Massadio Haïdara (now playing for Brest)

[cp40]

this might be featured on Crimewatch tonight.

[Peppe]

Saw this online:

 

Unsurprisingly this letter relates to a particular challenge during a Premier League game that went unpunished last weekend. I don’t even need to name the people involved and which challenge it was, because everyone knows which incident I’m referring to, and everyone knows the utterly insane decision (or should it be lack of decision) made by the FA in response to this ‘challenge.’ I call it a ‘challenge’, but maybe ‘assault’ would be a better term? I call you ‘the FA’, but maybe ‘inept fools’ would be a better term also?

 

I don’t know precisely which inept fools were responsible for this decision, but maybe whoever they are should pay a visit to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary and explain the decision in person to a certain 20-year old French youth international who has just had his knee shattered into God knows how many pieces. A few years ago, before the recent advances made in treating sports injuries, that ‘tackle’ would almost certainly have ended this young lad’s career. Luckily, he probably will return, but as is very often the case with young players who receive terrible injuries, the likelihood is that he will never truly fulfil the promise he has shown in his brief career in French football and the few games he has played and shone in for Newcastle. And the punishment  for the player who’s inflicted this? Nothing. The consequences for the assistant manager who ran on the pitch to remonstrate with the player I can’t even bring myself to name? A charge of misconduct. To charge him and not the player is absolutely beyond belief. I know the apparent reason why the ban wasn’t given, because the FA don’t want to be seen ‘re-refereeing games.’ If that’s the case, why do bans get rescinded? Is this not re-refereeing? Good contradiction there guys. 

 

I note that the FA are trying to improve standards in grass root football and have also in recent years introduced the Respect Campaign. It was also my belief that the FA and officials have a duty of care to protect players? And I look at these points and then look at what has happened in the last few days and I struggle to believe how the FA can justify anything they say or do. Would it therefore be ok for 10-year old lads on a Sunday morning to fly in knee high and put another young lad in hospital? I would hope that a Sunday league official (you know the type, fat Dads with glasses on, running the line because no-one else will / he’s the least hungover) would be able to see that incident, ‘full extent’ or not, and see that that was a red card offence. Never mind fully trained professional officials.

 

Which brings me on nicely to the FA statement made in regard to the incident. I’ll quote it for you in case you’ve forgotten:

‘In the case of McManaman, it has been confirmed that at least one of the match officials saw the coming together, though not the full extent of the challenge.’

So let me get this right – one of the officials saw the coming together (I’m guessing the linesman who you can see looking at the incident on Match of the Day footage) but not all of it? So, he didn’t actually see the challenge then? And the reason no action has been taken is: ‘where one of the officials has seen a coming together of players, no retrospective action should be taken.’ But hang on, we’ve already established from the first quote that the official didn’t see the full extent of the challenge. I thought the decision makers and press officers at the FA would be able to cobble together a statement over the course of 48 hours that didn’t contradict itself in the space of roughly 20 words. There’s me and my crazy thinking again though.

 

Going by this statement, maybe in the Tyne-Wear derby we could get Steven Taylor to dance around in front of the ref whilst Cheik Tiote slowly approaches Lee Cattermole with a sawn-off shotgun. Then at the last minute, Cheik goes on the blind side of the linesman and blasts Lee’s face off. The ref didn’t see it (nice one Steve) and the assistant saw Cheik approaching Lee with a shotgun and his face spread all over the East Stand, but didn’t actually see the bullet make contact with Lee’s lovely face. Play on lads, no retrospective action to be taken here. A ridiculous exaggeration but the principle remains exactly the same.

 

What else did I want to say? No-one has probably bothered to read this far given the fact that it doesn’t suit one of the FA’s agendas but I’ll carry on regardless. I was wondering though if the situation would have been different if a French youth international had made that challenge on someone the FA was bothered about? Someone like Wayne Rooney, Jack Wilshere or ‘Stevie’ Gerrard. I somehow doubt the FA would have had the balls (excuse my French) to let that go unpunished if it was on one of our own over-hyped, over-paid, under-performing superstars. Which begs the question, what does the FFF make of all this? I don’t know what the relationship between the FA and the FFF is like, but I imagine it is no longer a good one. After all, this is a football federation who actually take retrospective action on terrible tackles (such as the one made by Valentin Eysseric on Jeremy Clement a couple of weeks ago which resulted in an 11-game ban)and protect players under their jurisdiction, whether one obviously inept official half saw a challenge or didn’t half see it. Sounds like a plan, eh? I’ve been told that football these days is all about politics. I think I’d rather have the Monster Raving Loony Party in charge than you lot.

 

I honestly hope that some good comes of this, and that in the future tackles like this that can have no defence (despite what a senile chairman may say) are justly and correctly punished. I live in hope, but after what has happened I don’t think anyone believes in the FA any more. And I hope the next unlucky set of players to be officiated by the same officials can feel safe on the pitch, because I’m not sure I would.

Anyway, I know no-one read this and probably never will, but at least I got it off my chest. I’m off to sharpen my studs for my five a side match tomorrow night, I’m thinking of throwing a neck high challenge in. ‘Don’t do that!’ you say! Don’t you worry, I’m taking my iPad with me. I’ll pull up a video of a certain assault and a certain statement of some inept fools. No arguing with that is there?

 

I’ll leave you with this from Steve Froggatt: ‘From someone who lost his career through a bad tackle I find the decision from the FA shameful, embarrassing and above all gutless’. Well said Steve. Couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

 

 

Where's that from?

[Sifu]

Collective anger/disappointment about McManaman getting let off in the office today. The majority is on our side

 

Good to read that Haidara might yet play again this season. Let's hope so and the next time we see him in the shirt, we should be giving him a massive reception.

[Kanj]

x 5,000,000 to that

[cp40]

Everyone who watches Football, or is involved in Football, knows the FA got it wrong over this incident.

Everyone knows its one of, if not the worse tackles witnessed( ive seen in nearly 40 years),  And that the FA have backed out of making the rightful judgement for inexplicable reasons.

It appears they've cobbled together a set of events that fit a rule that allows them not to act.

Everyone in football suspects they have manipulated the reports to allow them not to act.

Everyone in Football, not just Newcastle suspects something other than fair play has been involved in this process.

By not acting as every right minded football person believes the FA should have acted, they have damaged themselves in a manner that can not be undone, they have shown themselves to the world to be incompetent.

[Dave]

Interview with Haidara in Le Parisien tomorrow.

[madras]

can someone change the thread title, looks like carver's to blame for it all.

[ponsaelius]

Douglas says its good news tomorrow btw.

[Kanj]

The bastard can't just tell us now? Its pretty big news

[S.S.R.]

Good news on the scan. He's got most of the freeview channels.

 

 

[Dave]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/callum-mcmanaman-horror-tackle-massadio-1775451

Horror-tackle victim Massadio Haidara could play again this season.

 

Newcastle's French full-back has had a lucky escape, avoiding by mere fractions an injury which could have kept him out for close to a year.

 

Haidara's knee-cap "popped out" in the toe-curling tackle by Wigan's Callum McManaman on Sunday, then sprung back into position, causing severe pain and bruising.

 

But the 20-year-old's age and previous good injury history means he is likely to be out for weeks rather than the nine-month lay-off a dislocated knee-cap would have caused.

 

Haidara was at the Geordies' training ground on Wednesday to see his team-mates, and to get a plan for his recovery.

 

He will have a fresh scan next week, when the swelling had gone down.

 

Haidara said: "I am getting better. I want to thank all fans for their messages of support. It really touches me."

[Superior Acuña]

Soz if Giggs, but really like this pic of Pards.

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/17/article-0-18BD8F27000005DC-397_634x480.jpg

 

Soon.

[Cajun]

Soz if Giggs, but really like this pic of Pards.

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/03/17/article-0-18BD8F27000005DC-397_634x480.jpg

 

Soon.

 

Love that, just a shame Carver was in the stands.

 

The cowardly cunt is clearly shitting himself too.

[Fenham Mag]

Finally a bit of luck.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Haha love that, totally has that dead to me look going on

 

Great news if he's only out for 3 weeks btw which when the incident happened i felt it would be closer to 3 years tbh

[Ketsbaia]

Haidara to return soon, Millwall to knock Wigan out the FA Cup, the FA to change it's disciplinary process and - finally - a Wigan relegation.

 

That would be a satisfying set of events

[Boosden]

 

The Football Ramble

Question of the week: If you had to defend Callum McManaman's challenge to someone, what would you say?

 

I didn't see it

[Cajun]

Haidara to return soon, Millwall to knock Wigan out the FA Cup, the FA to change it's disciplinary process and - finally - a Wigan relegation.

 

That would be a satisfying set of events

 

[Neil]

A very crude way of looking at it, but I reckon if he is alright after a month or 2 (as opposed to >6 months which I think most reactions would have been along the lines of), then some of the pressure on the FA might ease. The tackle is just as bad, but the consequences are seemingly not what they could have been.

[LRD]

Will be amazing if he avoids ligament injury and long-term complications.

 

Says it all when a week back we will support a Wigan win over QPR, now it will no longer be the case.

[LRD]

A very crude way of looking at it, but I reckon if he is alright after a month or 2 (as opposed to >6 months which I think most reactions would have been along the lines of), then some of the pressure on the FA might ease. The tackle is just as bad, but the consequences are seemingly not what they could have been.

 

Likely so, but I'll take a speedy recovery for Haidara over anything else.

[Mole_Toonfan]

To me it wouldn't be relevant how long Haidara is out for.... its the example it sets.

 

If the FA choose to not punish "tackles" like this what kind of example does it show to players playing now an future premier league footballers? what it says to me you can commit rash and reckless changes with no aspirations of winning the ball or for the safety of your opponent and get away with it.

 

Just like with diving if you put a marker down and say if you do this then we will ban you for a such amount of time.

 

The FA had the opportunity to prevent things like this happening in the future and as usual they chickened out like the cowards they are.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cajun]

A very crude way of looking at it, but I reckon if he is alright after a month or 2 (as opposed to >6 months which I think most reactions would have been along the lines of), then some of the pressure on the FA might ease. The tackle is just as bad, but the consequences are seemingly not what they could have been.

 

They aren't going to change their mind but have received an unexpected (by me anyway) battering.

 

Hope it continues as long as possible but getting Haidara back asap is the priority.

 

Can't wait for the fans reaction when he is back at SJP

[wormy]

A very crude way of looking at it, but I reckon if he is alright after a month or 2 (as opposed to >6 months which I think most reactions would have been along the lines of), then some of the pressure on the FA might ease. The tackle is just as bad, but the consequences are seemingly not what they could have been.

 

I definitely see where you're coming from. But I like to think (or is it hope?) that even the media and elsewhere aren't that fickle as to drop the matter just because the Haidara's been very lucky.

[Guest TheGreatBeardo]

this Matthew Wilkes SOB should never work a football match again!  i don't care if he was instructed to only call throw-ins, etc by the ref--- the "i was just following orders" line has a dark history.

 

Is that a nazi reference? 

 

too far?          seriously though--you see something like that your conscience should pang you into action & raise the damn flag!

 

Maybe a tad too far. I agree with the sentiment though. It's worse than just a poor piece on linesmaning if he was thinking something like: "Oh, it looks like that french guy just had his kneecap shattered, but the ref told me just to deal with offsides so I won't bother raising my flag, he'll just have to writhe around in agony for a bit." And going off the view he had of the incident, and the way he seemed to nervously look towards the ref shortly aftewards, as if waiting for a whistle, it's not an unreasonable interpretation of events.