We will never raise the game in England to world class levels until we:
1. have more insightful refs who know all the tricks and have the mandate to severely punish the gangsters.
Example: Taylor should be out for at least the same time as Eduardo. He, and Birmingham have GAINED from his "big fella" tackle.

2. Favour the more talented, skilful players.
3. Address the gap between the mega rich clubs and the dirt poor ones. Sunderland, for example, pick the utterly inadequate central defender, Nosworthy because they cannot afford to compete for a Woodgate or a Ferdinand.
Taylor, also, is NOT Premier standard.
4. Suggest we rethink money distributed among clubs so that the rich-poor gap is dramatically reduced.
Cut the number of teams in the Premier. And limit the number of games clubs can play in one season. This will prevent clubs like Man U greedily playing in Saudi Arabia - simply to boost their "corporate profits".
5. Apply the above to young kids.

leigh vernier, riyadh , ksa

It's a man's game, and tackling is integral to the sport. Does anyone think that tackling should be banned from rugby? All this "beautiful game" crap is a middle class repackaging of a working class sport. If you can't appreciate football for what it is, warts and all, then go and find another sport to tinker with. I'm sick and tired of hearing people bleat about footballers' conduct as though it were something shocking. We need to rescue the sport from the unending calls for new rules, new sporting culture, etc, etc. Can we have our football back please?

Jason, London,

Coal miners face far greater risks, but the pay isn't quite the same.

David Masu, Zürich,

This has only ever been a "beautiful game" from a skill point of view, it's never been a clean game. It's origins are from hundreds of people trying to get the ball past some posts with no regard for the physical well being of other players. The game has always had it's hard men and it's only recently that the game has softened to the point it is now.

No one likes to see serious injuries like this, but it's not the first and won't be the last.

CW, Suffolk,

perhaps if the referee in the united v arsenal f.a. cup game had sent off four arsenal players for violent play, as he should have done, the birmingham players would have been extra careful with their challenges, knowing that they would be punished?

jem, london, uk

What a load of nonsense - it is almost universally agreed this was an accident (even Arsene "I didn't see anything" Wenger retracted his initial comments - if his player had done it he wouldn't have seen seen it). The tackle was late as Taylor was outplayed by Eduardo and could not react as Eduardo was too quick for him, by which time he was committed to his move.

This tosh about aggresive play - it was studs first as Taylor was going for the ball and aiming at it. It is unfortunate that Eduardo was too skillful for his own good and managed to move the ball out of the way of the tackle and put himself in the firing line.

To use this as an example of aggression in the game is feeble-minded beyond belief. Have you read the Times' own account of the tackle on this website? And it took 3 of you to write this? The Times is overstaffed I think.

TC, london,

The tackle was clumsy and awkward, but not malicious. It was a genuine attempt to get the ball that went horribly wrong, and the injury was a hideous, freak accident. Anybody who watches football regularly has seen much worse than this without such a terrible outcome.

Yet how convenient for the media that it happened to be committed by an average player at an unfashionable club. Rooney has a history of reckless and malicious challenges when he doesn't get his own way (Ronaldo World Cup anyone?), Eboue broke Terry's foot. Yet nothing is said of life bans for them. If the media really wanted to do something about dangerous tackles, why not them? Why wait until now? Clearly it's easier to make Martin Taylor the scapegoat for all that is wrong with the English game, because he's not as talented as the others and his club doesn't have as much influence as the so-called 'big four'. Cowardly approach from the media again, spare us the moral posturing if you can't be consistent

Sophie, Liverpool,

Players are penalised for reckless mistimed challenges in the majority of games. It's easy to stress the fact the challenge did not look serious, but it is all downue to the angle you see the challenge from. Taylors challenge from one angle looks like a collision. On the 'warts and all' position it is quite frankly horrific. Eduardo may never play again and a professional like Taylor should be punished severeley; a ban to the end of the season would be a mark of intent by the FA as to their stance on 'reckless' challenges. If anything it is justifying the red cards that referees give out for dangerous challenges such as Taylors.

Paul, Glasgow, Britain

I share the sentiments of many Arsenal--and, one would hope, all--fans, in being repelled by the brutality of the “tackle”, and even more its consequences for Edu. I'm also shocked by the complete lack of comprehension by so many commentators, including, recently, Stephen Kelly, the Birmingham defender, who said the ref's red card decision was influenced by the broken leg! The ref sees an appalling tackle, someone’s leg is broken (the ref cannot know this at the time of the card), likely ruin a career, and because it’s unintentional—which is what? —no red card! Kelly represents football's present amorality, home to fandom sociopaths, unable to see wrong except when in their interest. The Taylors & the "it-wasn’t-that-bad/intended" don't get what’s been written into the fabric of a game that Arsenal were and will continue to be the primary target--until, that is, something dramtically punative is done. Edu’s “accident” was waiting to happen. And people get upset with Gallas?

Pablo Idahosa, Toronto, Ontario

surely football IS a contact sport?

I think it's dangerous to create a link between the length on the sidelines with injury and the length of the punishment. The severity of injuries doesn't necessarily correlate with the harshness of the tackle and it's individual reactions and split second timings that can make such a difference. This could create so many issues that would challenge the regulation of football, and if there's one thing English football doesn't need, it is bureaucracy. Imagine a hard challenge on Harry Kewell, that could see a defender punished for months upon months (!)

Why should footballers say such heavy prices if "accidents do happen"? Why put this burden on players? We don't want to see players be so worried that they have to pussyfoot around. Let's not advocate making our sport non-contact.

daniel smith, Sheffield, UK

Wishing you a safe and speedy recovery, Eduardo. My thoughts and prayers are with you. As a nurse, I advise you to rest well, pray, be positive, and never give up on your goal of full recovery.

Stephanie, Monrovia, USA/CA

please folks this was an intentional foul, not necessarily did taylor want the outcome. if i mean to slap someone in the face there is a chance that one of my fingers can poke them in the eye and cause more serious damage than i intenede. i am not saying to hang this dude but saying this was not an intentional FOUL (not damage) is crazy. so did he mistakenly slide with his foot off the ground with studs up and not even a little bend in his own leg. Trust me i believe in mercy but i also believe in being truthful about ur mistakes. If dude is too slow fo the game then he should stop playing? quite simple.

God Bless u Ed! i hope Taylor can also get over the mental pressure he must be under!

Be Blessed!

Paulsito, Miami, USA/FL

Taylor's tackle was a slightly mis-timed challenge for the ball. It wasn't a "studs up, over the ball" challenge, such as have gone unpunished this season. It wasn't a "Roy Keane going in to sort Alfie Haaland out" career ender. It wasn't a petulant "you're taking the mickey out of us so I'm going to fly in on you" like we saw on Nani just last week.

Wenger's comments, a full 90 minutes after the challenge (during which he must have seen a replay) are a disgrace. He is a representative of his club, and suggesting a professional player has deliberately attempted to end the career of another is slanderous. To suggest that he should lose his livelihood is petulant in the extreme. Certainly not a "thinking manager". But realistically - how can Taylor protect his reputation in this instance?

Mr Wenger needs to be invited to refrain from appearing in the media until he can represent his club with something approaching dignity and respect.

Lee D, Reading, UK

What is supposed to be so specially modern about all this? The mother of one of the first great (amateur!) footballers said she was worried about him coming home with a broken. leg "Do not worry'" said one of ther leading members of the of the FA, who had often seen her son play, "if he does it will not be one of his own". Hard tacking and hacking were part of the game 130 years ago.

Of course, players wore proper shinguards and boots back then. Some baseball players went back to boots after a number of serious ankle injuries. Perhaps soccer players should consider wearing more than the ballet shoes they wear now.

And why do we get so concerend over the odd broken leg? Dave Mackay suufered two breaks and there is a whole chapter in Stanley Matthews' Football Review (1955) about players coming back after leg breaks.

Roger Tilbury, Worthing,

For the first time in my life I enjoy a sport . It hurts to see a young player with so much talent get hurt like he did. My prayers go out to him and strength to get him back on his feet. One day I hope to see him play again. In terms of the foul committed, I belive Taylor was no where near the ball and was an intentional foul to hurt him with cause. My opinion is he is suspended until Eduardo is back and that means if he doesn't come back neither should Taylor. The ball is used for cushion incase of these accidental fouls, but he's no where near the ball. Good luck Eduardo and you will have a Gunner here in Miami for you. Have a restful Birthday.

Fernand Betancourt., Miami, USA/FL

I think red card is nothing, they should punish such a player like taylor...this is Football not karate or kung fu...anyway i hope Eduardo get well soon and continue his career, he's such a fantastic player..
Happy Birthday Eduardo, i wish you all the best.

Arsenal Fan.

Armen, from USA.

Armen, Los Angeles, California

Whilst it may not have been an intentional foul, it is now time for the FA and referees to stand up and put an end to this type of tackle. We all criticise the European refs for being too strict on tackling, but now we must all accept that tackles even approaching this type must be stopped.....even if it means outlawing slide tackle completely......... I have seen this option used successfully in operation where a free kick is awarded for a slide tackle, this would stop even accidental injuries / fouls where a slide tackle is mistimed!

matt reid, Norwich, Norfolk

I believe it's only fair to punish the player the same amount of time it takes the injured player to get back in the pitch.

Fernando, Baldwin Park, California

Dave Busst was injured trying to tackle another player, fairly. His case is completely different.

If you look at the replays honestly, though, you can see that it wasn't a particularly bad tackle and poor Eduardo was just very unlucky. There have been vicious, two-footed, studs-up, long-distance tackles recently and those players deserve to be banned for seriously long periods, even if the man they were attacking managed to jump out of the way. Martin Taylor isn't one of those players. I wish Eduardo for a full and speedy recovery

Frank Upton, Solihull,

Serious tackles have no place in football. Some players are out to hurt their oponents in order to stop them, which I think is wrong. I am not saying that this is what happened in Taylor's case. I remember Keane of Manchester United during his playing days bragging that he wished he had broken his opponents leg i.e. because he did not like him and that was the only way to stop him. He did not apologise for it as he meant every word of it, which I think was disgusting, trying to end your opponents career for your own benefit! I think the FA should consider serious punishment instead of just 3 match ban. I hope and pray that Eduardo pulls through and back to playing with Arsenal.

Nina Gaskell, Dartford, Kent

I think it a SERIOUS character defect for the ENGLISH media to tacitly condone savagery perpetrated by ENGLISH players in the name of "he didn't mean to". Last week Eboue went in with a leg outstretched but with his eyes firmly on the ball but he received all round condemnation. By downplaying the gravity of Taylor's irresponsible action you are indirectly discouraging English youngsters from taking up this "BEAUTIFUL GAME". Any wonder why the English game knows no meaningful victory since 1966 and why the prognosis for the future is dim?

Gilbert Phiri, Swindon, UK

No one honestly believes that Taylor WANTED to break somebody's leg , that in other words Taylor's offence was INTENTIONAL. So to those defending Taylor, I say that that discussion is beside the point. Players are usually penalised by referees and by football authorities, not primarily for INTENTIONAL offences, but for RECKLESS offences that compromise the fairness of play and endanger other players. Since Taylor's tackle was at the very least DANGEROUS, a punishment is deserved? How much punishment? Maybe - just maybe - a life ban would be too much. But one thing is for certain - there can be no justice in football if the higest punishment for an offence of this magnitude and consequece is a three-match ban - the same as for an ordinary red card or even for accumulating five yellow cards.

Walther, Nairobi, Kenya

Rob, I think you got this all mixed. There are tackles and then there is sheer violence -- the type of violence promoted by teams like Blackburn and Bolton as a way to counter arsenal, and in in complicity with referees.

Attitude like yours are exactly why English football will go no where .. its a game of skills. For those interested in that sort of contact sports, there is always rugby, american football, boxing, karate, to name a few ...

Football is a beautiful game of skill, and movement and clean tackles .. taylor went at least 1 foot over the ball to get Eduardo, and all he gets is encouragement from his team-mates and the media. It takes events like this to show up the ugliness of the english media. In fact the author of this article is the only one who has covered the subject and failed to water it down by focus on how much of a gentleman Taylor is, or how wenger is out of order for saying what he did, or how our captain made us proud by showing he cares a great deal.

Jan Goona, Reading, UK

"Sadly, the 'beautiful game' is not so beautiful these days with so many players committing professional fouls which go unchecked/unpunished by the FA/referees alike... The FA is to blame here by not punishing sufficiently those who should be punished and by fining the 'soft' targets when they speak their minds, ie Arsene Wenger when he speaks only the truth. "

Chrissie Manning


perhaps if the referee in the united v arsenal f.a. cup game had sent off four arsenal players for violent play, as he should have done, the birmingham players would have been extra careful with their challenges, knowing that they would be punished?

jem, london, uk

Managers as well as Referees in the UK bear the responsibility for this horrible event. Last but not least the Media. I just can't believe they sugar down what happenned by comments such as (Taylor is not a vicious or malicious player or Wenger apologised for his initial comments, and so on). For Christ sake what we saw on television was a crime. There is no other word about it. Taylor executed the crime (which he probably regrets now) but the moral instigators of this crime are football managers, referees and the media. As long as it is allowed to counter football skills with brutal force on the field and feel morally right about it, there will never be any hope for English football.

The Coach, London,

This was a sad and unpleasant 'industrial accident.' If you want a game without tackling then try Netball or something.

Football is on poor ground already with diving and referees who think they are part of the entertainment. If you want to see a ball passed around with no contact then football is not your game. Go elsewhere before you ruin it even more.

Rob Hollis, Huddersfield, UK

GOOD LUCK EDUARDO. hope to see you back playing again as soon as poss.

paul, london,

Managers as well as Referees in the UK bear the responsibility for this horrible event. Last but not least the Media. I just can't beleive they sugar down what happenned by comments such as (Taylor is not a vicious or malicious player or Wenger apologised for his initial comments, and so on). For Christ sake what we saw on television was a crime. There is no other word about it. Taylor executed the crime (which he probably regrets now) but the moral instigators of this crime are football managers, referees and the media. As long as it is allowed to counter football skills with brutal force on the field there will never be any hope for English football.

The Coach, London,

If the injured player had been Gerrard or Rooney the press would be demanding severe punishment against Taylor and Bham.

England will never win a major compettion until the premiership is based on skill and not the lowest common denominator - thuggery.

Jac, Gwynedd, Wales

I completely concur with the comments by "Soccer Fan" above. The punishment should fit the crime; and although I don't think Taylor meant to cripple Eduardo, his ill-timed tackle was malicious and intended to put the Arsenal striker out of the game. Sadly, the 'beautiful game' is not so beautiful these days with so many players committing professional fouls which go unchecked/unpunished by the FA/referees alike, particularly when they are perpetrated by 'home team' players! The FA is to blame here by not punishing sufficiently those who should be punished and by fining the 'soft' targets when they speak their minds, ie Arsene Wenger when he speaks only the truth.

I hope and pray Eduardo makes a full recovery and that the FA will act with an appropriate punishment for once in its feebleness!

Chrissie Manning
Lover of good clean football such as Arsenal play
Bordeaux, France

C A Manning, Bordeaux, France

Let's be clear about this. Taylor was not standing upright when he his foot hit Eduardo. Furthermore, the evidence clearly shows that he hit Eduardo's shin with studs, then raked down and pushed through the front of the ankle, detaching leg from ankle. Whether there was malice on Taylor's part or not is really irrelevant. There was certainly intent to stop Eduardo in his tracks with an illegal tackle, though I would accept that Taylor had no idea his challenge would be so damaging. Unless English referees get serious about consistent enforcement of the rules - which they presently are not - this will happen again and again and again

martin village, London,

It never was a 'beautiful game'. It's a competition where men play men, aand in common with all testosterone soaked male pastimes it can get rough. And then accidents happen and things break.

At least, that's how it used to be. Before the metrosexual, fashion guru, spin-aware celebraties caught the imagination of the media.

Mike Poulsen, Readin, Berkshire

i am sure Eduardo will be back. He is a great player and a character that doesn't give up! Look at Ivica Klasnic of Werder, everyone wrote him off and he's back big time! Happy birthday Dudu!

Nikky, Rijeka, Croatia

You cannot punish the player for the challenge. He was standing upright and had no intent other than to get the ball. That said, My prayers are with Eduardo.

RIk, Leicester,

It is no longer ' the beautiful game'. It has become nasty with nasty people inspired only by money running the show.

Paul, London , GB

I agree with the first comment. This is a beautiful game, and events such as these must not go unpunished.

Uriel Alessandro, Brownsville,

well to be frank, i think martin taylor did not mean to end eduardo's career, though the tackle was hard and brought tears to my eyes as i am a gunner and really love dudu as a player, i hope he gets well real soon and wish him a belated birthday

dennis, lagos, nigeria

It is very unfortunate that a promising young player like Eduardo should be thinking whether he will play again. I certainly hope he will someday.

Carlos J. Fiol, San Germán, Puerto Rico

To whom it may concern,
Great unbiased,objective and informative article.
Soccer,not being a 'contact' or 'blood sport, must
uphold it's sense of fairplay,values,morals and sportsmanship. The governing body of the Premier Leaguemust make sure players are responsible for their actions,and that penalty or punishment should reflectthe severity of those actions.
If Eduardo is sidelined for 6 months(let's send our hopeful energy to him)--Taylor should too,and if (knock on wood) Eduardo's career is over,so should Taylor's...
Accidents do happen, but intent to do harm has no place in in this sport.

Sincerely yours,
Soccer fan,

Huang Dawei.
China

Huang D., beijing, china

he's going to begin physical therapy in about a month, he's broken his tibia but fibular is fine, his ligaments in his ankle are also fine so its not as serious as first thought

scott, Kingston, surrey