Remarkably, John Terry has been successful in his appeal to have his red card against Manchester City at the weekend overturned.
Terry was given his marching orders for a cynical tackle on Manchester City's Brazilian front-man Jo. He appeared to haul down the striker with his hands after he had side-stepped Terry's first attempt to foul him.
It was a tackle that would have greeted huge applause at Twickenham, and now perhaps a dangerous precedent has been set. Rugby tackles are allowed in football—well, if you play for Chelsea that is.
The whole saga has yet again made the FA look somewhat foolish. Terry was dismissed for serious foul play, which takes no account of the position of covering defenders, or where the offence takes place in relation to the goal, unlike the professional foul rule.
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As Terry was given a straight red card, Chelsea would have had to prove that Terry didn't even deserve a yellow card in order to win a reprieve. This is because the FA don't have the power to downgrade red cards to yellows.
Wait a minute—in what way was Terry's foul not deserving of a yellow card? This decision is as worrying as it is baffling.
Are they seriously suggesting that what Terry did, whilst not being legal, was just an ordinary foul? An honest attempt to win the ball?
This is an absolute disgrace. Middlesbrough fans will be incensed when they think back to Jeremie Aliadiere's ban for a red card at Anfield. His ban was increased when he appealed because of its "frivolous nature." Well, it seems to me, that this ban was equally frivolous!
I think Manchester United fans will also be equally annoyed. Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes were made to serve bans for red cards in a preseason tournament, despite being initially told that the red cards, as per previous precedents, wouldn't require bans as it was only a friendly.
The inconsistency is infuriating, and a lot of football fans will be very disappointed with this news!
No doubt the Chelsea fans will be delighted. They couldn't see what their Skipper had done wrong in the first place. Far be it from them to actually admit that Terry deserved his ban.
Reactions to this news, as always, are welcome in the comment boxes below. How have you reacted to this news?
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2 months ago
Delighted at the news, plus it will annoy Man U fans no end.
What Terry did was cynical, and he deserved a yellow card, but if you were to take Halsey decision as a precedent, the amount of red cards would get silly. If you watch a corner being taken you'll see players tugging shirts and what not, and hardly anything is ever done.
Tugging someone's shirt is hardly endangering their wellbeing, which is what the FIFA definition of "serious foul play" states.
The FA are inconsistent, I'm just glad in this case it went in Chelsea's favour.
from 2 months ago
Of course its annoying!!
Its a ludicrous decision, what terry did wasnt just pulling his shirt tho, it was hauling him to the ground - basically a dump tackle!!
I just cant see how they overturned it- do they really think it wasnt worth a yellow? I can see why he was sent off, it was cynically and purposefully denying an attacking opportunity. a disgrace.
2 months ago
You were right the FA do hate us Jon. I hope fergie tells all his player on the weekend that If you lose your man rugby tackle him. Its only a yellow card after all!
from 2 months ago
One rule for Chelsea, another for everyone else...
Maybe the govt are so concerned about Russia controlling so much oil that they feel they must appease Abramovich and his play toy... Dont want to anger him by outlawing rugby tackles in football if he can cause an oil crisis with the press of a button!
Im seriously thinking something is not quite right at the FA... I mean please explain the Aliadiere incident, and how that was frivolous, yet this isnt?
2 months ago
Good stuff Jon.
Chelski do seem held to a different standard at times. They've become known for their harassment of refs on the pitch (John Terry being the worst offender) yet how many referees actually pull out yellows when the whole squad surrounds him to piss and moan?
I agree with you, based on the serious foul play call, the ban should be upheld.
from 2 months ago
Thanks Joe,
Yes ordinary logic would suggest that the ban should upheld, but then this is a crazy sport, in an even crazier world.
Next thing you know, terry will be using a baseball bat to batter the livin daylights out of attackers. No doubt upon review he will get off!
2 months ago
I have written an article arguing why it was right to send Terry off: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/58222-john-terry-deserved-a-red-card-but-mark-halsey-could-be-wrong
2 months ago
It's annoying! I feel Terry deserved his red card, he rugby tackled Jo! I don't really know how people can complain, in the picture you can clearly see he is pulling Jo down, like a rugby tackle! He deserved the red card, and deserves a ban. I don't want him playing against us next week!
2 months ago
I don't know if anyone saw Match of the Day last week, the guys on there said it should only be a yellow. I cannot believe they went with this view. The manner in which he went about the 'challenge' is the reason the ref sent him off, nothing to do with not being the last man etc which the pundits and commentary surrounding this incident have focussed on. Some people need to open there eyes! The FA have lost all my respect, farcical!
2 months ago
Im sorry am I missing something here..?
Terry deserved a yellow card. thats about as much as I agree with this bunch of Chelsea haters!!
One rule for Chelsea and one for the rest..? This is just beyond sillyness! I know you dont agree with how it all turned out and I dont either actually...
Terry DID NOT deserve that red card despite how much you try to prove otherwise. He did, however, deserve a yellow card and since I felt it was impossible for Chelsea to prove that the foul didnt even warrant a yellow card, I was convinced that the red card would be upheld.
This does not show that Chelsea are just a bunch of arrogant bullies (which is what your trying to portray) who force everybody to work in their favour.
No! This merely shows how incompetent the FA are and what a bunch of inconsistent losers they are. Dont blame Chelsea for appealing! Any club would have done it and you know it. The fact that The FA actually over turned is as big a surprise to me as it is to you and I might be assasinated by Chelsea fans for saying this, but the SUSPENSION SHOULD HAVE BEEN UPHELD....
2 months ago
It doesn't matter. United will beat Chelsea with or without Terry.
2 months ago
I say man united must just rugby tackle the chelsea players as soon as they have the ball because apparently there is no booking for it.
2 months ago
You people have got this all wrong and many of you are failing to see through anti-Chelsea bias.
Its not John Terry or Chelsea who are at fault here. Its Mark Halsey and the FA.
As soon as referee Halsey said it was for serious foul play anyone who knows what that term implies would have known Terry was going to get off. If he'd said professional foul or even unsporting conduct, it may have been upheld but because it was serious foul play the FA had no choice but to let him off.
Serious foul play is a challenge with intent to cause harm or injury. Surely even the most ardent anti-Chelsea football fan would have to concede there was no malicious intent to hurt Jo.
The FA weren't even able to downgrade to a yellow because their own rules don't allow it and having proven it wasn't serious foul play there was no way they could even consider extending the ban.
So it was the incompetence of the ref and the FA tying their own hands with their rules that allowed Terry to walk free.
2 months ago
Well stated Andrew.
Rugby must be getting very gentle if Terry's tackle could be deemed to be a rugby tackle.
It was a simple hinderence of the other player, deserving of a yellow card, but in no way (other then from the eyes of biased United fans) could be called serious foul play.
Theses things always balance out in the end over the season.
2 months ago
This has clearly turned into a hatred rant between Chelsea and Man U fans.
The neutral fan across the country will see that justice has been done, it was the correct decision.
Alex Ferguson should be hauled in front of the F.A to answer a disrepute charge if the F.A are brave enough.
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