Wegner softens on stance
Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger has retracted comments calling for Birmingham defender Martin Taylor to be banned for life following his horror tackle on Eduardo on Saturday.
Taylor was shown a red card in the opening moments of the 2-2 draw at St Andrews after he caught the Gunners striker, who apparently suffered a badly broken leg. Immediately after the game a furious Wenger said: "This guy should never play football again. What is he doing on the football pitch?"
But the Arsenal boss said on Saturday night: "On reflection, I feel that my comments about Martin Taylor were excessive. I said what I did immediately after the game in the heat of the moment."
He added: "It was a highly emotional afternoon and we were all shocked by the injury to Eduardo," said Wenger, who expects the Croatian to miss this summer's European Championships."
Kelly calls out Wenger on comments
LONDON - Birmingham defender Stephen Kelly believes the extent of Arsenal striker Eduardo's horrific injury influenced referee Mike Dean's decision to red card Martin Taylor during Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash at St Andrews.
Eduardo suffered the injury after only three minutes of yesterday's 2-2 draw and the Croatia international is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undergoing surgery last night.
He was today transferred from Birmingham's Selly Oak Hospital to an unnamed London hospital, where he will undergo further treatment.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger initially called for Taylor to be banned for life from football, but later retracted the comment and admitted it was "excessive" and said "in the heat of the moment".
Kelly said: "I think Mr Wenger's (initial) comments after the game were so harsh. That is disgraceful talk from Arsene Wenger. It is terrible. You know the way Martin is. He slid along the ground.
"He has gone in with one foot. You see players going in week in and week out, diving in with two feet, and lunging and that sort of thing is a disgraceful challenge.
"It is a terrible thing for Wenger to say, especially about someone like Martin.''
Kelly feels the challenge barely merited a sending-off and believes Dean took into account the sickening setback suffered by Eduardo who will be 25 tomorrow.
The former Tottenham player said: "It was harsh Tiny (Taylor) being sent off.
"Tiny has gone in and it wasn't a malicious tackle and the reason the ref has sent him off is because he has seen Eduardo has broken his leg.
"I don't think you can send a player off for that. That's football. It can happen. It is an accident. Tiny didn't go in two-footed. He didn't lunge. He didn't dive in.
"Everyone knows what Tiny is like. He is such a nice bloke. He has not got a malicious bone in his body so it was very harsh for the ref to see the broken leg and then send him off because of that."
Blues boss Alex McLeish is confident a "distraught'' Taylor will be able to put the traumatic experience of inflicting the serious injury on Eduardo - however unintentional - behind him.
He said: "We will give Martin support. Everyone here will support him. Most people in the game know Martin and I am sure he will get the support of everyone else because he is hurting at the moment.
"I would like to think it wouldn't affect him. He has made the challenge and Martin would always go for the ball honestly.
"Arsenal are feeling a bit angry about the whole thing at the moment so we will let the dust die before we make any reasoned approaches to them.
"But I am sure Martin would definitely like to go and see Eduardo.''
However, Croatia captain Niko Kovac has blasted Taylor for the "brutality'' of the tackle.
The Gunners are set to provide an update on Eduardo's condition tomorrow but he will definitely miss this summer's European Championships and there are fears his career could be threatened.
Kovac was scathing about Taylor, saying: "I can't believe this happened. Also, I can't believe such brutality still exists in football.
"I don't even want to speculate about the time of his (Eduardo's) absence.
"Let's wait for the doctors to give their opinion.''
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic said: "This is horrible. The fact he won't play at the Euros is less important - most important is that he recovers as soon as possible and resumes his footballing career.
"He is a great guy. Of course I will visit him very soon, trying to cheer him up.''
As well as missing Euro 2008, Eduardo must also be considered extremely doubtful for the start of Croatia's 2010 World Cup qualifying programme, including their September 10 clash with England in Zagreb.
