GOKSEL

• Spain and the Netherlands had the same amount of points before their last matches in the qualifiers for the 1984 European Championships. Both teams had to play Malta and after Netherlands won 5-0, Spain had to score at least 11 goals more than Malta. Something that could never happen, but did.
  Of course the Dutch blamed the Maltese and especially their goalkeeper John Bonello, but in a news paper article (Algemeen Dagblad, 2008) Bonello denied having been bought (well, who wouldn't). Bonello said the players were tired (after having lost to the Netherlands 5 days earlier) and some suffered from food poisoning (blame the Spaniards?). The Maltese were assigned a bad gravel field without lights to practice on and during the match Bonello got hit by a bottle. Turkish referee Goksel booked the goalie when he complained about it. Bonello blamed the referee for the dissaster, Goksel clearly whistled against them, he said.
• Erkan Goksel was interviewed years later about the match as well. Goksel said their was clearly no fixing, he said the Maltese played hard and badly. Goksel said he was treated as a hero after the match and that a shopkeeper wanted to give him the belt he wanted to buy for free. Goksel said he refused the gift.