Lionesses Match Against Nigeria

[Bravehearted]

Loren James should be sent home in disgrace for stomping on that Nigerian girl.
If the had been a white girl there would have been more crowd reaction and that person would probably be given their ticket home. No excuses for a professional player to vent their frustrations for her teams poor play.

[Ken4155]

I was trying to inject a little perspective into the debate, Andy. Yes, James stood on her opponent's rear end. Yes it was deliberate. Yes it warranted a red card. No excuses. But it wasn't a career-threatening incident - far from it.
Some of you are going a tad overboard. Again, in my most humble opinion.

[ToraToraTora]

AH: "I don't believe fouls are graded on some sort of 'severity' system, nor should they be. " - yet you want her sent home! By your logic every foul should be sent home, that would end the tournament very quickly! The law of the game was correctly applied and the rules of the competition say she'll miss the next match. That's an end of it. The "shoulds" and "should nots" of armchair sport critics are neither here nor there.

[naomi24]

Can't help thinking that if the foul came from the other side some here would regard it as rather more serious.

[anneasquith]

Very dirty play .

[ClareTG0ld]

Fouls should obviously be graded on some sort of severity system. In the first place, they already are to an extent: fouls either get nothing, or a yellow card, or a straight red. But occasionally even a straight red isn't enough to fit the "crime", and a longer suspension is necessary.

In this case, for example, it obviously makes a difference that Lauren James didn't stamp with any great force, and didn't target the head or something -- either of which would have surely justified a suspension measured not in matches but in months, or at any rate something far more than just a one- to three-match suspension. Also, it evidently *is* relevant that the victim has forgiven her and moved on, if nothing else because it reinforces the point that there was no serious harm done.

This was stupid, reckless, and deserves to be condemned; and a punishment to the effect of keeping her out of the remainder of the tournament is reasonable. But it wasn't especially dangerous, or violent, or career-ending for the "stampee".

[choux]

Disgraceful behaviour, imo, from "heroine" to "thug" in one moment's madness. No sympathy for her whatsoever for a total lack of sportsmanship. She jeopordised the team's chances of continuing in the Championship by making them one player short.

In comparison, how good was it to see 3 English players console the Nigerian goalkeeper after the penalties?

[Gromit]

The accusation is that she has been leniently treated because she is a black player. And if she had been a white player, the repercussions would have been worse.

Utter codswallop. As usual no proof to substantiate the charge.

[brainiac]

I think a red card was all that it merited.

Anyone remember what the revolting Roy Keane did to Alf-Inge Haaland? He'd nursed a grudge for about 3 years, and when he got an opportunity in a match against him, he launched a premeditated attack in the form of a 'tackle' that pretty much ended Haaland's career. He should have been charged with assault, but nothing happened after the match was over. An utter disgrace, and I cannot abide seeing Keane being paid handsomely by ITV to pontificate about football.

[Sqad]

Sent home? nonsense.
It was a foul and deservedly issued a red card.

Of course there are grades of foul, just as there are grades of rape or wine or almost anything .

In my opinion a reflex reaction on the part of Loren James on the buttock, thick strong muscular area of the body which in almost all cases would produce a trivial injury.

[barney4444]

I thought Nigeria were not treated fairly throughout the whole game, should have had a penalty awarded in normal time, if England go out next round then justice would be served!!

[brainiac]

I think the over-hyped England won't get past Colombia in the next match

[MargoTester]

It was a Beckhamesque moment of madness and I can't remember there being a mention of him being sent home. A red card is the appropriate punishment.

[ClareTG0ld]

// I think the over-hyped England won't get past Colombia in the next match//

They haven't looked at their best all tournament, no. Doesn't help that key players like Beth Mead are absent. But overhyped? Nonsense. They're European Champions, and have won a couple of other minor events this year; it's reasonable to regard them as one of the main challengers for the title, especially with Germany and the US out of the picture. I wouldn't be *shocked* if Colombia win, exactly, because of the form issue, but that's not because England are overhyped.

[andy-hughes]

On reflection, I think my judgement that the player should be sent home was harsh, and I retract it.

That said, I think the manager and media should absolutely dial down the mitigation about her being 'young' and 'tired'.

Excusing bad behaviour allows for more bad behaviour, and the manager should be castigate her player in public, not offering excuses for an offence under the rules of the game.

[anneasquith]

“ young and tired” ? maybe she shouldn’t have been playing ?

[youngmafbog]

She fouled, deliberately, got a red and no doubt a rollicking in the dressing room and from her team mates. Happens all the time in competitive sport.

No need to be sent home or anything, just learn and move on.

[Maydup]

Her opponents marked her so closely that she got frustrated and earned herself a red card. Her fate will be determined by a FIFA panel - a one match ban is automatic but she could face three.
Let’s hope not, she will learn from it but doesn’t need it to ruin her career.