FIFA are considering plans to increase the number of professional referees around the world in a bid to raise the standard of officials.
It is perhaps no coincidence the four officials at the World Cup final - Howard Webb, his assistants Darren Cann and Mike Mullarkey, plus fourth official Yuichi Nishimura from Japan - were the only full-time professionals among the 90 referees from 28 countries who came to South Africa for the tournament.
Each referee will be paid 50,000 US dollars (£33,000) for the World Cup and the idea of professional officials is gaining currency in FIFA.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been hugely embarrassed by two glaring mistakes - the Frank Lampard goal-line howler, and a blatantly offside goal by Carlos Tevez - and knows something has to be done.
FIFA are keeping their plans under wraps until November but it is understood to include boosting the numbers of professional referees and improving their quality using the training, fitness schemes and psychological techniques that have been standard practice in the Premier League for years.
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The celebrations in the Spain dressing room after their semi-final victory included a visit by Queen Sofia - and a video clip of the events appeared shortly afterwards on Spanish television.
The clip shows the Queen shaking hands with the squad while everyone claps in unison - while Sergio Ramos scampers around clearing away the dirty socks by the Royal guest's feet in case she slips on them. It ends with Queen Sofia herself clapping goalscorer Carles Puyol who is clad in only a towel.
But how did the video clip get into the hands of the TV channel? Simple, Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina filmed it on his mobile phone and then sent it to the TV people himself.
Perhaps the claim the Spain squad, officials and media are one big happy family is not just a myth.
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How the extravagantly-talented Holland side managed to lose the 1974 final despite going a goal up early on against hosts West Germany remains one of football's enduring mysteries.
There is some fresh insight however from one man who was on the pitch at the time: English referee Jack Taylor, who famously awarded a penalty in the first minute for a foul on Johan Cruyff.
Taylor, in Johannesburg for the final, said this weekend: "Holland then set about trying to humiliate Germany in that game and tactically the Germans were able to withstand and then take the game from them. In that sense as a referee you're very lucky, you've got the box seat in the house for viewing what unfolds."
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Ghana's coach Milovan Rajevac refused to condemn Luis Suarez for his handball immediately after the match that saw the Africans denied an historic semi-final appearance.
That stance has changed somewhat with the Serbian ranting in a Bulgarian newspaper: "He's not a hero, he's a trivial cheat. What hand of God? It was the hand of the devil."
*****
Who was the biggest flop of the World Cup, according to today's South Africa Sunday Times?
There was plenty of competition: Italy, Cameroon, France, England, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres.
But the winner, says the paper: none other than Wayne Rooney.
Each referee will be paid 50,000 US dollars (£33,000) for the World Cup and the idea of professional officials is gaining currency in FIFA.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been hugely embarrassed by two glaring mistakes - the Frank Lampard goal-line howler, and a blatantly offside goal by Carlos Tevez - and knows something has to be done.
FIFA are keeping their plans under wraps until November but it is understood to include boosting the numbers of professional referees and improving their quality using the training, fitness schemes and psychological techniques that have been standard practice in the Premier League for years.
*****
The celebrations in the Spain dressing room after their semi-final victory included a visit by Queen Sofia - and a video clip of the events appeared shortly afterwards on Spanish television.
The clip shows the Queen shaking hands with the squad while everyone claps in unison - while Sergio Ramos scampers around clearing away the dirty socks by the Royal guest's feet in case she slips on them. It ends with Queen Sofia herself clapping goalscorer Carles Puyol who is clad in only a towel.
But how did the video clip get into the hands of the TV channel? Simple, Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina filmed it on his mobile phone and then sent it to the TV people himself.
Perhaps the claim the Spain squad, officials and media are one big happy family is not just a myth.
*****
How the extravagantly-talented Holland side managed to lose the 1974 final despite going a goal up early on against hosts West Germany remains one of football's enduring mysteries.
There is some fresh insight however from one man who was on the pitch at the time: English referee Jack Taylor, who famously awarded a penalty in the first minute for a foul on Johan Cruyff.
Taylor, in Johannesburg for the final, said this weekend: "Holland then set about trying to humiliate Germany in that game and tactically the Germans were able to withstand and then take the game from them. In that sense as a referee you're very lucky, you've got the box seat in the house for viewing what unfolds."
*****
Ghana's coach Milovan Rajevac refused to condemn Luis Suarez for his handball immediately after the match that saw the Africans denied an historic semi-final appearance.
That stance has changed somewhat with the Serbian ranting in a Bulgarian newspaper: "He's not a hero, he's a trivial cheat. What hand of God? It was the hand of the devil."
*****
Who was the biggest flop of the World Cup, according to today's South Africa Sunday Times?
There was plenty of competition: Italy, Cameroon, France, England, Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres.
But the winner, says the paper: none other than Wayne Rooney.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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