While all around were losing their heads, well done Stoke's number six
By Graham McNorthbank
Just a short footnote to all that's being written about that challenge which hospitalised Aaron Ramsey.
Whatever the intention of Ryan Shawcross, he will miss the next three games for Stoke because of his straight red for violent conduct. Ramsey on the other hand is likely to miss the next 30 games and faces several months of painful rehabilitation as he tries to build up the muscle in his leg again.
But I don't want to point fingers with this post. Rather I'd like to commend Stoke's number six, Glenn Whelan, who was first to reach Ramsey after his team mate had scythed him down.
The Irish midfielder may only have just turned 26, but he showed remarkable maturity in staying with Ramsey and talking to him while he was receiving initial treatment. Indeed, while other players on the park could barely look at the youngster, Whelan should be commended for helping to keep the teenager calm, when it would be so easy for someone who suffered such a trauma to go into shock.
Understandably Ramsey's Arsenal team mates were distraught and would have been unable to deal with the stricken Welshman in such a calm manner.
So while various bloggers are calling for the head of Ryan Shawcross, it would remiss not to commend Whelan for his actions. I would hope that Arsenal Football Club would do the same given the compassion that the Stoke midfielder - himself no angel with 46 yellow and two red cards in his career - showed his fellow professional.
GM
Reader Comments (10)
While all around are loosing their heads etc. Yes fair play to Glen Whelan for his actions. However I think the tone of the article in saying that it was violent tackle is not called for in this time of the proverbial hunt for head. Remember this young footballer went with head in hands crying. If twer viscious, he would have probably stood over the fallen Aaron tanunting him or his body language would not have been that of shame. Yes Aaron will face tough road to recovery but we dont need to be calling for shawcross' head. His own character will be killing himself personally. This was not an Alf Inge haaland/keane tackle and sadly the result was much the same (broken leg). It was by all accounts a tackle that came off wrong and for both involved will mean long roads of recovery
Gunner 79
Um, a straight red card equals violent conduct. Just because he didn't go into it with any malicious intent doesn't mean it wasn't violent.
Shawcross, who wouldn't intentionally harm a fly according to his manager, has previous on this - Franny Jeffers and Emmanuel Adebayor can bear witness to that.
Intentional? Who knows. Violent? Certainly
Well said!
I think the way "in your face football" is lauded in the press is bad for the English game. There is no doubt that there is a culture of roughing up Arsenal because of a mixture of lack of skill and xenophobia. Managers and certainly the press are responsible for this. Referees should be very aware of this sort of thing and should stamp their authority on the pitch early. Much as I hated his team I hated watching Christiano Ronaldo hacked down all the time. Eduardo broke his leg because he was quick and skilful. The referees should bear in mind people pay to see skilful playes not lawnmowers.
Fair play, I have to agree that Whelan showed compassion and decency in staying with Aaron.
No doubt the way Stoke play is the cause of this injury. Its no coincidence either that last season they injured 3 of our players in one match, or Adebayor's in that match (influcted by Shawcross, 'coincidentally') happened when the ball was out of play and 2 yards off the pitch. Some will say they are a 'committed' side. I say they are dirty.
We are statistically second in the most fouled league table - 2 fouls off 1st. We are also top of the fair play table. Coincidence? Maybe.
it was one of them tackles, i want the ball but i wont be beaten by the ball AND the man, if i dont get the ball il clear the decks , its a classic english tackle and its just gone horribly wrong, lets not drag it on and on because the kid doesnt need to keep hearing it, let his recover without the finfair, great respect due to whelan, no angel but a quite obviously a diamond geezer
Whelan did well - pity Gallas didn't extend the same courtesy to Mark Davies the other week after tap dancing on his shin
I genuinely cannot understand the media in this country, the sympathy expressed for Shawcross is sickening. Had this injury happened to Wayne Rooney and had been commited by a foreigner, god knows what kind of reaction we would be seeing right now. I have been playing and watching football for a long time and agree with you 100 percent, it was a tackle aimed at taking the ball and the man, Shawcross was clearly trying to send out a message, probably the same message he heard before the match from his manager. This is where Wenger is clearly right when he states that he does not believe in coincidences, because if you go out with the intention of physically roughing up your opponents, you walk a very fine line and injuries like the one Ramsey suffered should not come as a surprise. I also wholeheartedly agree with your comments about Glenn Whealen, what a blindin geezer. Lets hope when all this dies down our club lives up to its reputation and honours Whealen in some way.
what about bentner he stayed with him aswell and he's only 21!!!
On the balance of probability, it would be hard to conclude that the challenge was the result of malice or intent. However, only one person knows for certain on that score. But the consequences were just as bad as if he did actually mean it. There's a very fine line between commitment and recklessness and Shawcross clearly crossed that divide when steaming into a tackle that showed a blatant disregard for the safety of both himself and his opponent. I think Nicklas Bendtner's comment that he was 'out of control' sums up the defender's wrongdoing perfectly. What is particularly disturbing is the fact that many of the ex-players turned TV or radio pundits seem to acknowledge the recklessness of the Stoke player yet fail to condemn him for it. To them, the perceived absence of any intent somehow makes the challenge acceptable, which is a totally ludicrous conclusion to reach. Such an interpretation then serves to give credence to the misguided views that Shawcross is just as much a victim as poor Aaron Ramsey.
Glad to see someone posting this. Whelan did very well.