In an article today by Espn Soccernet the Professional Footballers’ Association Chief Gordon Taylor tries to play middle sibling. I want to call attention to a few particular excerpts from the article.
“Of course no one can condone what happened with Adebayor, and I am not going to condone it, but there was a lynch mob mentality with Eduardo, and now one with the former Arsenal player.
“We all need to be careful that we are just attacking another player rather than making general, but important points about the game.”
Here are some general statements. Hard tackling is hard tackling. It’s a part of the game. But when a player sets out to hurt another player whether it be spur of the moment or meditated beforehand it deserves action. If it happens once maybe, you get a card or a pass. But if it happens on two occasions followed by a riot-inducing celebration emotions have nothing to do with it. How does a supposed dive have anything to do with malicious intent?
So I agree with the first point on Eduardo. But lynch mob away on Adebayor. Hey, they did it to Joey Barton.
“When I say there has to be understanding, there is mitigation, there is a history to this; there was the abuse he suffered, and everyone is human, and he felt the emotion of the day when he was out to prove something after what happened to him at Arsenal. And he was aware of what had been said at Arsenal, that the atmosphere had improved after he left. The emotion got on top of him.”
So is emotion an excuse for cutting a player’s face and almost breaking a player’s leg?
“But I fear it was an accident waiting to happen, the way the two lads [Adebayor and Kolo Toure] left Arsenal and were keen to prove a point. I wonder whether anything was said to them about cooling it.”
Mind you that Kolo did nothing. This has nothing to do with how they left Arsenal it has everything to do with the classless act of a single player.
“Players do have a responsibility, and they must learn to count to ten, because none of us want to return to the crowd trouble of the 80s. Neither should players have to put up with such vindictive crowds making it so personal.”
You blame the fans for this? You blame the people who pay money to see the games? You blame us? Come on. I’m sorry sir, but these players are paid millions to play a game and to play it respectfully. After two attacks on two separate players, his own words in the press and his absolute dysfunctional behavior at the end of the season last year you blame the fans. Look, I get it. Don’t take it personally, but when the league does nothing when the player is talking, when his team does nothing, when the ref does nothing, what do you expect?
Look at the tapes a few more times chief. It’s one of your footballers that you should be giving lessons to. If there’s anyone to blame outside of Man City or Adebayor itself, it’s you.
Here’s the article by Harry Harris at ESPN Soccernet: http://bit.ly/S68x0
