Let’s face it, yesterday’s Manchester derby was awful. Yes, there were goals and a spirited second-half fightback from City after an understandably poor first-half display.
But the game was ruined as a fair contest by Chris Foy and Wayne Rooney in the eleventh minute. Anyone who knows the rules of football intimately will understand that Foy’s decision to send off City captain Vincent Kompany for his tackle on Nani was plainly wrong. There may have been an element of recklessness about Kompany’s challenge, though that itself is debatable.
But even if it was reckless it would only have warranted a yellow card. There was no extreme force used or intent to injure, one of which must be present for a two-footed challenge to warrant a red card.
And check out the replay. Foy does not react to the challenge until Rooney waves his arms around. It’s only when Rooney complains that Foy blows his whistle. I doubt very much Foy would even have blown for a foul were it not for Rooney’s intervention. And then Rooney raises two fingers in a blatant, disgraceful attempt to sway Foy’s mind. Foy, feeble to the last, crumbles and produces the red card.
Foy has form, as we know.
This season we’ve already had two ridiculous red cards in the QPR against Chelsea game, and an extraordinary display of ineptitude during the game between Stoke and Tottenham, as well as yesterday’s series of poor decisions at the Etihad Stadium. Foy, it seems, likes to be the centre of attention. Indeed he’s probably changed more games this season than Wayne Rooney and David Silva put together.
Rooney, too, must take his share of flak. It’s hardly controversial to call him a nasty piece of work. We’ve all seen enough of him to realise that. What makes his kind of cheating (because that is what this is) so reprehensible is that it’s infectious. When young Danny Welbeck was correctly adjudged to have been fouled by Alexander Kolarov in the penalty area, what was his first reaction? To celebrate an almost certain goal? No. He waved an imaginary card in the air, trying to get Kolarov sent off, despite the fact Micah Richards was between him and the goal. Rooney’s morally ruined as a person – now he seems intent on infecting his young teammates with the same despicable disease.
The FA should take action against Foy, Rooney and Welbeck. Foy should not referee another top-flight game this season and both Rooney and Welbeck should be retrospectively cautioned for ungentlemanly conduct. It’s not much of a punishment for Rooney – after all, he is but a shell of a man, morally. But perhaps Welbeck can still be saved.
