Chico Flores and I must adapt to referees, says Swansea City boss Michael Laudrup
MICHAEL Laudrup admits Chico Flores will have to get used to referees in the English game — and that he must do the same.
Flores will miss Swansea City's next three matches after being sent off for a head-high challenge on Louis Saha during the 2-2 draw with Sunderland ten days ago.
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Chico Flores was sent off for a head-high challenge on Louis Saha against Sunderland
Laudrup had initially suggested he could appeal against the centre-back's dismissal, but shelved the idea when it became clear Swansea had almost no chance of getting the decision overturned.
Yet Laudrup has reiterated his claim that he thought Flores, who has spent his career in Spain and Italy until this season, was unlucky to see red.
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And the Dane believes both he and his £2.5 million defender must learn about different interpretations from referees in the English game.
"I think if Chico made that challenge ten times, given the place where he was on the pitch, nine times he would get a yellow card with only one red," Laudrup said.
"He knows that he went high with his leg, but I know he did not do it to hurt the opponent.
"Chico is aggressive, but that is like a lot of the players over here.
"The picture I had of the Premier League before coming here was that a lot of things are allowed over here compared to Italy or Spain.
"The referees always want the game to be fluid here, whereas sometimes in the south of Europe there are a lot of whistles and stoppages. It's a little strange for me (to see Flores's red card). I am a little bit surprised."
Flores picked up a flurry of bookings at Real Mallorca last season, though he was not sent off during the campaign.
Since moving to the Premier League, he has gathered one yellow and one red — and was criticised in some quarters for another challenge in the Sunderland game which went unpunished.
Flores went in heavily on James McClean and, though he won the ball, was described as reckless by former Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.
"You have other things over here that are only a yellow card or maybe not even that," Laudrup added.
"Two players can be pushing or shoving or something. Sometimes in Spain you get a red card for a push.
"But over here the referee just says 'Hey boys, get on with it'.
"We have to adapt to this — I am still learning and so is Chico.
"Chico was shocked that he got sent off and then he was shocked again to get a three-game ban, because that's different too.
"We are all learning every day, and that's a good thing."
With Flores missing through suspension and Neil Taylor out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, Laudrup has defensive questions to answer ahead of Saturday's trip to Aston Villa.
Alan Tate is favourite to start in central defence ahead of Kyle Bartley, while new recruit Dwight Tiendalli is likely to battle Ben Davies for the left-back jersey.
Comments
by LittleMitch94
Wednesday, September 12 2012, 11:28AM
“as a qualiied reff i cn say thats a sending off, if your studs are showing above the knee then it can be a sending off! thats all im saying i agree with the people saying abou taylors kick in the face but people do make rong decisions but in all fainess i think the reff made right choice this time!”
by hacker_jack
Wednesday, September 12 2012, 10:15AM
“by KP287Tuesday, September 11 2012, 10:52PM
"If there is no contact, how can it be a foul! if you class it as dangerous play, then as pointed out Neil Taylor got kicked in the face at QPR, was there even a card!!
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He was not sent off for a foul but for dangerous play so no contact necessary.
If the Taylor incident was dangerous play then yes it should have been a red card as well. I don't recall it to be honest so I cant say.
It's just silly to try to justify Chico's challenge by stating previous poor decisions, it was a deserved red card full stop.”
by KP287
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 10:52PM
“If there is no contact, how can it be a foul! if you class it as dangerous play, then as pointed out Neil Taylor got kicked in the face at QPR, was there even a card!! Steven Gerard and Wayne Rooney have been clearly seen running past players and elbowing the in the head, nothing done. there is no consistency in refereeing decisions.”
by hacker_jack
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 5:26PM
“"hacker_jack - the fact there was no contact is irrelevant ? So you think it's fine for players to go down holding their face when they haven't been touched do you?
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No I don't. Simulation is a separate issue that needs to be dealt with.
However it should be irrelevant whether a player goes down or not. A foul is still a foul, dangerous play is still dangerous play. Had the player carried on running I would still have hoped that a red card would have been show, the fact that he fell in a heap should have made no difference.
Maybe if referees had the bottle to give fouls and cards even when a player stays on his feet we would see less diving in the first place.”
by f1jackarmy
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 4:16PM
“hacker_jack - the fact there was no contact is irrelevant ? So you think it's fine for players to go down holding their face when they haven't been touched do you?
Also your point is incorrect . You see high feet every week in every division and most get punished with a yellow at most . Not all get punished with a red. If there was deliberate contact then so be it, the players deserves to walk. In chico's case , no contact was made which makes you think why such an inept referee is in charge of a premiership game in the first place.”
by hacker_jack
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 2:25PM
“That there was no contact is irrelevant. You put your foot up near someone's head you get a red and rightly so, in ANY country.”
by LittleMitch94
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 12:49PM
“JontoPronto how can you say after making 1 or 2 silly challenges that tatey has a chance of getting back in the side? at the end of the day what player dont make rash challanges every once in a while! he is a quality centre half, one of the best we have and even if he dont change he'll still be higher in the pecking order than tatey! @LittleMitch94”
by SouthlandJack
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 9:29AM
“Tate !! Favourite replacement !! God help us !!”
by SkipTheJack
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 9:24AM
“It was undoubtedly dangerous play so we can't say the referee was wrong. My only problem with it was that you NEVER see red cards given for high feet in this country (like when Taylor was kicked in the face against QPR). There has to be consistency from referees!”
by JontoPronto
Tuesday, September 11 2012, 9:15AM
“In my opinion a yellow would have sufficed, but lets be honest with ourselves If both of Chico's challenges were for a team against the swans everyone in the stadium would be chanting for a red card. The guy needs to learn what is acceptable and what isn't pretty soon or Tatey will be playing more games than him.”