Final slurs anger Merk
Euro 2004 final referee Markus Merk angrily rejected claims that his 30-year acquaintance with Greece coach Otto Rehhagel could be considered by some as a conflict of interests ahead of Greece's final showdown with Portugal at the Estadio da Luz on Sunday.
Rehhagel has known Merk since he (Rehhagel) was still playing at Kaiserslautern and Merk, who lived with his parents just 300 metres from the Fritz-Walter Stadion, was still at school while Merk is also reported to be his family dentist. :LOL:
Merk was clearly angry at any attempts by the Portuguese press to whip up a "dentist-gate" affair ahead of Sunday's match while Rehhagel also showed his displeasure at the line of questioning at a separate press conference half an hour later.
When quizzed on his relationship with Rehhagel, Merk said ironically: "Thank you for the question. If we follow this (reasoning) then there are no referees in the future because every referee has lots of matches in a foreign country and there is nothing unusual in having a German referee and a German coach.
"I have had about 5000 dental patients registered in my career - some have even been Portuguese and Greek.
"I have five favourite restaurants as well and one is Portuguese and one is Greek."
Sunday's issue of Portuguese sports paper Record had a picture of Merk on its front page with a headline: "We are keeping an eye on you."
Merk continued: "Referees are the most neutral people on the pitch - it is in our character to be neutral and we believe in fair play - you have to believe that."
Speaking later Rehhagel was angry at claims that he was a friend of Merk - he had only said after the semi-final victory over the Czech Republic that he had known him for 30 years - and said: "What I want to say to journalists is that they should write down what I said and not something else.
"What I said (after the semi-final with the Czech Republic) I will now repeat.
"I said that I have known him since he was 15 and I was still a player at Kaiserslautern - Mr Merk is fanatically fair and has been extremely severe, very strict with me.
"He has already sent me from the dug-out on one occasion. Mr Merk is an acquaintance but not a friend - friendship is a different thing. I request when I am talking that you listen to me properly in future."
Merk admitted he and his German assistants and fourth official Anders Frisk had inspected the penalty spot at the Estadio da Luz which caused problems during the quarter-final between Portugal and England and declared it fit for use.
"Now it's up to the players (if there is a shootout)," said Merk.
The standard of officiating in Euro 2004 has been widely praised and Merk insisted he hoped he could end the tournament on a high not just for himself but also for his fellow officials.
Merk said: "We (the referees) have built a very good house so far in this tournament and tomorrow we hope to put a good roof on the house."
Euro 2004 final referee Markus Merk angrily rejected claims that his 30-year acquaintance with Greece coach Otto Rehhagel could be considered by some as a conflict of interests ahead of Greece's final showdown with Portugal at the Estadio da Luz on Sunday.
Rehhagel has known Merk since he (Rehhagel) was still playing at Kaiserslautern and Merk, who lived with his parents just 300 metres from the Fritz-Walter Stadion, was still at school while Merk is also reported to be his family dentist. :LOL:
Merk was clearly angry at any attempts by the Portuguese press to whip up a "dentist-gate" affair ahead of Sunday's match while Rehhagel also showed his displeasure at the line of questioning at a separate press conference half an hour later.
When quizzed on his relationship with Rehhagel, Merk said ironically: "Thank you for the question. If we follow this (reasoning) then there are no referees in the future because every referee has lots of matches in a foreign country and there is nothing unusual in having a German referee and a German coach.
"I have had about 5000 dental patients registered in my career - some have even been Portuguese and Greek.
"I have five favourite restaurants as well and one is Portuguese and one is Greek."
Sunday's issue of Portuguese sports paper Record had a picture of Merk on its front page with a headline: "We are keeping an eye on you."
Merk continued: "Referees are the most neutral people on the pitch - it is in our character to be neutral and we believe in fair play - you have to believe that."
Speaking later Rehhagel was angry at claims that he was a friend of Merk - he had only said after the semi-final victory over the Czech Republic that he had known him for 30 years - and said: "What I want to say to journalists is that they should write down what I said and not something else.
"What I said (after the semi-final with the Czech Republic) I will now repeat.
"I said that I have known him since he was 15 and I was still a player at Kaiserslautern - Mr Merk is fanatically fair and has been extremely severe, very strict with me.
"He has already sent me from the dug-out on one occasion. Mr Merk is an acquaintance but not a friend - friendship is a different thing. I request when I am talking that you listen to me properly in future."
Merk admitted he and his German assistants and fourth official Anders Frisk had inspected the penalty spot at the Estadio da Luz which caused problems during the quarter-final between Portugal and England and declared it fit for use.
"Now it's up to the players (if there is a shootout)," said Merk.
The standard of officiating in Euro 2004 has been widely praised and Merk insisted he hoped he could end the tournament on a high not just for himself but also for his fellow officials.
Merk said: "We (the referees) have built a very good house so far in this tournament and tomorrow we hope to put a good roof on the house."
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