by 112-1077774096 » Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:21 pm
football 365
Newcastle United's Danny Guthrie is likely to have his three-match ban for the tackle that broke the leg of Hull City striker Craig Fagan extended by the FA.
The governing body has confirmed it is studying the tackle, for which Guthrie was dismissed, and is poised to extend the three-match suspension his red card automatically triggered.
"We are looking at the incident," said a spokesman for the FA, "and have the right to alter the suspension if necessary."
Although Guthrie, who apparently made no attempt to play the ball in the closing seconds of Hull's win at St James' Park, has offered Fagan a personal apology, Hull boss Phil Brown has demanded that the midfielder's ban is increased. Fagan, who left the game on crutches, is likely to be out of action for two months after x-rays revealed a fracture.
"I think a red card and a three-game ban is insufficient," Browne complained. "He has put a fellow player into a cast for a minimum of six weeks and possibly three months.
"It was a direct result of a reckless and callous challenge from a player obviously affected by the situation that's going on at Newcastle and decided to take the law into his own hands.
"It cannot be tolerated, it needs to be kicked out of the game. I believe it was a coward's challenge. It was trying to show the Newcastle fans that he cares. He's definitely got a three-match ban but how can kicking a fellow professional in front of 50,000 people prove that you're a hard man? He could be out for six weeks, he could be out for three months, who knows?"
Were the FA to extend Guthrie's ban, their decision wouldn't be without precedent. Two years ago, they banned Ben Thatcher for eight matches after the then Manchester City knocked Pedro Mendes unconscious.