I am totally bemused by the abuse that Nigel de Jong has been getting from players, coaches, the press and especially the football pundits for his tackle on Hatem Ben Arfa. Don’t get me wrong, I feel sickened by the unwarranted act by the Dutch midfielder on his French opponent.
What I am more aggrieved is the fact that it has happened before? Cue back to the Stoke v Arsenal game and the incident between Shawcross and Ramsey. It was the same situation. Both culprits need not have made such a tackle when the play was not in any dangerous position. Same tackle, same injury, different interpretation by the pundits.
At that time the pundits said it was an unfortunate incident and there was no absolutely no malice in Shawcross’s tackle. I remembered clearly Paul Parker, ex Man United defender commenting here in Asia, regarded it as unfortunate incident and it always happens in football.
On Monday, I caught him again on a football show but this time his tune is very much different. He says now he tackle is definitely UNWARRANTED and these displays of VIOLENCE have no place in football.
Unfortunately, he is not the only one who has suddenly changed their tune. Is it me but whenever a British player makes a bad tackle, it is accidental while if some foreigner does it, then it becomes violence.
The Dutch were crucified when they play hard during the World Cup but don’t we see that kind of tackling every week in the Premiership with teams like Blackburn, Wolves and the lot.Not much has been said about Karl Henry but his tackle was way out of line.
When our manager comes out to criticize the culprits for their unnecessary roughness, he is called a whiner while Chris Houghton is suddenly a hero for demanding the FA take action against de Jong for the tackle.
Somehow I believe that the FA might do something just because it is not an Arsenal player lying in the treatment room with a broken leg.
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