nationality as one of the competing teams. No discussion required. The Aussies know this too, but really couldn't give a flying fsck, it just sums up their attitude to the game and especially what is left of the international game.
Can you imagine the soccer World Cup Final with a ref from one of the competing countries? Obviously not, anyone would laugh at even the thought. Yet the Aussies appoint their own ref and basically everyone from experience expects them to do just what they like, and is resigned to it.
The bigger joke is that, by his antics in the England v Aus game, Archer showed that currently he isn't even fit to ref the game, nowhere near an international class referee. He got a good bagging (and fully deserved) from an English perspective but many will know that he was also roundly bagged by the Aussies who were whingeing endlessly at how poor his control of the PTB was, and how he supposedly let England slow the game right down, preventing the demigods from revealing their true magicality, or some such shoite.
So given he's crap. given they even all think he's crap,. and given he is obviously not neutral - how on earth does he get the gig?