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PFA Chief Calls for Calm Over Adebayor
PFA Chief Calls for Calm Over Adebayor | 
PFA chief Gordon Taylor has urged football fans, pundits, and the FA to put a stop to the lynch mob mentality that is surrounding Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The targetman stirred up controversy over the weekend by first stamping on Robin van Persie’s face before scoring a goal and sprinting the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the angry Gunners fans.
In an interview with ESPN Soccernet, Gordon Taylor did his best to diffuse the situation.
“Of course no one can condone what happened with Adebayor, and I am not going to condone it, but there was a lynch mob mentality with Eduardo, and now one with the former Arsenal player.
“We all need to be careful that we are just attacking another player rather than making general, but important points about the game. This is not like Eric Cantona, but its being portrayed as being just as bad. But the player had to face a baying crowd. It is very similar to the abuse Sol Campbell received from a section of Spurs supporters.
“Players do have a responsibility, and they must learn to count to ten, because none of us want to return to the crowd trouble of the 80s. Neither should players have to put up with such vindictive crowds making it so personal.
“At the same time players have to be mindful of the image of the game – it’s not that easy for them when the circumstances become so vindictive, and then there is a witch hunt against them afterwards. We all need to get it into perspective.
“We have a World Cup coming up and we want our supporters to be well behaved and this is also a big test for the players. We also want to stage a World Cup, we have the best stadia, the best atmosphere and as good a crowd as anywhere around the world, and the crowds need to be part of it.
“However, we cannot allow it to boil over and allow it to affect the players.”
Taylor went on to reveal that he has spoken to Adebayor about the situation to get the player’s side of the story.
“He is hoping that the whole world is not against him and comes down on him. That’s the way it must seem. He knows he made a mistake but at least he was quick to apologise and he is contrite about it all.
“When I say there has to be understanding, there is mitigation, there is a history to this; there was the abuse he suffered, and everyone is human, and he felt the emotion of the day when he was out to prove something after what happened to him at Arsenal. And he was aware of what had been said at Arsenal, that the atmosphere had improved after he left. The emotion got on top of him.
“He is a top class player, he was good for Arsene Wenger, while Arsene made him into a good player, but also Arsenal did well financially out of him and so benefited in that way as well. The whole thing was such a shame, as it spoilt what was a top quality game.
“But I fear it was an accident waiting to happen, the way the two lads [Adebayor and Kolo Toure] left Arsenal and were keen to prove a point. I wonder whether anything was said to them about cooling it.
“I thought the referee Mark Clattenberg did well to chase after him and caution him for the goal celebration. I don’t think it warranted a red card. I felt the referee took the appropriate action but, of course, it is at the discretion of the FA to decide whether to take any further action.
“As for the incident with Van Persie, the Arsenal player did steam into him, but that’s not to say he should have reacted the way he did. The ref didn’t see it, but from certain angles it does look bad.
“It was heat of the moment and he did apologise twice and shook hands with Van Persie at the end. You would have hoped that could have been the end of the matter, but it is sure to continue with so much bad blood. But Phil Neville is out of the game for a while, and it is a physical contact game.”
Adebayor compared to Eric the King? Was it that bad? Have your say below!
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Goontasiko, as a Man Utd fan i despise City but to say they are worse than last season is just bitterness. As for the injustice against Arsenal, UEFA should be ashamed for letting Eduardo off. Adebayor should get a 6 game ban for what he did, he is a joke. I agree with you on City and their artificial wealth, they will always be a small club and to quote Alex Ferguson a small mentality.
Well, our dear old PFA rises in defense again .. especially on the other side of arsenal. It is amazing that Adebarndoor is not even being charged for the stamp on fabregas (a much more dangerous and career threatening stampt than the one on RvP). Typical english press and football authorities — arsenal contributes so much to football in this country, but get a raw deal with refereeing, pundits, and the football authorities. For instance, arsenal were robbed at manu, and against mancity Adebayor should not have been on the pitch after the fabegras incident but the ref never even adjudged it a foul. The injustice of the EPL authorities against arsenal (especially on TV where we can all see it) is mind boggling. Similarly his clearly obvious deliberate stamp on RVP was not adjudged by the ref to be a foul. Now, tell me why we at arsenal should ever accept this chap or the ref at manu to ever officiate any of our matches ever again.
It is noteworthy that Taylor brings up Eduardo’s case (only after UEFA has cleared him) .. where was Taylor when Eduardo was being villified for a dive that he never appealed for (compared the one by ashley young the very next day, and several by rooney within a week).
As to mancity fans, I chuckle when I think of them. They are living in a fools paradise for now. You will never get anywhere with mercenaries. You started last season with a bang too, but where did you finish up ? (10th? 14th?) .. you are now in even worse shape with countless mercenaries brought in, and a manager lacking in basic decency and integrity. Good luck to you .. I shudder to think of what will happen to your club, when your arab benefactor realises that you will not be winning anything in the next 5 years, gets bored of this toy, and moves on. You will end up worse than leeds. You are so desparate for success, integrity means nothing to you, and thaksin steals his country’s money and gets welcome like a God by your senseless club. Now, I know why manu fans can never stand you guys.
Well thank goodness for Gordon Taylor and Martin Samuels in the Mail.
I don’t condone Cantona ( and i am a man city fan) but he was subjected to ridiculous abuse prior to his reckless actions. Rightly punished but that was that in my view.
This is not in that league whatsoever. I don;t think it actually deserves punishment and of course one should not pre-judge the hearing as he has not been convicted as yet. Only charged.
I wonder what they will think in the light of the vitriol that Eduardo attracted but was then acquitted by EUFA appeal after wards.
I don’t see why RVP hasn’t been charged though the FA has till 6pm i guess, but i don’t think i will be holding my breath. Though it is his actions the police are investigating rather than Manu’s