Gold in Fabregas blast

Birmingham chief's fury at Spaniard's Taylor criticism

Last updated: 18th March 2008

Martin Taylor Birmingham City red card Arsenal

Taylor: Makes return for Birmingham reserves on Tuesday

Why is Fabregas still talking about this three weeks after the event? I don't deny that Martin has to take responsibility but he (Fabregas) is talking about there being intent.

David Gold
Quotes of the week

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Birmingham chairman David Gold has slammed Cesc Fabregas' verbal attack on Martin Taylor ahead of the defender's comeback in Tuesday's reserve clash with Tottenham.

Taylor has completed his three-match ban after being sent off against the Gunners for the challenge which saw Eduardo suffer a broken leg.

Fabregas has claimed it is unfair Taylor can return after missing the games with Tottenham, Portsmouth and Newcastle, while Eduardo will be sidelined for a year.

But Gold believes the Spaniard's comments are out of order and is concerned Taylor will be haunted by the incident for the remainder of his career.

He said: "Fabregas has got this wrong and I will stand by Martin through thick and thin over this. It may be his opinion but I would ask him to listen to the majority of voices who have been, in the main, supportive of Taylor.

"It wasn't a malicious tackle, Martin is incapable of such vengeance. Look at the body language.

Outrageous

"Why is Fabregas still talking about this three weeks after the event? I don't deny that Martin has to take responsibility but he (Fabregas) is talking about there being intent.

"Is he saying he thinks Martin went into the tackle to deliberately hurt Eduardo? If he is then it's outrageous and it does the player, his football club and football no favours at all.

"This could have happened to anybody and let's hope Fabregas is not involved in something similar one day where he accidentally injures a player.

"It's time to get off Martin's back and that includes Fabregas and people like Sepp Blatter. They don't know Martin Taylor. I do and I know it was an out-and-out accident with absolutely no meanness of spirit - but he is being demonised.

"This is an ill-informed judgment by Fabregas and it does not stand up because it is 'guess-timation' on his part."

Gold added: "Martin is a professional and will get on with his game, but I fear he will suffer because of this. The incident will stay with him for the rest of his days because he is not the person that Fabregas has portrayed him to be.

"If he was, he would get over it because dirty players do, but Martin is a man of conscience."

Comments

Mitchell Mosley (Birmingham City fan) says...

For god sake, i am fed up of hearing about this incident now its getting old why can't everyone jus 4get about it and carry on he served his ban and eduardo's accepted his apology. Arsenal players are quick enough to protect their players when something goes wrong for their players but when they do it to others they dont say a word now ive u cant take dont give out criticism for instance eboue on john terry they wern't calling for him to be band for a year infact they didnt say nothing about it so they can shut up!

Posted 20:48 21st March 2008

Vishal Kotecha (Arsenal fan) says...

Taylor didn't look very traumatized when he made a studs up tackle in training a couple of days after the incident. Taylor may not have meant to 'break' Eduardo's leg but he made a reckless challenge putting another player in danger. Accidents are where you don't know the result of your actions, any idiot who saw how Taylor lunged in with his high foot and studs showing knew it would cause some serious damage, that's why red cards are given out for similar tackles all the time. If someone drives recklessly and kills or injures someone they don't get away with a three week driving ban do they even if they don't intend to do any harm. And it's a little ironic the man u fans pointing to Gallas's kick when it wasn't long ago that their entire team were kicking arsenal players off the park and getting away with it.Gallas should have been banned for three matches but it was never gonna cause the damage that Taylor did

Posted 00:44 20th March 2008

Elliott Purdom (Birmingham City fan) says...

Eduardo has accepted the apology so why is the debate still goin on? He is the one who got innjured if he can get over it so should everyone else. Martin was late its no the first time a player has been late nor will it be the last. Fabregas is upset, but he shouldnt have opened his mouth he should concentrate on more important things like maybe the Champions League or the Prem?

Posted 01:53 19th March 2008

Robert Rees (West Ham United fan) says...

Fabregas (and Wenger too) need to look inward a bit more. Ebouie's tackle on John Terry WAS malicious and could have easily done the same damage as Taylor's tackle. I didn't hear Fabregas calling for a heavier ban then. Also, how come Gallas wasn't sent off against Man U for a deliberate kick on Nani - off the ball? How come Adebayor wasn't sent off for butting Bendtner ? One big happy family. I'm sorry, but when one member of a 'family' butts another member of the same family - surely that makes them a dysfunctional family. If its Ok for Gallas to kick Nani then its OK for other players to kick Arsenal players. I thought Wenger had got over that paranoia - obviously not!

Posted 23:46 18th March 2008

Nath G (Manchester United fan) says...

Its late its badly timed but please it wouldnt even get into top ten worst tackles of the season. Arsenal fans want to talk about intent what were your boys trying to do to nanni when you were out classed in the cup .Should Gallas be banned for life because im pretty certain there was intent to hurt Nanni when he kicked him on the deck. what does eboue past players like veira petit and keown resort to when they cant cope with superior ability, they kick out. arsenal are a great team to watch when thery're on their game but when it goes against them they hve some of the dirtiest players in the league. I've read all these comments and arsenal fans have you not noticed your very lonely in your cries for taylors head. Common sense has for once prevailed amongst the FA ex pro's and fans.

Posted 23:15 18th March 2008

David Davidsson (Manchester United fan) says...

Even though I'm a Man United supporter I have to agree, with Blatter, that tackles like this is not part of football. Sure Blatter comes out over the top but harder punishments need to be implemented. A three match ban just doesn't cover it. Of course the outcome of the tackle was very unfortunate and I've seen countless of tackles worse than this. But they haven't ended up with this severe of an injury. However the point is that we need to get these dangerous tackles out of the modern game, while still allowing the physical aspects of the game to remain. And the only way to do that is by suspending players for longer periods of time. A simple slap on the wrist and a fine just doesn't do it these days when the players recieve these huge salaries. That's the only way the players will stop and think before plunging into a tackle of this sort.

Posted 21:49 18th March 2008

Jon Mindit (Birmingham City fan) says...

All football fans, besides the obvious boring candidates - Vile fans and Arsenal fans agree this tackle had no intent to cause any damage. Arsenal fans are just upset they don't have the team to finish the premier league challenge so they need a scapegoat as usual - we blew it, who can we blame - get over it !!!! We're all really bored of this whole drama.

Posted 20:14 18th March 2008

Gareth Parry (Arsenal fan) says...

Just one question to all that see Taylor as the victim here, I see comments from fans of various clubs who are critical of Fabregas,s comments during an interview, well what if it was Ronaldo, Berbatov or Torres ? whould they be so smug? just think of one of your key players at your club and then tell me you would feel so forgiving if he had his leg broken like that , and the perpetrator is back playing ten days later, it just does not seem right, everyone is worried about por Martin Taylor , very little thought about Edwardo and his torment, yes it was an accident, but it was reckless, and if you injure some one through neglect in any other walk of life you will suffer the consequences.

Posted 19:28 18th March 2008

Pierre Jacotey (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Isn't it just a shame that this DIDN'T happen to Fabregas? The way he's over-reacted is an absolute disgrace to the great club that is Arsenal. As a Spurs fan, Eduardo has my deepest sympathy on what must be a traumatic, and painful experience. Missing Euro 2008 must be hard for someone who was the main reason they made it there in the 1st place. Surely the FA/UEFA should be condemning comments like Fabregas' and show support for Martyn Taylor in what was a clear accident.

Posted 19:18 18th March 2008

W M (Rangers fan) says...

The bottom line is that Taylor meant no harm. Yes he got his timing wrong but it doesn't mean he's a bad player. You see horror tackles like that all over Europe, Henrik Larrson had his leg broken playing for Celtic a good few years ago but nobody wanted a massive ban for the player who commited the challenge. Name me a defender with about only 6 odd yellow cards over 10 or so years? All the pundits are backing Taylor and Eduardo (The man most affected by this) has forgiven him so its time to drop the matter and leave Taylor alone!

Posted 17:30 18th March 2008

Taffy Evans (Everton fan) says...

I am sick of people writing on pages like this that Taylor should be banned for a year bla bla bla. Footballers step onto the field knowing that they will challenge and be challenged by bigger and better footballers! Knowing this they still chose to do it so when this happens, and it's not intentional, get over it! If I was paid ¿50K a week I would save my money in case this happened to me! If a builder falls from scaffolding, they know the dangers of being there, same differences here ...

Posted 17:28 18th March 2008

Liam D (Liverpool fan) says...

The only reason why everyone is still banging on about the issue is because Eduardo broke his leg. If he had a bruised shin or something trivial, there wouldn't have been anywhere near the reaction there has been. Accidents like this happen plenty of times in amatuer leagues, for example I've played in 2 games this season where there has been broken legs and none of the other players thought it was anything but an accident. Arsenal fans and players should get off their high horses and focus on there football.

Posted 17:09 18th March 2008

Nigel Hardy (West Ham United fan) says...

For goodness sake lets all move on from this! It's happened, Taylor has apologised and been banned, Eduardo has accepted the apology. On a positive note Eduardo will receive the best medical attention and rehabilitation available to fully recover physically and mentally. He will also I assume be fully paid from his contract so his family are still cared for and Taylor will have to recover mentally and deal with sections of stupid 'fans' who will hurl verbal abuse at him everytime Arsenal play Birmingham for evermore because of their mentality.Who will be the real loser?

Posted 16:51 18th March 2008

Jake Hambye (Birmingham City fan) says...

Anyone could have been in Taylor's position. I've seen Fabregas make some very dangerous two-footed tackles before, and if the person on the receiving end got injured very badly, no matter who it is, would Fabregas like to see the incident mentioned everywhere? No. What will a further ban do anyway? Even if there was no ban, it won't happen to Taylor again. It doesn't take missing 1 or 100 games to stop tackling so badly, of course Taylor will be more careful from now on. Also, whenever he comes back to play first team football for Blues again, he won't get any pleasure out of it any more like other players usually do week in week out. He's just come back from something big, so he will be very wary and that incident will always be in his mind. Fabregas has not made anything better for himself... instead he's made himself worse. What's he going to do now... retract his comments after he's already done the damage, just like Arsene Wenger did? These Arsenal players need to learn... fast. Eduardo's OK with it, so what are these lot still going on about it for?

Posted 16:22 18th March 2008

Mark Clere (Aston Villa fan) says...

There may not have been intent to break Eduardo's leg but there was even less intent to get the ball. It is annoying to hear a plea that a player on Taylor's wages, ability and experience was too clumsy for the skill of Eduardo.This is not a Sunday pub team player, this was an experienced player following the instructions of experienced coaches in order to stop the flow of the game. The whole club should be held accountable especially Gold and his repeated attempts to use the press to repress the awful tackle and its consequences.

Posted 14:42 18th March 2008

Paul Ryan (Arsenal fan) says...

I completely agreee with Richard Trevett's comment. Arsenal's style of football is a joy to watch and too many premiership teams focus on negative tactics in order to prevent them doing their stuff, instead of trying playing their own game. Sam Aldardyce is a prime example of that. His bully tactics ruin the game as a spectacle and makes it boring to watch. Get well soon Eduardo...

Posted 14:18 18th March 2008

Sarel Joedave (Manchester United fan) says...

What does Fabregas wants Taylor to do ? Baby-sit Eduardo ?? common, the guy was sorry as it was not intended deliberately. People like Fabbie should learn to forgive and let go . . However, FA and FIFA actually still should look into saving players' careers by instituting stiffer punishments to discourage hard tackles.

Posted 13:55 18th March 2008

Tony Turton says...

fabregas is right to have a view,it was a bad tackle and did he not do the same tackle a few days later in training?i am talking as a gooner but as a football fan who appreciates good football and skill and a certain ronaldo said the same comments as cesc,football is football and why don't lesser clubs actually try and play the game properly instead of trying to nullify the skills and talents of other people.all said and done,would a martin taylor get in the england side-no not good enough with class players and would be sent off every game due to an emba rassment of class.

Posted 13:45 18th March 2008

Jordan Murray (Liverpool fan) says...

I don't think it's right of fabregas to speak out like this. I'm 99% sure at some point in fabregas' career he has hit a bad tackle on someone, it just so happened to be that he didn't break the guys leg. Tackles like these are made every week and the majority of the time are not intentional and also go unpunished... it just happened to be that in this incident eduardos foot was planted in the ground... Best wishes to eduardo, and i hope he recovers well, and also fair play to fabregas for sticking up for his mate, but it's obvious taylor didn't do this intentionally and he is more than likely pretty distraught about the whole thing, and comments such as these are not going to help him

Posted 13:44 18th March 2008

James Miles (Portsmouth fan) says...

Cesc is entitled to his own opinion. I believe that Taylor chose to go into this challenge in the manner that he did with his foot over the ball, he may have not thought about the consequences so the intent may not have been there, but he must except full responsiblity for his actions. Players should not go into challenges like this, they know this and it must be stamped out.

Posted 13:42 18th March 2008

Page 1 of 3

Add Comment*

All fields are required

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

Character Count : 0/1950

Please tick here if you wish to receive emails relating to Sky Sports.com or any other companies, services or products related to Sky Sports.com

Please send me the weekly Sky Sportszine - exclusive content, features and competitions to my inbox every Friday.

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private