Hurzeler: Never a Red Card Friday, 17th Jan 2025 09:48 Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler dismissed claims that his striker Joao Pedro should have been sent off for charging into Town keeper Christian Walton during the second half of his team’s 2-0 victory over the Blues at Portman Road.
Pedro jumped into Walton at pace with the ball already well gone in the 53rd minute, his shoulder impacting with the the keeper’s face, leaving the former Albion man needing treatment and perhaps still feeling the effects when Kaoru Mitoma scored the opening goal six minutes later.
“Why?” Hurzeler said when asked whether it should have been a red card. “I think he comes too late, but he has no bad purpose, he doesn't want to hurt him, so I don’t see a red card for this, never.”
Reflecting on the match, his team’s first victory in nine league games, the German said: “I think we controlled the game, we defended quite well, and especially in the second half we were able to create more chances.
“We stayed patient, we stayed in our structure, and we tried to play more vertically in the second half. Therefore, I think we deserved to win.”
Town boss Kieran McKenna felt the first goal changed the game “disproportionately” and Hurzeler admitted it gave his team a significant boost.
“I think the goal helped us,” he said. “The game always opens when you score a goal because then the opponent has to react, defend higher, and press higher. This gives us more spaces in behind, and we were able to use that.
“I think we experienced a lot of moments during the season where we weren’t mature enough to win the games.
“Today, we proved that we are mature and have learned from those bad experiences. Some players are more clever and experienced than others, but everyone has to get on one level and learn from each other.”
TWTD
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Len_Brennan added 09:53 - Jan 17
He may not have been born in 1982, but he would no doubt have defended Harald Schumacher too. |  | |
bluejacko added 09:54 - Jan 17
Hardly going to say otherwise is he? |  | |
NorthLondonBlue2 added 09:54 - Jan 17
I can’t say what I’d like to in response to him, at least not on this platform. The number of blatant decisions against us this season is ridiculous. It would be illustrative to compile clips of these, hopefully to say we stayed up despite the officials’ best efforts. |  | |
flykickingbybgunn added 10:05 - Jan 17
The attack on Walton was blatant and intentional. If that was not a red card then the mind boggles as to what is. If that had happened outside the ground it would have been called an assault. |  | |
runningout added 10:07 - Jan 17
reckon it wasn’t a red either. Little fuss about nothing |  | |
ArmaghBlue added 10:08 - Jan 17
Wonder what he would be saying if it was Delap doing the same to his goalie? |  | |
poet added 10:10 - Jan 17
I never take seriously what the opposing manager says after a game, their opinions are usually seen from within their fantasy bubble, which tends to make them sound ludicrous. Hurzeler’s post match comment here are exactly that. Sadly, from a man who I thought was astute, now makes himself sound foolish. If he hasn’t given his goalkeeper a bonus for saving their bacon in the first half, he should do. |  | |
Dozzells_Bobblehat added 10:18 - Jan 17
Wasn't sure at the time but having seen again , definite red. Why the leap? That wasn't trying to get out of a challenge . |  | |
Terrystowel added 10:19 - Jan 17
The fact that our guys didn't go berserk, surrounding the player and/or ref probably helped him get off lightly. Sadly in the Prem, histrionics and overreacting work in your favour but that's not our way! COYB. |  | |
Europablue added 10:20 - Jan 17
The player obviously deserved at least a yellow, but it could have been red, so one he was lucky to get away with especially as for some reason he decided to jump into him rather than try and slow down or avoid Walton altogether. |  | |
Kentish_Tractor added 10:29 - Jan 17
Red card for me. Pedro is entitled to go for the ball, it was a weak backpass. However if Pedro stays on his feet he can slow himself down and at least attempt to avoid a collision. Yes he may still end up going into Walton but at least he would be in control of himself. He didn't do that - he literally jumped straight into Walton. By doing so he has lost all control of his body - similar to a 2 footed jump in lunge tackle. This could have caused serious injury to Walton - could have broken his ribs, concussed him or even worse knocked him out. Constitutes dangerous play for me - therefore a red card offence. |  | |
Paulc added 10:36 - Jan 17
Everyone saying definite red would be crying their eyes out of Delap was sent of for the same. |  | |
BeattiesBackPocket added 10:38 - Jan 17
This from the guy who was literally calling for yellow cards and cried whenever their players fell over especially their right back who conned the ref I don’t know how many times and only got a yellow himself in the 90th minute after being warned about three times prior. |  | |
ArnieM added 11:54 - Jan 17
The ball had long gone and the Brighton thug only had his focus on Walton. He ran straight at him and blatantly took our keeper out. It was violent conduct and dangerous play. HOW is that not a straight red card? As for VAR ... f ck em |  | |
Bluewhiteboy added 11:59 - Jan 17
It's the comments above that make me laugh at our fan base. Was it a foul? yes should he got booked? Yes is it a red no. People talking g like it's assault delap does it when the balls the other side of the pitch but that's fine? We lost to a team that's more established than ourselves that deserved their win, let's move on. |  | |
Cadiar added 12:08 - Jan 17
Having looked at the incident a few times I believe Pedro should have walked. The ball was no where near him & he jumped at full speed into Walton. Shame Muric wasn't in goal as he's far more of a lump than Walton & Pedro might have come off worse. |  | |
Itfcsam27 added 12:40 - Jan 17
Not the first time João Pedro has been involved in a dubious aggressive incident. Anyone see the elbow which he got away with a few weeks back? |  | |
Itfcsam27 added 12:40 - Jan 17
Not the first time João Pedro has been involved in a dubious aggressive incident. Anyone see the elbow which he got away with a few weeks back? |  | |
Jugsy added 12:45 - Jan 17
Whilst an entirely different sport - it would be a red card in rugby. You can't just charge at a player, there's a responsibility to tackle fairly and safely. Football has it all wrong if this isn't a red card, many posters have pointed out that he had ample time to not do what he did. But even if he didn't, his actions endanger the other player and mistakes should get punished as well as deliberate intent. He's not looking at the ball (actually he's only looking at Walton), the ball is nowhere near them, he's jumping and making contact with parts of his body which aren't used to tackle players. There's very little here to suggest it shouldn't be a red. Can anyone point to mitigating circumstances? |  | |
DJR added 12:52 - Jan 17
As Mandy Rice-Davies once said. "Well he would, wouldn't he?" |  | |
blues1 added 12:54 - Jan 17
BlueWhiteboy. U clearly have no idea what ur talking about. If you did that to some1 out in the street , ud be arrested for assault. Which is pretty much what it was. He had no intent to play the ball, as the ball had long gone. There was absolutely no need for him to jump into Walton how he did. Red card all day. Was never gonna be given with that ref and the equally useless one on var. |  | |
LowerNorth added 12:55 - Jan 17
Anywhere else on the pitch if a player ran full speed at a standing player and jumped into the challenge uncontrolled at their head, I’m pretty sure that would be a red card … there seems a strange perception that because a potential scoring opportunity an attacker can pretty much do what they like!! |  | |
Bert added 13:14 - Jan 17
He made no attempt to withdraw, he poleaxed Walton and as someone else has said in Rugby that would be a sending off for violent conduct. Was the collision the reason why later in the game, Walton inexplicably passed the ball out of play for no reason ? |  | |
Karlosfandangal added 13:21 - Jan 17
The ball was on the floor so why jump so high |  | |
Saxonblue74 added 13:27 - Jan 17
Agree with the majority of comments. Why 3' 0ff the ground with the ball on the ground, not to mention long gone! Red for me. Walton didn't look quite "with it" from there on. |  | |
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