Martin Taylor returns to action - what now for this marked man?

Filed in archive Players on March 19, 2008

28 year-old Birmingham City centre half Martin Taylor returned to action last night following his three match suspension. He played all ninety minutes for the reserves in a 3-3 draw with Tottenham.

Nothing dramatic happened, Taylor played OK and proved his fitness. The stadium at Solihull has rarely seen so much interest from the press and the media however. Television crews, Radio 5 live, all the national press and some international news men were there. What were they hoping for?

Of course, they were hoping to see a heavy tackle from the big defender. Preferably late and even better if it was high. Perfect if his studs were showing, what a great picture that would give them. Unfortunately for the media Taylor didn't produce another tackle to remind everyone of his horror show on Arsenal's Eduardo. It wasn't likely because Taylor has played 193 first team games and has, to my knowledge, only ever received two red cards.

Taylor isn't a thug. The tackle he put in on Eduardo was terrible. There is no excuse. It wasn't, however, any worse than a hundred tackles by other players this season. The difference is that no other players have the media watching their every move to see if they do it again.

We all want dangerous tackles outlawed from the game and the offenders dealt with appropriately. What we don't need is a witch hunt or a campaign of hatred like that suffered by David Beckham back in 1998.

FIFA had called for an extended ban on Taylor but the FA have rightly, unusually, decided that the three match ban will stand and that will be the end of the punishment. I understand both arguments. Is the drunk driver who mounts a pavement and kills somebody worse than the drunk driver who mounts the pavement and gets away with it because there is nobody there?

Whatever happens from here Taylor will be singled out for special treatment by fans, players and referees. His every move will be watched and assessed closely and should he miss time a tackle then expect many stories of his thuggery to appear all over the tabloid press.

As a big strong defender Taylor faces a very difficult time proving that he is no thug. Of course, at least he has got the chance to play. The same can't be said for Eduardo.