Hunt: I won't change

Reading's Stephen Hunt will not let the Petr Cech controversy affect his game.

Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt says he will not let the controversy regarding Petr Cech's injury affect his game after being caught in the centre of a storm following Saturday's events.

Hunt was involved in a collision with the Blues keeper which resulted in Cech being taken to hospital for surgery on a life-threatening fracture of the skull.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has been unyielding in his criticism of the Royals man since the sickening incident, with Hunt coming under fire from a number of directions after his knee caught Cech in the head just one minute into the Premiership clash.

Reading have stuck firmly by their player who has pleaded his innocence, and Hunt says he is trying not to let the controversy affect him as he attempts to improve his first-team prospects at The Madejski Stadium.

However, the former Crystal Palace trainee says he accepts he will be a 'marked man' in the weeks to come and that he may reassess his tackling technique as a result of the Cech incident.

"I won't change my game," Hunt insisted to the Reading Evening Post.

"I will still try to get around the pitch. That's what I am all about.

"There will be more attention on me now. I won't change my game, but maybe I have to be careful about how I go around tackling.

"It won't be a problem because I'm clever enough to deal with any situations that might arise, such as tackles that come my way.

"The fans have been brilliant, and 99 per cent of the general public are behind me.

"It's great to have their support. It will be so important to have their support in the next couple of weeks because I think I'll be a marked man. That is bound to happen.

"We'll see how it goes, but hopefully I can stay in the team against Arsenal.

"The disappointing thing is the incident took away from how well we did as a team and I feel I played well against Chelsea. I think I did myself justice.

"It was my first start in The Premiership and I can only get better."

Hunt also refused to respond to Mourinho's impassioned criticisms of his role in the clash, stating instead that he can understand the Portuguese boss backing his own players to the hilt.

"He's just looking out for his own players," said Hunt.

"I fully understand his point of view. I just hope Cech makes a quick recovery."

Royals boss Steve Coppell is also hoping that the controversy will not disrupt Hunt's progression with the Premiership newcomers, with the midfielder's committed style one of his main attributes in his manager's eyes.

"It might affect him, you never know with these things," said Coppell.

"He's not actually a crunch tackler, he's more of a pest. He gets under people's skin, so in that respect I don't think it will affect him.

"It's a vital part of his game to be busy and buzzing around and I want him to carry on like that.

"He's had a difficult couple of days. We were talking about it the morning after it happened.

"He has become more famous now than had he scored three goals and won the game for us and that's wrong.

"But once the European games kick in and he gets his next game under his belt it will be forgotten. He seemed all right in training."

Hunt continues to receive flak for his role in the serious injury, with Cech's compatriot and former West Ham shot-stopper Ludek Miklosko continuing his tirade against the former Palace man.

Miklosko has now stated that even if Hunt receives a season-long ban he would still not be satisfied as the midfielder's actions are tantamount to 'a crime'.

"Even if he got a ban until the end of the season I would not be happy in Petr's place," Miklosko told Sport.

"I would take him to court.

"Why it was a crime, he could have killed Petr, and if someone believed him that the nightmare happened just because of his unco-ordinated movement I would send him to jail for life.

"If he is so unskilful he cannot be in professional football."