Garry Birtles: Red cards and unjust sackings – what is our game coming to?
IF Nani deserved a red card for that challenge against Real Madrid, then Thierry Henry is probably delighted that he no longer plays Champions League football.
The Frenchman was hardly known for his poor disciplinary record but, given that he controlled the ball high in the air with an outstretched leg two or three times every game, he would have been sent off every time he played.
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Garry Birtles
And what about over-head kicks? If that challenge from the Manchester United player was deemed to have been a danger to the opposition, then surely every time a player goes for an over-head kick he should immediately be given his marching orders?
Nani's intention was not to hurt an opposition player, it was to control the ball. If you watch the replay carefully, you can see that he essentially does that, before any contact is made.
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At no point does he even look to see where Alvaro Arbeloa is, as the two challenge for a high ball.
It was barely a yellow card offence, never mind one worthy of a dismissal.
The worst part of it was that it ultimately provided the decisive plot twist in what was otherwise shaping up to be a classic game; a monumental clash between two outstanding sides.
Referee Cuneyt Cakir's over-reaction destroyed what was shaping up to be a genuinely intriguing spectacle.
Who knows if United or Real would have triumphed had it remained 11 versus 11? The Spanish side might still have won. But, whoever had progressed to the quarter-final stage, football would have been the winner.
THERE truly is no decency left in football. This has to go down in history as being the season where common sense finally deserted the game.
Roberto Di Matteo gets the sack after winning the Champions League with Chelsea, Nigel Adkins is forced out at Southampton after taking them to back-to-back promotions and into the top flight and Sean O'Driscoll is turfed out by Forest with the club a point off the play-off places.
And, while it may have sneaked under the radar around these parts, now York City have parted company with Gary Mills.
He took the club to Wembley in the FA Trophy and he guided them back into the Football League.
That should have been enough to earn him the opportunity to prove he has what it takes to keep them in League Two this season; to keep him in a job for at least this season.
Instead, like Chelsea and Southampton in particular, the club hierarchy have quickly forgotten what their manager has done for them, what he has helped them to achieve.
It is a sad indictment of the modern game that now even success is no guarantee of job security or loyalty.
11 Comments
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by Parvared
Friday, March 08 2013, 9:31AM
“HW-RED:
Couldn't agree more!
We have Manc Utd pushed down our throats everywhere and the last place I want it is here.
And figaro - who the hell is interested in Hibs? Or is this another subtle swipe at Forest and it's owners? You and your 'Anti Billy/Fawaz' gang are sickening!”
by HW_RED
Friday, March 08 2013, 6:36AM
“Boring
This is a Nottingham paper. Couldn't care less about Man Utd or anyone else for that matter. Go work for the Manchester Evening News please Garry (do a bad job and come then come back to Nottingham). Sound familiar?”
by ForestG-Man
Thursday, March 07 2013, 6:57PM
“Flipflopper: Can't agree with you more that's why I've given you #24 (how do you do it!!!).
We all hate Ferguson and his nasty, hateful and disgusting attitude to our once great game. If he could get his way he would want the Premiership to be made up of Man Utd 1st team, 2nd team, 3rd team, 4th team, 5th team...........20th team! The Man Utd fans think everybody hates their club, some do, but most just cannot stomach Ferguson. Probably 2nd worst person to be Knighted after JS.
And Garry, the game has moved on I'm afraid. I also played in the times of Souness et al and went into my local games knowing some tough guy will try to break yer legs. But now, even at local level it is different and, at European level completely different. A player now has a responsibility to be in control of what he is doing and Nani had no idea who was around him. He should expect there could be an opposition player somewhere in the vicinity of his own space and keep his foot down. I prefer the old physical game to be honest but I didn't like the way Nani purposely pushed his foot through the players body after he realised he was there. Most seem to have missed that one.
COYR Saturday, Premiership here we come, alas though, will we have to witness a disgusting show from Ferguson and his team when Forest are awarded a penno at Old Trafford?”
by No_You_ShutUp
Thursday, March 07 2013, 5:35PM
“The sending off had nothing to do wih the outcome of the game. United showed an inability to score. That was 3 goals scored by Madrid, 2 for them and a consoltion goal for United..”
by Mr_Flan
Thursday, March 07 2013, 4:36PM
“Mr Birtles obviously still after that job doing hospitality at Old Trafford. Nice work if you can get it, but face facts Garry, they're not interested! Btw can my dog do this column next week? He's available, cheap, and he apparently has a better grasp of the laws of the game than what GB has.”
by AncientRed
Thursday, March 07 2013, 4:00PM
“The red card fuss was a smokescreen to hide the fact Utd lost because they couldn't defend a cross in their six yard box and left a man free at the far post to tap in. Even Ipswich with 9 men were defending better than that. And yes, roles reversed Fergie would have been screaming at the ref.”
by figaro1
Thursday, March 07 2013, 2:06PM
“Gary Mills 51 I thought he was still 18 ?
Agree Gary as Neil Warnock said - no team has improved long term after sacking him - QPR the latest. The argument resolves around quick fix versus long term stability.
Up here the Hibs owner a Edinburgh man receives dogs abuse for not breaking the bank every time Hibs lose. He said he still wants Hibs FC to be here in 30 years time for the local community,
Agree too with offers Ferggie would have been screaming for a red card had it been the other way round. Also agree with Roy Kean although it could have been a yellow.
Anyway the special one certainly got is tactics spot on with inspired substitutions and feel sure Both managers would rather been the team with eleven players!
Anyway Gary Mills very poorly treated - we same to be saying this most weeks!”
by Jiminy_Bob
Thursday, March 07 2013, 1:12PM
“Completely agree with you Mr.Birtles, spot on.”
by bolulu
Thursday, March 07 2013, 1:03PM
“Nani was trying to control the ball. Did not see the RM player. He did see what was happening & he made the decision to run into the challange. No way in this man's game of football was this anything more than an unintentional foul.
What we do have here though is another football spectacle absolutely ruined for tens of millions of spectators, by another member of a spoilt profession (referees); who make their decisions with impunity and a complete lack of accountability.
Time at least that they too (like players & managers in the same football business) had to face the cameras & simply tell us the reasoning behind their decisions.”
by flipflopper
Thursday, March 07 2013, 11:21AM
“Of course he deserved a red card, because as you said Garry, he wasn't looking at the opponent when knowingly making a high and dangerous kick. Most unusually I wanted Scumchester to win, because I dislike the supercilious Ronaldo even more than I do Fergusson. A red card challenge deserves a red card, no matter which team the perpetrator the plays for. As has already been stated by RichardW11, Fergusson would have been screaming and slavering in the refs face for a red card, if that had been the other way around. It is nice to see it go against him for a change and it is good that here are some refs that he can't intimidate.”