Red card storm ref gets backing from home

MOSCOW, June 26 (Reuters) Russian referee Valentin Ivanov, heavily criticised for his World Cup performance, has received full backing from his most loyal fan, father and former top international striker Valentin Ivanov Sr.

Ivanov Jr. was given a resounding vote of no confidence by players, coaches and even FIFA President Sepp Blatter over his handling of Portugal's 1-0 second-round win over the Netherlands.

The referee handed out four red cards and showed eight other players yellows as both teams finished their second-round clash with nine men -- a record for any World Cup.

But the elder Ivanov, who played in two World Cups in 1958 in Sweden and 1962 in Chile, where he was the joint top scorer, said his son did a good job.

''It was a very difficult game to officiate and I think he handled himself quite well considering the circumstances,'' he told Reuters in a telephone interview today.

''It was a very intense match, both teams were considered title contenders, thus no one wanted to lose and go home.

'UNDER CONTROL' ''The referee tried to set the tone right from the start to keep tempers under control by showing yellow cards. If he didn't do it, the match would have ended in a mass brawl.

''I have heard that Blatter had criticised my son,'' said Ivanov Sr., who also played on the Soviet Union team that won the 1956 Olympic gold in Melbourne and the first European Championship in 1960 in Paris and finished runners-up in 1964.

''But it was FIFA itself who demanded from referees to get tough on players using foul tactics. Valentin just tried to follow FIFA's own instructions to stamp out rough play.'' Blatter said the referee could have given a yellow card to himself. ''I consider that the referee was not at the same level as the players. There could have been a yellow card for the referee,'' Blatter told Portugal's SIC television channel.

Dutch coach Marco van Basten also criticised Ivanov.

''I must say it was a pity that there was no football in the second half,'' said the former AC Milan striker.

''The referee made a mess of it and Portugal used all their experience, all their tricks and time-wasting. We just couldn't play. It was chaos and it should not happen this way at a World Cup.'' REUTERS PDS HS1650