Steve McClaren reckons his player should not have been sent-off for this horror tackle on Wes Hoolahan.
McClaren is wrong.
Jacob Butterfield received a red card after 66-minutes of Derby County’s 3-0 loss to Norwich City on Monday for this potential leg-breaking tackle on Hoolahan.
The tackle occurs 1:55 into the video.
On Sky Sports News, Tony Cottee called it a “really wild challenge” and it looks even worse from this alternate angle. The tackle was so ferocious Hoolahan’s shinpad was dislodged.
https://twitter.com/VintageOlsson/status/816283932031352832
At this stage of his career, Hoolahan is surely used to rough treatment from opposition players. But this tackle undoubtedly crossed the line and could’ve left the Republic of Ireland midfielder with a serious injury.
Thankfully, the 34-year-old wasn’t hurt by the challenge. He managed to dust himself down and play a vital part in Norwich’s 3-0 win.
Wes Hoolahan: No player has made more key passes in a Championship match this season than Hoolahan did vs Derby (8) #ncfc
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 3, 2017
You would have thought that it is almost impossible to defend such a tackle, but McClaren gave it a try.
The Derby manager said his player shouldn’t have been sent off, and that Hoolahan’s reaction played a part in the referee’s decision.
“I think the referee got it wrong and we will be looking at an appeal,” McClaren said.
“Butterfield’s feet were not off the ground and he got a little bit of the ball. He also caught the player as well and because of that he falls down.
“I think the reaction of the player (Hoolahan) and the crowd, which I can understand, played a part in it.”
Here’s another look at the tackle, just in case it wasn’t already clear that McClaren is very wrong:
Hoolahan reacted the way he did, by clutching his shin, because his shinpad had been sent flying after he was taken down with a reckless tackle.
He didn’t “fall down”, but was cut down by the tackle. Butterfield got very little, if any, of the ball.
The Derby midfielder made more contact with Hoolahan’s shinpad than the ball.
McClaren’s suggestion that Hoolahan, and the home crowd at Carrow Road, were partly responsible for the red card is also very unfair on the Norwich midfielder.
However, this isn’t the first time McClaren has been spectacularly wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMu_yRJu6no
