PFA chief Gordon Taylor has today spoken out about Danny Guthrie’s terrible tackle on Hull City’s Craig Fagan, which has resulted in the Hill City 25 year-old forward sustaining a fracture of his right leg.
Gordon Taylor - PFA Chief can do little to protect Guthrie
Taylor has today warned 21 year-old Guthrie that he can expect little protection from his union, even though the foul appears to be totally out of character for Danny, who has already apologized for the incident, which was right at the end of a frustrating game for the Newcastle players and fans alike.
Guthrie is already facing an automatic three-match ban for the red card, which followed his frantic lunge on Fagan, and the FA have already confirmed they have the power to increase the statutory ban for violent play, after examining video evidence and the referee’s report.
Gordon Taylor issued quite a long assessment of the situation today:
“We have signed up to a disciplinary procedure which can do this but there is only one body who can enforce it and that is the FA.”“These days, respect for referees, opponents and the game itself is a major issue and although it’s fine to try to educate people along those lines there has got to be a deterrent as well.”
“What he (Guthrie) did was clearly not acceptable. I’m not sure what the FA are planning but I think it’s entirely possible they will come up with a charge of bringing the game into disrepute.” “We’ve all seen what happened and you can’t condone it. I accept that it is a high-profile, highly-emotional game and that there are clearly some things going on at Newcastle which probably have an effect on a lot of people.”
“But the image of the game has got to be considered. We know what it means to so many people and how it can be so influential on youngsters watching it on television.” “I’m sure this is completely out of character for Danny Guthrie. He’s done a positive thing now and apologized for his actions and maybe that will help him.”
“But clubs should also play a part in disciplining their players in these matters and the FA could take note of that as well as a proper feeling of remorse.” “But, especially in the current climate with the new Respect program which everybody has said they will back, steps have still got to be taken when things go wrong.”
“After the player (Fagan) and his family, the manager is the next one to suffer because he loses an important player for a period of time. So he’s bound to be upset.” “You can only give out so many clear messages about what is expected from people in the game but there is only one body who can really deal with it when things go wrong and that is the FA.”
It’s a big mistake by the young lad, and he has to learn that he cannot lose control of himself, even in the most difficult of circumstances. But Danny has done right in immediately apologizing to Fagan and his family for the incident, but we still think there’s a good possibility he will indeed get more than a 3 match ban.
What Danny has to do now, is take his punishment, and move on, and remember that he must learn from these incidents, to become both a better player and a better person.
Comments welcome.
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31 responses so far ↓
1 Tom_Toon // Sep 16, 2008 at 16:32
If that was Stevie Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or some other petulant c*** then the FA wouldn’t be far from coming he challenge.
The FA are scum.
2 Tom // Sep 16, 2008 at 16:41
What protection? His behaviour was out of order and unacceptable, he deserves to be fined and banned.
3 Graham // Sep 16, 2008 at 16:43
The FA shouldn’t protect Guthrie, or any other player for that matter.
Unfortunately, if Guthrie geats an extended ban then it will be deserved. If his challenge was done on the streets he would be up for GBH let alone a 5 match ban
4 Toon Chicken // Sep 16, 2008 at 16:47
The tackle was really bad.
I don’t care how young he is or how frustrated he was with the distractions in the stands - no excuse for carrying on like that.
I just hope the FA don’t feel they have to increase the punishment just because it was later discovered that the Hull lads leg was fractured.
5 Xsico golden boot // Sep 16, 2008 at 16:47
good point some players get away with more he does deserve a ban probebly 5 match
6 Geordie Jayne // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:08
Gordon Taylor, why don’t you give the FA some hints on what they can do.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr he is so annoying.
7 steve // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:08
Tom_toon - you’re an idiot
8 Geordie Jayne // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:10
Let’s hope what the FA decide to do, they will do it to all other footballers to, no matter what there club is.
9 Geordie Jayne // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:10
If it is just for one then let it me just for others not just TOON players
10 graemer // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:30
Tom Toon - bad tackle - but your right about Gerrard et al.
The PFA needs to concentrate on welfare of lower div players not the EPL.
11 Tom_Toon // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:40
Ye I aint condoning it and recon with the 3 game ban he should probably get an extra 2, but the bias of the FA is incredible.
12 neeraj // Sep 16, 2008 at 17:59
would love to see barton and guthrie play together
newcastle united = league of bad boys
get in few defender of their mentality, then we are good for the season
13 Toon_Ksk // Sep 16, 2008 at 18:16
I hope he gets just a 3-match ban. It is a bad tackle but it is not like he went in wanting to break Fagan’s leg.
Fagan’s isn’t dead yet so talk about Fagan’s family suffering apart from his manager is just exaggeration. Give Guthrie a break and I don’t mean his legs.
14 Obafan // Sep 16, 2008 at 18:22
Let us be honnest and think how we would react if someone did that tackle on a NUFC player. We would all be very angry and we would all be hoping for a suspencion of a couple of games for the guilty one.
Well the matter now is that the guilty one is one of our team, but that does not change a thing. It was a horrible challenge and it is not supposed to be on a football pitch. Whatever suspencion Guthrie gets it will be well deserved and I hope that in the future he will be able to hold his frustrations for himself.
I do agree tho’ with some of you that whoever the players is (e.g. Gerrard or McShane), the FA should punish them equally. That is really important to me.
15 beyethegreat // Sep 16, 2008 at 18:27
what has his family got to do with it ok its painful but it isnt serious its not as if hes gonna die though deffinately it was a bad challenge hopefully guthrie can learn
16 beyethegreat // Sep 16, 2008 at 18:28
p.s does any 1 know anything about the zabeel group
17 Marty // Sep 16, 2008 at 18:57
Tom Toon,that is pure crap man.
He deserves all he gets,it was so stupid and pointless.it`s not like he was gonna win the ball.
He just busted through his leg.
Gerrard or Lampard or any England player would be dished out the same to make an example of them,this yr the FA said they would be tough.Thats the point they will put across
18 Marty // Sep 16, 2008 at 19:00
Toon_Ksk
If another team did the same thing to MO then you would be asking for 6 weeks at least…….
A bit one sided you are being there
19 Incognito // Sep 16, 2008 at 19:25
Gordon Taylor seems to pick and choose when he’s going to do his job properly. Funny how he often chooses to call for harsher punishment when it’s a NUFC player (Bowyer).
Everyone saw a full-on assault against Joe Cole the other night (he nearly lost his head - literally!) and no body made a peep.
Guthrie’s challenge was reckless, but so is Gordon for his tactless comments.
20 Tom_Toon // Sep 16, 2008 at 19:29
Marty - Its not pure crap, its pure bias and fact.
21 bowburnmag // Sep 16, 2008 at 19:30
Am I the only one thinking some people are overreacting a bit? I’m as liberal as they come and would not condone violence on a pitch. It was an aggressive and stupid tackle borne out of pure frustration but I refuse to believe there was any real malice intended (not from my impressions of the lad and certainly not from the specific words Guthrie has expressed). I think in the snap second he was looking to put ball and player up in the air and took a hefty swipe. No intention to break a kid’s leg. Dangerous play - give him his ban, let the kid make a personal apology and hope it doesn’t affect his game when he’s back, while at the same time wish the other kid well and hope it doesn’t ruin his season or his career.
22 Incognito // Sep 16, 2008 at 19:44
bowburnmag, I think people are seriously overreacting and good ol’ Gordon has predictably jumped on the wagon.
Something people also fail to realise is how much Fagan wound our players up. He never failed to get a sly kick or elbow in - Butt was enraged with him at one point. That doesn’t make it ok to break the lads leg, but he brought it on himself.
23 bowburnmag // Sep 16, 2008 at 20:01
Incognito - agreed about the inviting the tackles bit. He was very cocky and provocative. Not that the conclusion was fitting as you say, far from it. I just know from playing for so many years, the type of players and the type of tackle that is intended to do real harm, whether pre-meditated or spur of the moment. Guthrie and the tackle he made are not in that bracket. Bad timing, bad-tempered and bad judgement. He’ll pay for it with his ban and his conscience. But I think it’s a bit over-the-top calling the kid a thug immediately after his first misdemeanour.
24 Wallsend Will // Sep 16, 2008 at 21:13
Can’t help feeling that we are mixing up the consequences of a bad tackle, with the act of making the tackle. Quite rightly the tackle was bad, deserved the red card and a three match ban, correct punishment under the rules. However the consequence of a broken leg is a risk issue, and more in the realms of a damages claim, and not further punishment for the act by the FA. If Fagan feels that Guthrie set out to cause him harm, then take out a civil action. If not forget about it, be positive and come back a better player.
25 Lew Davies // Sep 16, 2008 at 21:53
If he hadn’t broken(small fracture actually) his leg, everyone would have said it was a dangerous tackle and he deserved a red card and 3 match ban. Agreed?
He’s not the first player to do a dangerous tackle and wont be the last.
I dont believe he went in to deliberatly break the faggots leg, and is quite obviously upset by the outcome.
I think a 3 match ban is enough of a punishment.
What happened to the lad that broke da silvas leg at highbury? I’m pretty sure the FA never added a further punishment then, so why would they now? And that was far worse a tackle.
Oh yes, this is Newcastle United.
Dont think so.
26 Lew Davies // Sep 16, 2008 at 22:01
Martin Taylor of B’ham that was it.
Fifa wanted him banned for longer. But the FA upheld only 3 match ban.
Ha! the president has been set.
It will end up in high court if they change things for Guthrie.
We’ll see I guess, But I feel pretty confident.
27 Incognito // Sep 16, 2008 at 22:46
I think I’m more unhappy that Fagan managed to wind up one of our players to the point of no control. Guthrie’s still a young lad and only now understands the impact of his rash actions, but Fagan knew throughout the whole match that he was deliberately sticking sly kicks and taunts at our players.
This is the area that idiots like Taylor fail to understand - or care to understand given the team Guthrie plays for.
28 Stamford Toon // Sep 17, 2008 at 0:03
Much has been said about mistakes that have been made landing the club in its present troubles. Who takes the blame for signing Guthrie? With a 2 tackles like that is he really good enough and fit enough to be at NUFC?
29 Sav // Sep 17, 2008 at 1:29
howay, lets at least take this with dignity and not be looking for excuses. I hope Guthrie doesn’t look for extenuating circumstances or blame Fagan. If he was frustrated before, just think how he will be when he’s out for half a dozen games.
Take your punishment, Danny and move on.
30 brutooooon // Sep 17, 2008 at 4:47
barton and guthrie at the centre midfield….most attacking midfielder will shit on their pants…
sometimes, we need the kind of player to make our opponents afraid of them
31 Jim in Wales // Sep 17, 2008 at 9:34
Guthrie would have done far better to have taken his frustrations out by aiming a kick or two elsewhere…here perhaps
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/photos.html?title=Dennis+WISE
BTW Martin Taylor (BCFC) is an Ashington lad