Don Goodman And The Blind Spot

Today I want to discuss Don Goodman. The reason can be seen on this video. Skip to just after 2 minutes in. The ball breaks loose between Matthew Lowton of Sheffield United and Cardiff's Kevin McNaughton and a wild challenge comes in from Lowton. McNaughton stays down, Lowton gets a straight red.

The Cardiff players go to check on their team mate and the Sheffield United players go mental at the referee. Nothing unusual there, footballers complain about every refereeing decision. But it's what happens next that I want to talk about. They show the "tackle" again from various angles and co-commentator Don Goodman informs us that "it's the follow through isn't it" which is what has caused the red card. We are then shown an even better replay from the other side and Goodman tells us that he kicks the ball when Lowton gets nowhere near it, and again repeats that it's the follow through with his left foot that is the foul.

Now I appreciate that commentators are paid to make an on the spot judgement and even after seeing a couple of replays have to give their verdict. But i'm amazed that Goodman can miss the fact that Lowton makes contact with his right foot just below the Cardiff player's left knee. He gets nowhere near the ball and flies into the tackle completely recklessly and McNaughton was very lucky it wasn't much worse.

Goodman then says that many people, including himself, will feel that it is harsh. What a load of rubbish. The only thing that was harsh was the tackle and thankfully the injury was not much worse. A clearer red you will not see all season.

Now I have nothing against Lowton, Sheffield United or Don Goodman (or no great affection for Cardiff City for that matter) but this incident, and the reaction by Goodman, sums up a real blind spot in English football. Tackles like that are never acceptable. Reckless tackles that could break a player's leg are never acceptable.

I'm sure people will try to justify it by saying it was an accident, just a young player losing his head and being overenthusiastic, or that he is not that sort of player. But that is missing the point (the last one spectacularly so).

I wouldn't imagine many players are the "sort" to break others legs. But making tackles that could result in serious injury in the name of being committed is simply bullsh*t. And then claiming that you are not the type to try and break another player's leg is disingenuous in the extreme.

I'm sorry but players have a responsibility not to injure their opponents and a responsibility not to behave recklessly. The sooner footballers, and ex-professional footballers who are now co-commentators accept that the better.

The Arsenal angle on this story doesn't need mentioning. Let's hope I don't need to dig this post up during the season.