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Iain Hume

Tyke Down Under

By Tyke Down Under
in Men's National Teams

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sstackho Experienced

sstackho

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quote:Originally posted by Tyke Down Under

It's not just us - the rest of football won't let this go away either. And dead right too! Here's the link hopefully....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/art...

The link doesn't work, but the column is a good read. Here it is:

Inaction over Morgan's challenge will return to haunt the FA

The Columnist ;The issues;The columnist;Opinion;Football

Martin Samuel

881 words

1 December 2008

The Times

The Game 6

English

© 2008 Times Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved

When the fateful day comes, the scenes at the FA will mirror those played out at Haringey social services these past few weeks. When - perhaps many years from now, perhaps in the near future - news of the tragedy leaks out and floral tributes begin to pile up on the pavement outside the club, you will not find one official whose job it was to protect footballers from dangerous aggression, who is prepared to do the decent thing and resign.

Confronted, they will hide behind Fifa and red tape; they will offer sorrow and regret, made more contemptible by self-serving, mealy-mouthed justifications that they did all they could. And no one will admit that what just happened is a direct result of years of incompetence and neglect, when silly little cracks at the expense of the referee and idiotic goal celebrations were deemed more important than a challenge that put a player in intensive care.

Joe Kinnear, the Newcastle United manager, is on a charge for calling an official Mickey Mouse. David Norris, the Ipswich Town midfield player, has been fined Pounds 5,000 for marking a goal in an offensive manner. And Chris Morgan, of Sheffield United, will face no further action for the elbow to the head that left Iain Hume, of Barnsley, fighting for life. Hume needed brain surgery and it is uncertain whether he will play again.

Confirming that the extent of Morgan's punishment would be the booking administered by Andy D'Urso, another referee straight from Disney's drawing board, the FA said that it could not upgrade a yellow card to red under Fifa rules and could bring an additional charge only in exceptional cases, in which it could be proved beyond doubt that there was an attempt to injure an opponent. It probably thinks it is off the hook, yet conversely its actions expose a failure in the duty of care that the organisation owes to the game and, specifically, those who play it.

Kinnear, and other managers pushed before a press conference with emotions raging at the end of a match, are an easy nick. They should have some form of indemnity, like MPs, or at least be allowed a little leeway when blowing off steam.

Norris caused distress by appearing to acknowledge his friend, Luke McCormick, the Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper, who is serving a prison sentence for causing the death of two young brothers by falling asleep at the wheel while drunk. The FA was correct to punish him, but the damage was already done and Norris had been publicly shamed by his actions. The case of Morgan was different. This was a very grave incident, unresolved in any satisfactory manner.

Yet, bottom line, there was nobody within the organisation with the courage, the concern or the knowledge to see Morgan's challenge for what it was; nobody who cared enough about the future of the game to ensure that a potentially life-threatening offence did not go ignored.

Morgan's feet were securely planted on the ground when he struck Hume and he appeared to know where his opponent was before the ball arrived. Check the replay. He elbows Hume, then heads the ball; the events do not occur simultaneously. Usually, there is a grey area in such instances. A player is jumping and claims to be using his arms for momentum or to maintain balance. Morgan could not have been better established had his feet been set in concrete, on a plinth.

At the very least, the FA should have brought a charge as a means of hearing his explanation. However, that would require leadership and a desire to take responsibility as guardians of the game, not the petty, two-bob posturing of the career politicians now in charge of football - the glib soundbites, the sucking up to the powerbrokers, every statement subject to an ulterior motive, usually self-advancement.

The FA pushes its Respect agenda but fails to recognise that this begins at the top. And how can any individual respect an organisation that knows Emmerson Boyce, of Wigan Athletic, has been the victim of injustice after his dismissal in the match away to Newcastle United, yet fails to do anything about it, for fear of challenging Fifa? Ben Thatcher, playing for Manchester City, had an additional charge brought for a brutal foul on Pedro Mendes, of Portsmouth, in 2006, but that was before the 2018 World Cup bid, since when item one on every agenda at Soho Square is how will this decision play with Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, and Michel Platini, his equivalent at Uefa.

In this world, Hume is merely collateral damage. Nothing can be done that might upset the FA's masters. Simon Davey, the Barnsley manager, thinks that more would have happened had the victim been Cristiano Ronaldo, but Sir Alex Ferguson's recent comments about the persistent fouling that the Manchester United forward receives would suggest little guarantee of that. The FA is no longer interested in policing, just politicking. News just in from Disneyland: Mickey Mouse seen wearing a Lord PleasedMan watch.

© Times Newspapers Ltd, 2008

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Guest Jeffery S.

Guest Jeffery S.

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Related to the article: this is what I have been arguing for years on this board before the majority who seem to think diving is worse than deliberately trying to injure an opponent.

Even with this thread and what seem to be sincere opinions, the outrage over the years over someone falling over is greater than the anger over deliberate attempts to ruin a fellow player's career.

It is no accident that the country that whines the most and exports the most garbage about fair play, spending hours on the question of embellishment on your average football show on tv, also happens to be the one of the most negligent when it comes to defending the physical integrity of those playing the game. This is supposedly to make us fans happy. In effect English fans will get what they want, they have defended actions like Morgan's for years as part of the game and now their mistakes are coming back to haunt them, but only partially.

I am not surprised that Canadians are so quick to jump on the anti-diving bandwagon and are relatively silent about unnecessarily aggressive play, since most of us have grown up watching hockey, and unfortunately end up applying to soccer our hockey mentality, where there are grey areas in agressive play that are part of the game. And applying certain principles incorrectly, curiously the Americans do the same; it is simply a misplaced macho mentality that says all sports need tough guys.

The FA is not dragging their feet on this situation because they are afraid of FIFA, that is where the article is wrong. They are not acting because they understand that they represent the fans, who want to see the shiit fly, want to see the rough and tumble play, they want to see the whole league wearing Cech's head protector, and want to keep on whining about this or that opposing player who falls over too easily, even though embellishing when being fouled never ended anyone's professional career nor threatened a human life.

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tmcmurph Newbie

tmcmurph

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quote:Originally posted by Tyke Down Under

to make matters worse our manager has been charged by the FA for 'improper conduct' towards the match officials.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/barnsley/7763697.stm

:(

FA does not stand for Football Association it stands for what they do in serious situations. F*** All.

If I were FIFA I would never award the World Cup to a group that can't even see this as an obvious need for long term suspension.

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hottoddy7 Newbie

hottoddy7

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Jeffrey there is a big difference between "rough and tumble play" and vicious attacks. This elbow is a vicious attack and there are many tackles that would fall into that category for me as well, people coming over the top in tackles in disgusting and I doubt there are very many people who think that intentional dangerous play is acceptable and shouldn't be punished more harshly. Just because someone doesn't like diving does not mean they condone violent conduct.

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Guest Jeffery S.

Guest Jeffery S.

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quote:Originally posted by hottoddy7

Jeffrey there is a big difference between "rough and tumble play" and vicious attacks. This elbow is a vicious attack and there are many tackles that would fall into that category for me as well, people coming over the top in tackles in disgusting and I doubt there are very many people who think that intentional dangerous play is acceptable and shouldn't be punished more harshly. Just because someone doesn't like diving does not mean they condone violent conduct.

The overwhelming majority of those who rant about diving (usually always how an opponent dived, forgetting what your own team does) completely ignore the fact that the rules are the rules. If a dive deserves a card and violent play deserves a card, then they are equal. But for a huge number of fans, especially in the Isles, they are not the same. Going for an ankle when you can't get to the ball is not as bad as falling over when someone comes in for a tackle to try to draw a foul on a slight touch. That is clear as day, that is the "ethic" if you like, and it is totally mistaken and hypocritical.

My opinion is that you should forget these stupid cards for taking off a shirt when scoring, or because a coach gets angry and steps out of his little area, or when a player in the heat of the game mouths off, and reserve them for behaviour that is detrimental to what is positive about the game. Rough play first, and foremost. Diving as well.

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Dare431 Newbie

Dare431

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Absolutely disgusting that no further action has been taken. I think we all remember how quick Sheffield United were to jump the gun and sue West Ham United after their relegation to the championship. I don't know if it's because Hume doesn't remember or if it's because he's a much greater man than I have ever imagined but from that interview he's taking the whole thing really well. I wish him all the best. As for Morgan...he's always been a filthy thug I hope the worst happens to him....A long ban is in order

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Bill Spiers Newbie

Bill Spiers

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And a further update (from Yahoo Sports):

Davey: No swift return for Hume

Barnsley manager Simon Davey has reminded Tykes fans that there will be no swift return to action for injured striker Iain Hume.The Canada international returned to Oakwell as a spectator on Saturday, four weeks after sustaining a fractured skull in a challenge with Sheffield United defender Chris Morgan.

Davey said: "Iain was back at Oakwell on Saturday and managed to get himself out of the house and here for a game.

"His father-in-law brought him in and it was great to see him around the place again.

"He's not going to be able to drive for six months and has not got a scan for three months.

"There are a lot of stages and a lot of hurdles for him to get over, but it was great to see him back. It was just a shame we didn't win the game for him."

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sstackho Experienced

sstackho

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MPs put Morgan under the spotlight

By Oliver Clive

216 words

11 December 2008

The Daily Telegraph

007

English

© 2008 Telegraph Group Limited, London

THE Football Association are coming under increasing pressure to review their decision not to punish Chris Morgan for the challenge which left Barnsley's Iain Hume with a fractured skull.

Two more MPs have joined a growing parliamentary group calling for the FA to further punish Sheffield United defender Morgan, who was booked for elbowing Barnsley striker Hume in the side of the head last month.

Jim Devine, Labour MP for Livingston, and Michael Clapham, Labour MP for Barnsley West and Penistone, are the latest to declare their support.

Barnsley Central MP Eric Illsley tabled an early day motion last Friday and Mike Hancock, Liberal Democrat MP for Portsmouth South, Nick Palmer, Labour MP for Broxtowe and Ann Cryer, Labour MP for Keighley have already signed it.

Hume suffered a fractured skull and internal bleeding in the incident on Nov 8. The 25-year-old spent 24 hours in a hospital high dependency unit after undergoing emergency surgery the following day.

The FA later decided not to punish Morgan further, concluding they could "only bring additional charges in the most exceptional cases and only if it can be proved beyond doubt that the actions of a player were a deliberate attempt to injure an opponent''.

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