Callum McManaman escapes FA action over Haidara challenge

Wigan forward Callum McManaman has escaped retrospective action from the Football Association over his challenge on Newcastle defender Massadio Haidara.

Haidara was taken off on a stretcher in the Latics' 2-1 win but the FA cannot take "retrospective action" as an official saw the incident take place.

The governing body says it does not wish to "re-referee" matches.

But Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias claims the FA's disciplinary process is " not fit for purpose".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21849733

Bit of a shocker that from the FA.

Newcastle United Statement

We are disappointed to learn that the FA is not going to charge the Wigan player. We were first notified of this decision by a national media outlet who received notification from the FA confirming the decision. This was prior to anyone from the FA having the courtesy to contact the Club to let us know.

It is clear from this decision that the current disciplinary procedures are not fit for purpose. Newcastle United, along with other clubs, have had players suspended for incidents reviewed after the game. Whilst not trivialising these incidents, they were not, in our opinion, of the seriousness of Callum McManaman's tackle on Haidara.

Whilst we understand that the current procedures give the FA limited options, it cannot be correct that the most serious offences - those which have the potential to cause another player serious harm - can go unpunished, even if the original incident was seen by match officials.

We will now be making a strong representation to the FA and the Premier League to see how a more appropriate, fair and even-handed disciplinary process can be introduced at the earliest opportunity to prevent incidents of this nature going unpunished in the future.

http://www.nufc.co.uk/articles/20130319/newcastle-united-statement_2281670_3115111

Oh come on! That could have not only been a leg-breaker, but serious ligament damage as well. Shocking decision.

Disgraceful.

Terrible decision ,and that tit whelan should of been sectioned after yesterday's comments

Disgraceful.

One of our refs has made a mistake, why should we fix it. Pathetic attitude and disgraceful is spot on Racer.

Any videos of the tackle in question? Didn't watch the game.

Any videos of the tackle in question? Didn't watch the game.

Shocking and yet not the slightest bit surprising.

just disappointed with the FA really.  I'm from the N.A. and this tackle did make it to some of the sports headlines... many of my mates that are not football fans cannot believe something like this happened and with no consequences.  I have tried to explain the actions of the football higher ups in the past to N.A. sport enthusiasts here but this time I am just as baffled and really it's a joke... how can there not be any consequence at all?  no wonder my mates look at this game.... like it to a certain degree but cannot totally jump on board... stuff like this... stuff like no video replay on game changing moments are reasons they just cant fully love this game.

and wigan, seriously... at a club level, they couldve done so much more.  Lost all respect for that team and a sh*te of a guy called whelan.

F**kin hell, that's truly awful.

Thanks for the gif mate.

Really really bad challenge . How the F**k is he getting off scot free

F***ing hell, what a joke.

Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias claims the FA's disciplinary process is " not fit for purpose".

The whole  FA is not fit for purpose.

Actually it's the right decision IMHO.

Look at the ball - it's bouncing up but because of its spin it suddenly drops away - despite that the player actually still catches it before ploughing into the opponent. I don't think there was any malice there - just a young lad on his debut who overcommitted and misjudged.

Footballs a contact sport - this happens. It reminds me of Carraghers challenges on Nani.

The ref had a good view of the incident apparently. If the FA were to "re-referee" the match on this incident there are literally 100 incidents it could review every weekend.

The question isn't whether the  tackle was dangerous and painful - it plainly was. The question is whether its now the FA's job to referee matches.

Actually it's the right decision IMHO.

Look at the ball - it's bouncing up but because of its spin it suddenly drops away - despite that the player actually still catches it before ploughing into the opponent. I don't think there was any malice there - just a young lad on his debut who overcommitted and misjudged.

Footballs a contact sport - this happens. It reminds me of Carraghers challenges on Nani.

The ref had a good view of the incident apparently. If the FA were to "re-referee" the match on this incident there are literally 100 incidents it could review every weekend.

The question isn't whether the  tackle was dangerous and painful - it plainly was. The question is whether its now the FA's job to referee matches.

Me and you will go into a challenge, I'll stamp on your leg and see what you think about it then eh? You really have no idea! The referee had no view at all of the incident, there was ironically a Newcastle player in the way.

Footballs a contact sport - this happens. It reminds me of Carraghers challenges on Nani.

The same challenge that Carra has gone on record since the announcement of his retirement in an interview, and stated it is the one tackle he wish he could take back as it was a shocker and could have been very very serious to the lad he fouled.

And as for the referee having a good view of the incident you clearly haven't seen the view where a player is running straight across Halsey's eye line as the contact is made. With this camera angle you can understand the referee at that split second not doing what he should have, which is show a straight red.

So with all this, sense has to prevail after the game with the F.A issuing the correct judgement but we seen what's happened there is the decision wrong absolutely, a, I surprise the wise old F.A have yet again got it wrong? An even more certainly not.

Oh and by the way he made his debut a few years back (not that it should make a shot of difference)!

All in all a terrible post mate, well done.   

@mcarz - you missed the point

@Fowler23 - I'm sure Callum Mcmanaman would take back the tackle if he could too. The ref and linesman saw it and didn't give anything. The point is he was going for the ball - although it ended up being dangerous play and he should have been sent off for it - if the FA were to overturn this decision they would have 20 decisions a match to review - where would you draw the line? The role of the referee would become majorly degraded. Why should they rule on this and not our last minute goal against the bitters for example?

if the FA were to overturn this decision they would have 20 decisions a match to review - where would you draw the line? The role of the referee would become majorly degraded.

Put it this way, a lot of other sports manage. In rugby disciplinary action is taken regardless of if the referee saw the incident at the time or not. This is just football being football, same with goal line technology.

The thing is, the FA are probably ignorant enough to believe that their system works better than anything other sports can think of, but just like goal line technology, they will wake up 10 years too late.

I wonder how John Carver reacted to Cabaye's tackle on Jay Spearing last season and his clashes with Cleverly and Dembele.

Some Yankee perspective......

The NFL front office will go back and review bad hits during games and retroactively fine players if there appears to be excessive or illegal contact.

And this sort of thing is done because referees aren't viewed as infallable. The league accepts that they are going to miss some things and mess up some calls. And that's with 7 (I believe) officials watching the game from various angles/positions.

Some Yankee perspective......

The NFL front office will go back and review bad hits during games and retroactively fine players if there appears to be excessive or illegal contact.

And this sort of thing is done because referees aren't viewed as infallable. The league accepts that they are going to miss some things and mess up some calls. And that's with 7 (I believe) officials watching the game from various angles/positions.

Sounds a bit too much like common sense that for me for the FA to follow.

Massadio Haidara: Newcastle defender avoids serious injury

Newcastle United have confirmed defender Massadio Haidara has avoided serious injury following Callum McManaman's tackle in the 2-1 defeat by Wigan Athletic last weekend.

Scans showed the 20-year-old's left leg suffered bone bruising and soft tissue damage, but no significant bone or ligament injuries.
The club expects Haidara to return to the first team in early April.

He will continue to be assessed by the side's medical staff.

In a statement, the club said: "He has been very lucky that he has not suffered more serious injury and this positive diagnosis in no way lessens the club's views with regard to the severity of the tackle from which it resulted."

Haidara joined Newcastle from Nancy in January and has made five appearances, two as a substitute.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21899731

Put it this way, a lot of other sports manage. In rugby disciplinary action is taken regardless of if the referee saw the incident at the time or not. This is just football being football, same with goal line technology.

The thing is, the FA are probably ignorant enough to believe that their system works better than anything other sports can think of, but just like goal line technology, they will wake up 10 years too late.

Yep that's a fair point.

I think the game would definitely change if the FA were to rule in this instance - as you say it might not make it different to other sports. On the other hand it could vastly change the culture of football with regards the referee.

I'm just not sure that step should be taken on the basis of this tackle which, I believe, was made by a young and inexperienced player and did not have malicious intent.

The FA have set a precedent for taking retrospective action, a few years back, when Ben Thatcher smashed Pedro Mendes with an elbow. The ref had seen it, but it was so bad that the FA still took action. I'm not sure if the rules have changed since then, but if they could do it then, why not now?