Eduardo tackle fury

10:05am Tuesday 26th February 2008

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THE horrible injury suffered by Arsenal striker Eduardo at the weekend rightly led to widespread sympathy in the football world.

But I found the condemnation of Birmingham defender Martin Taylor very unfair because I don't think he fouled Eduardo with any intent to cause injury.

I thought Taylor's tackle was an honest attempt to win the ball, as anybody who has played football would recognise, but Eduardo, pictured, is just really well-balanced and quick and, as he changed direction, the defender was already committed.

It wasn't deliberate and I think the referee sent him off after seeing the injury. The challenges that are deliberate are the two-footed lunges and we had a series of them recently.

Certain players around Christmas time were far more guilty of dangerous play than Taylor. Chelsea's John Mikel Obi, for example.

The situation now is a lot better than when I started playing in the '70s, however, when people did go out to deliberately break your leg. Back then, there were always little vendettas and they would be played out on the pitch.

I had players who did it to me. The first was Allan Clarke who went over the top of the ball on me when he was playing for Barnsley and I remember him saying in his strong Yorkshire accent: "What's matter with thee, son?"

Another ex-Leeds United legend Norman Hunter, who was renowned for that type of thing of course, also tried to do me but at least he apologised, saying "Sorry young 'un but that's the way I play."

The other occasion I remember was when ex-Liverpool defender Chris Lawler got me and afterwards my manager actually had a go at me, saying I was only seeing the ball and not looking for the man and needed to be wiser and look after myself better.

It wasn't just the opposition that did it though. I remember Bob Newton breaking more than one leg when we played up front together at Hartlepool.

My career was also ended by a knee injury playing for Hartlepool against Bury that I'm sure was deliberate. The lad had been winding me up and verbals had been exchanged before he came in at me from the side and tore my cartilage.

The worst thing about the whole Eduardo episode for me was some of the reactions to the tackle, especially those from Arsene Wenger. I know he has retracted his statement since but talking about banning the player for life didn't help.

William Gallas throwing a tantrum and sitting at the other end of the pitch when Birmingham were taking their last-minute penalty was also very bizarre. The top teams are such bad losers now and I coach ten-year-old kids who behave like certain Arsenal players do.

The Carling Cup final was the same. I switched it off after ten minutes because it was all about who could cheat the most and moan the loudest.

In my time, you played like men and if somebody from the opposing side hurt you, you didn't show it. Now Didier Drogba doesn't seem to mind how daft he looks when he throws back his head and chucks himself to the ground after the slightest brush.

As well as wishing Eduardo the best with his recovery, I also hope Paul Gascoigne gets to the bottom of his problems after his sectioning under the Mental Health Act. Despite the bad publicity, everybody I have encountered always say the same thing about Paul Gascoigne: "He's daft as a brush but a fantastic lad who would do anything for you."

That was the case when I managed to get a friend of mine tickets for a Middlesbrough game with his son.

Gazza was playing there at the time and, after the match, came over to talk to my friend while he was still in his kit. At the end of the conversation, he took his shirt off and gave it to my friend's son and that was a great gesture.

I just hope some good can come out of this episode and would like to see Newcastle United employ him in some capacity.