Newcastle Unlikely To Sue McManaman - But Still No Apology

Just read on F365:

Newcastle are unlikely to sue Wigan striker Callum McManaman for his horror tackle on full-back Massadio Haidara.

The 21-year-old escaped punishment for the challenge which left Frenchman Haidara in hospital when the Football Association ruled they could not charge him retrospectively because the incident had been seen by one of the match officials at the time and not deemed worthy of a red card.

It will take a second scan next week to determine the severity of the damage and subsequently how long the 20-year-old will be out of action, but it is understood the club currently has no plans to resort to the courts.

That could, however, still be an option open to the player who, it is understood, is yet to receive an apology.

Haidara as been inundated with messages of support since he left the field on a stretcher and early indications are that his injury may not be as serious as was first feared, or indeed might have been.

But as they await definitive news, Newcastle, who issued a strongly-worded statement from managing director Derek Llambias in the wake of the FA's confirmation, are considering their next move.

Llambias, who described McManaman's challenge as "extremely dangerous", indicated that the club would lobby the FA to change their rules to allow them to take retrospective action against players in similar circumstances with the incident at the DW Stadium falling outside the "exceptional circumstances" of the current arrangements.

One of the avenues open to them is to raise their concerns with the Premier League to prompt a discussion at a meeting of the 20 clubs.

Should the clubs between them agree, they could submit proposals as part of the ongoing consultative process between the game's so-called "stakeholders", the Premier League, the Football League, the Professional Footballers' Association, the League Managers' Association, Professional Game Match Officials Limited and the National Game.

However, the current procedures were agreed and adopted during the last closed-season and like any other rules and regulations, could be changed until the end of the season.

While McManaman was not charged with any offence, Newcastle's assistant manager John Carver and Wigan coach Graham Barrow have until 4pm on Friday to respond to allegations of improper conduct as a result of their respective actions during the aftermath of the incident.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old from Ashington in Northumberland was arrested by police and later issued with a fixed penalty notice after sending a tweet to McManaman.

Northumbria police confirmed the teenager had been arrested on Monday on suspicion of making a malicious communication on Twitter.

 

Got to say that as bad as the tackle was I wouldn't have liked to see the club going down that route, so this is a relief. Its up to Haidara if he wanted to do anything, but the club should keep it within football IMO.

 

Hopefully it will be an indication that he isn't too seriously injured if they aren't going to sue. If he were put for a lengthy period of time I'm sure Newcastle would pursue some type of action.

 

But the poliuce must have seen the incident on Twitter so and reprospective punishment should not be viable??

 

I really hope that is true. apart from wishing Haidara well himself, we need him for Europe. Things are getting way too thin on the ground again for my liking.

 

Yeah injuries are starting to bite again. Haidara has tweeted that he is getting better and better so hopefully some confirmation on the time scale will come soon.

 

And as soon as its announced that he has escaped serious injury we can expect the cries of 'storm in a teacup' etc. If he has escaped serious injury it is depite the tackle and not because it wasn't as bad as has been claimed.

Find it hard to believe that he hasn't received an apology yet too. You'd think Wigan would be keen to get it done and dusted asap.

 

They are making themselves look a bit ****ty if you ask me. With Dave whelans comments on top. No class

 

I think once the dust settles then a lot of the reasonable fans on both sides will start to see things a bit less emotionally. Dave Whelan on the other hand will still be a tit!

 

Apart from being a thug, the fact that he hasn't apologised to Haidara just show's what a moron he is!

 

As Wigan have taken the stance of 'No wrong doing' it is highly unlikely they will apologise, if they do so now it will be because of public pressure.
It makes my blood boil that two weeks ago, Whelan wept during an interview about his career ending injury, and how he never received an apology, what a total **** this man is!

 

I'm beginning to wonder if Dave Whelan has something to do with this. His hatred of Mike Ashley is no secret. Roberto Martinez even said on MOTD2 that if the player had not already done so then they would be apologising as soon as possible because that is the sort of club they are. I believe he meant it at the time. DW may just have told them they are not allowed to apologise, possibly citing legal action as an excuse. I think a lot of his comments are irrational and that his actions may be too now.

 

Whelan is a coffin dodger of the worse sort. He looks at least 90 but I fear he is even older. Some sort of Satanic pact has given him unnatural long life but has left him completly Quadrospased in the brain department

 

I agree. I don't think Whelan, Martinez and McManaman are doing any favours for the reputation of Wigan Athletic at all.

I believe it was Gandalf that that said yesterday that McManaman, Martinez etc will have to ride this out longer now than they would have done had McManaman been banned and a line drawn under this, and I agree. McManaman will probably only ever be known as ‘oh you know that bloke that nearly broke that player’s leg and got away with it’, until he moves to another Club where he will become known as ‘oh you know that bloke that used to play for Wigan Athletic that nearly broke that player’s leg and got away with it’.

I think the outcome of this will be a lot harder for Wigan Athletic than Newcastle United. It will also be interesting to see how Halsey gets on in his next match; I've not heard he's suddenly retired or anything so assume he will continue to stroll around a pitch not seeing very much for some time to come yet.

 

This is why I said in a post yesterday that I thought it was odd that a Chairman would come out and get involved in something like this.

 

Just to put this one to bed, how do you think Sir Bobby would have handled things?

 

More than anybody else, it is Dave Whelan who is now annoying me. At least McManaman messed up (albeit horribly) with a split second decision. Dave Whelan is planning what he says and even actively seeking out opportunities to get on SSN and incite Newcastle. I don't belive that even blinkers allow him to see the tackle the way he describes. There is something more sinister going on here.

 

I believe he would have been passionately angry on the touchline (probably a bit more dignified than JC) and then afterwards he would have been genuinley upset - both for the player but also for the injustice.

 

I'm not sure if they could afford to have Mcthingy banned, fighting relegation, still involved in the cup, huge loss in revenue if they're relegated, as you say tough, peculiar for a chairman to make a public statement.

 

He's going to come out with 'The refs always right'.