Thursday, 21st March, 2013
Newcasle left-back Massadio Haidara believes that grave tackles, like the one he received from Callum McManaman last weekend, when the Magpies faced Wigan at the DW Stadium, should never be tolerated in today’s football.
McManaman went in knee-high for a ball being dribbled by Haidara and footage suggests that the tackle could have been grounds for a red card. Referee Mark Halsey did not take any action as he claimed post-match that he didn’t clearly see the challenge. The dubbed "horror" tackle prompted a staredown between the two sides at half-time.
"I am not saying we should change the physical nature of English football but we cannot tolerate tackles like this", Haidara told French daily Le Parisien.
The Frenchman is apalled that McManaman will play again before he does as the Wigan player escaped retrospective action from the English FA, after they found out that one of the linesman had seen the challenge. FA rules state that they can only take action if no official has seen the event in question.
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"I don’t understand it", Haidara protested. "He could have ended my career but now he will be able to play again before me.
"We have to protect the players", he added.
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has already gone on record to defend McManaman and believes the player did not make the challenge with malice.
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