Massadio Haïdara (now playing for Brest)

[GeordieDazzler]

Another spot on article from Eurosport's Early Doors

 

With a Football Association as weak as this, is it any wonder super-rich England players treat national team calls with casual interest?

 

Rio Ferdinand’s withdrawal from the England squad upset many supporters, but there were valid medical reasons behind his absence, not to mention a concern about Roy Hodgson’s man-management; if there was ever a time to consult with a player or his club, now was that time.

 

Hodgson may have his own reasons for this modus operandi – perhaps he was looking to force Rio’s hand, to put the matter to bed – but the concern should really be about players who, with no fitness worries of note, have made themselves ‘unavailable for selection’ due to matters of simple ego.

 

Micah Richards and Paul Robinson are key recent offenders, with Michael Carrick and Jamie Carragher having done so and repented at various times.

 

But as the FA shows an almost pathological lack of backbone on a repeated basis, who can blame self-interested multi-millionaires for viewing this ramshackle organisation with nonchalant disdain?

 

One of this week’s water-cooler topics shines a light on the lack of power and control the FA has over its charges.

 

Hamstrung by its own rules, English football’s governing body says it cannot punish Wigan’s Callum McManaman for inflicting a possibly career-ending challenge on poor Massadio Haidara, a youngster who has not had the time in the professional game to rack up enough cash should his second Newcastle appearance be his last.

 

The FA’s statutes on discipline state that a player cannot be punished retrospectively if an official – any official, not just the referee – has missed an incident.

 

So while Mark Halsey’s view of the offending challenge was obscured by Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, his assistant did see the horrific challenge yet – inexplicably – deemed it unworthy of further action.

 

The FA is so desperate to protect its employees that it will not countenance a challenge to match officials’ decision-making, even if it is clearly flawed or clouded by incompetence.

 

The thing is, the FA’s argument may technically be correct by its own terms, but it is also flawed.

 

This insistence that an offence cannot be punished if seen by an official has its root in FIFA disciplinary statute 77(a), which states ‘The Disciplinary Committee is responsible for sanctioning serious infringements which have escaped the match officials’ attention’.

 

This is all very well and good, but immediately after 77(a) comes – shock, horror – 77(b) which allows for ‘rectifying obvious errors in the referee’s disciplinary decisions’.

 

The FA would be well within its rights to overturn assistant referee Matthew Wilkes’s in-play decision to keep his flag by his side when McManaman launched into his horrendous knee-high challenge on Haidara.

 

But the FA – for all its bleating – is not remotely interested in upholding FIFA statutes, but merely “protecting the primacy” of its officials.

 

That line is given as a quote, because it is a quote – from FA chairman David Bernstein.

 

In 2011 Bernstein used that term while explaining the FA’s decision not to punish Wayne Rooney for elbowing Wigan’s James McCarthy during a Premier League match almost exactly two years ago.

 

In his explanation, Bernstein conceded that an official’s view of an incident could indeed be overturned in “exceptional circumstances” – as allowed by FIFA’s aforementioned law 77(b). But the FA had decided that Rooney’s action did not constitute “exceptional circumstances”, which had been cited when Ben Thatcher was retrospectively punished for his potentially lethal challenge on Pedro Mendes in 2006.

 

Clearly the FA also does not consider McManaman’s horror tackle “exceptional” enough to level a charge that would threaten the “primacy” of a linesman.

 

Furthermore, the wording of law 77(b) allows for “obvious error”; Wilkes’s failure to call McManaman’s lunge a foul is as clear and obvious an error as one can see.

 

It is rare that Sepp Blatter is praised on these pages, but in the aftermath of the Rooney incident he specifically advised the FA that, if desired, it could retrospectively charge a player if the referee or his assistant saw but misinterpreted a foul or instance of violent conduct.

 

That there is precedent with the Thatcher incident, and that the FA is rightly willing to exceed precedent for instances of discriminatory behaviour, further weakens the argument that the FA cannot punish McManaman – the reality is that the FA will not punish him.

 

Indeed, how would the FA react if a referee failed to dismiss a player for racially or homphobically abusing an opponent, despite having heard the insult? Would it continue to back its man? You have to say not, and with good reason.

 

With the exception of Wigan, who have acted disgracefully in collectively backing McManaman, absurdly claiming it was a fair challenge, the FA is on its own here.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

The pic on SSN now shows the ball at the players feet whilst the thug's foot is planted on Haidara's knee. There is no way that this can be construed as 'getting the ball clean as a whistle" as the ball has gone nowhere.

 

McManaman does clip the ball, but it's the force through the ball and into the player that's the issue. It's definition of excessive force. His leading leg is above and over the ball (he clips the top of it), and is at knee height. His body is leaning back at an angle, so he's lunging in. His trailing leg comes through too, so it's a full force challenge with no way of stopping (save smashing into a player). He even bounces off of Haidara such is the impact and force, so Haidara absorbs it all since both of his legs are planted into the ground. It's horrible.

 

Getting the ball is a total irrelevance. I could get the ball an absolutely maim someone if I wanted to

 

That was the point - even though he clips the ball it's excessive force.

[Dr Venkman]

As soon as he wasn't sent off any restrospective action taken again the scumbag mean't actually nothing to NUFC.

 

Who seriously gives a f*** if he got a three match ban - how does that help NUFC? It doesn't.

 

We need to focus anger on the match officials. They f***ed up. They should be punished but yet again it now means nothing to NUFC. Even if Halsey is relegated to doing s*** 2nd division match's for a month or two - SO f***.

 

The moment passed when he wasn't sent off.

 

Are you being deliberately contrary? I think the general idea is that he needs to be punished for potentially wrecking someones career. Whether it gets us three points back is irrelevant. You're post is ridiculous, in fact all your posts in this thread have.

 

So you want revenge on the scouse scum?

 

Thats fine, but, like I suggest, it is of no benefit whatsoever to NUFC if any retrospective punishment was enforced.

 

The FA have made cunts of themselves. If anything positive comes out of this is that maybe a shitstorm that will send the wind of change through the FA.

 

Considering bans would likely lead to a fairer league and less likelihood of such events recurring, would it benefit NUFC to play in a league that's safer for the players?

 

Pointless this isn't it.

[BottledDog]

Another spot on article from Eurosport's Early Doors...

 

Again, a cracking article that just goes to highlight what an absolute farce this is.

[Guest reefatoon]

I must say, I am getting lots of enjoyment at how bad Wigan are coming out of all this.  Serves the shit little club right.

[Skeletor]

You'd like to think that Wigan will get major decisions going against them from now on. Hopefully stop their usual end of season escape.

[Ash]

http://sportwitness.ning.com/forum/topics/john-barnes-infuriates-newcastle-united-fans-with-ridiculous-comm

 

This from the same man that defended Suarez despite all of the racist abuse that he received as a player.

 

He's a bellend like, always comes out with utter shite as the article alludes to.

[Ishmael]

"Tackles like that happen every single day, in every single league, at least 60/70 times. At least."

 

Facts.

 

In England alone, with 4 professional divisions there must be 240-280 of such incidents...  EVERY SINGLE DAY.

[Ishmael]

John Barnes managed football clubs

[Pokerprince2004]

Failed at management, failed as a TV presenter, now appears on talksport

[Guest reefatoon]

And that is why he was a complete failure in management, because he is a fucking idiot.

[Ishmael]

I do miss watching and laughing at John Barnes dying a slow, painful death every Thursday night on Channel 5.

[ATB]

I get emotionally every time I go to this thread

[NUFC_Chris]

I heard this on talksport last night & turned it off cos he was talking absolute bullshit. 

[Dokko]

Everything Barnes has said and done since leaving Liverpool has been a total disaster. Don't know why anyone gives him the time of day, especially after backing Suarez with what he went through as an England player.

 

 

[Guest reefatoon]

The bellend is clueless.  He probably didn't have a clue what to say, so started doing his 1990 world cup rap. The "they always hit you and hurt you, defending on time" line, didn't go down to well though.

[wormy]

Everything Barnes has said and done since leaving Liverpool has been a total disaster. Don't know why anyone gives him the time of day, especially after backing Suarez with what he went through as an England player.

 

 

 

I can't work out if he's a massive douche or the best WUM ever. Either way I'm surprised Talksport don't give him more time.

[Wilson]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v672/jordanmacdonald07/Fatboy_reacts.gif

[Eddy Chibas]

On the topic of McManaman's prior form, and whether or not he's a loose cannon (for this sort of s***).

 

The kid he hacked down in the reserves fixture against City. It was reported the foul more or less took place in in the 90th min (after Wigan had fallen behind behind) as the match was winding down. So i'll put this out there if he did in fact take out the youngster in injury time. By the same logic of managers (protecting a lead, trying to control tempo, possession & time on tje clock) introducing a token 90th minute substitution , when chasing a game that late you simply don't go lunging-in & forcing added stoppages. What's the possibility that McManaman (contrary to what you should do in that situation) simply lost his head, and simply thought f***-it i'm take this c*** out. I'm thinking along the line that he's a loose-cannon, with possibly a nasty streak when he does take to the field, and this overrides the ability to demonstrate composure in particular match scenarios, because he certainly didn't show any composure at all, in the most counterproductive way (which should have cost his team a man), on his full debut.

 

I think Martinez has got a live-one, or loose cannon, on his hands.

 

 

[Dokko]

Everything Barnes has said and done since leaving Liverpool has been a total disaster. Don't know why anyone gives him the time of day, especially after backing Suarez with what he went through as an England player.

 

 

 

I can't work out if he's a massive douche or the best WUM ever. Either way I'm surprised Talksport don't give him more time.

 

Barnes is as thick as whale spunk so I doubt he's doing it on purpose. 

[wormy]

On the topic of McManaman's prior form, and whether or not he's a loose cannon (for this sort of s***).

 

The kid he hacked down in the reserves fixture against City. It was reported the foul more or less took place in in the 90th min (after Wigan had fallen behind behind) as the match was winding down. So i'll put this out there if he did in fact take out the youngster in injury time. By the same logic of managers (protecting a lead, trying to control tempo, possession & time on tje clock) introducing a token 90th minute substitution , when chasing a game that late you simply don't go lunging-in & forcing added stoppages. What's the possibility that McManaman (contrary to what you should do in that situation) simply lost his head, and simply thought f***-it i'm take this c*** out. I'm thinking along the line that he's a loose-cannon, with possibly a nasty streak when he does take to the field, and this overrides the ability to demonstrate composure in particular match scenarios, because he certainly didn't show any composure at all, in the most counterproductive way (which should have cost his team a man), on his full debut.

 

I think Martinez has got a live-one, or loose cannon, on his hands.

 

 

 

It is something to factor in. Particularly when you think about how the 'challenge' that took Haidara out was in such a nothing part of the pitch and how needless that was.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

I get emotionally every time I go to this thread

 

Emotionally what?

[cp40]

I get emotionally every time I go to this thread

 

Emotionally what?

 

empty Id guess

[Guest reefatoon]

ATB is an emotional wreck! 

 

Get a grip of yourself you big girls blouse

[ohmelads]

Pardew should have taken more of a stance over this and stood up for his club and his player. We've taken this lying down.

 

When you look back at the reds given to Tiote vs the mackems and Colo vs Liverpool, it's incredible Mcmanaman won't miss a single game. Colo was apparently sent off for intent and now there are people trying to justify Mcmanaman's 'tackle'. Makes you wonder if our league is any less corrupt than places like the Serie A.

 

Didn't care before but would like to see Wigan go down. Their conduct over this has been pathetic.