Allardyce bemoans tackling clampdown after Arsenal-Man City furore

West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce. Picture: Sean Dempsey/PA Wire

By Nick Wright Wednesday, January 16, 2013
7:18 AM

Sam Allardyce believes tackling is a dying art and says he has given up coaching it with his West Ham players.

Allardyce’s comments come after Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean in the champions’ 2-0 win at Arsenal on Sunday for a tackle that Allardyce deemed “perfect”.

The Belgian’s red card has since been overturned after a successful appeal and Allardyce believes the crack down on tackling is getting out of hand.

“We don’t coach tackling any more,” said the Hammers boss ahead of tonight’s FA Cup replay at Manchester United. “That’s rather sad.”

He continued: “We teach stay on your feet. We teach, pinch, nick, intercept.

“If you are going to ground try and be 100% sure you are going to win the ball.

“Now they are saying that even if the tackle is a perfectly good one, if it’s ferocious in their eyes or is done with too much force, then that is still a booking or a sending off. Well that’s ridiculous.”

But the 58-year-old refused to blame referees for the current climate, instead directing his ire at the game’s governing bodies.

He said: “Most defenders in today’s football when they go to ground really go to ground for the ball. I don’t see too many today trying to go for the player.

“There are occasions when players lose their heads, yes. Get the red card out, send them off, sort them out.

“But I just do think that the huge amount of pressure on referees and this particular area is another added pressure.

“They are all going to make mistakes but you make more mistakes the more you are put under pressure.”