Eduardo broken leg [Contains images of the break - not for the squeamish]

[kinboshi]

If he can walk, he's fortunate. Obviously it would be a shame if he can't play again - for him, and for football in general.  He has the makings of being a top, top striker. 

But here's another thought.

How many Sunday-league players suffer a similar injury and don't receive the immediate expert medical treatment Eduardo did.

Eduardo is not going to go poor if he can't play.  A fella who works in a warehouse breaks his leg badly playing football might struggle to work, and he's not as financially secure as a Premiership player. 

It reminds me of Phil Clarke, who played for Wigan at rugby league.  He was injured in a tackle when playing in Sydney and broke his neck.  The doctors told him that one more impact on his neck, and he'd be paralysed or even worse.  After the injury people would say to him that he was so unlucky to receive the injury and be forced into retirement in his pomp.  He would turn round and say that he's the luckiest man on the planet - he's still able to walk around and enjoy the rest of his life.

It's all about perspective.

[Graham C]

The care they get is amazing too.  My mate did his leg playing football in  the place as Shearer.  Big Al was up playing again in 9 months or whatever it was, my mate was told not to do anything like play football, go skiing etc ever again.  Not sure what the difference is though, repaired is repaired surely.

[vegaslover]

But here's another thought.

How many Sunday-league players suffer a similar injury and don't receive the immediate expert medical treatment Eduardo did.

Wouldn't wish NHS orthopaedic care on anyone.

[turny]

I hadnt seen this til last night and have to agree it is a very sickening unfortunate injury but I don't think it was a determined attempt to hurt Eduardo. I was really shocked at Wengers interview calling for Taylor to 'never play the game again' and I'm glad he retracted it later, it was quite disturbing to see him stand up to interview when clearly suffering at the time too. He went up in my estimation by holding himself together and realising that he was a little out of order in the interview.

indeed...There would have been several managers who would have said a similar thing right after the game and enver rectracted their statements..Well done to him for that.

Players have been getting away with tackles like this for a fair while now and I'm sure that if Eduardo had not been injured this badly the ref would only have given a yellow card. Now we know why tackles like this should always be a straght red. Any studs first challenge should mean you're off the pitch.

I hope Eduardo recovers but it's a very nasty break and i think his career might be over.

boldy you try tackling someone straight on without your studs showing at some point whilst executing the challenge. the only way otherwise is to challenge like a ballet dancer!

[WarBwastard]

But here's another thought.

How many Sunday-league players suffer a similar injury and don't receive the immediate expert medical treatment Eduardo did.

Wouldn't wish NHS orthopaedic care on anyone.

They could do if they also had rather expensive multi-million pound health insurance policies too.  They're not relying on football to pay the bills.  It's not quite the same.

[boldie]

I hadnt seen this til last night and have to agree it is a very sickening unfortunate injury but I don't think it was a determined attempt to hurt Eduardo. I was really shocked at Wengers interview calling for Taylor to 'never play the game again' and I'm glad he retracted it later, it was quite disturbing to see him stand up to interview when clearly suffering at the time too. He went up in my estimation by holding himself together and realising that he was a little out of order in the interview.

indeed...There would have been several managers who would have said a similar thing right after the game and enver rectracted their statements..Well done to him for that.

Players have been getting away with tackles like this for a fair while now and I'm sure that if Eduardo had not been injured this badly the ref would only have given a yellow card. Now we know why tackles like this should always be a straght red. Any studs first challenge should mean you're off the pitch.

I hope Eduardo recovers but it's a very nasty break and i think his career might be over.

boldy you try tackling someone straight on without your studs showing at some point whilst executing the challenge. the only way otherwise is to challenge like a ballet dancer!

There is a difference between your studs showing at some point during a challenge and your studs showing continually and at the point of impact during a challenge.

[kinboshi]

It probably wouldn't have made any difference in this case, but why are footballer's shin pads so small?  They don't cover the whole of the shin, and more substantial shin pads would provide greater protection in general.

I guess it's the same as the reason the boots are so thin and light. 

[bobby1]

Its an interesting thought, a little like the thinner,lighter more aerodynamic boots get the more metertasel injuries seem to appear.

[turny]

I hadnt seen this til last night and have to agree it is a very sickening unfortunate injury but I don't think it was a determined attempt to hurt Eduardo. I was really shocked at Wengers interview calling for Taylor to 'never play the game again' and I'm glad he retracted it later, it was quite disturbing to see him stand up to interview when clearly suffering at the time too. He went up in my estimation by holding himself together and realising that he was a little out of order in the interview.

indeed...There would have been several managers who would have said a similar thing right after the game and enver rectracted their statements..Well done to him for that.

Players have been getting away with tackles like this for a fair while now and I'm sure that if Eduardo had not been injured this badly the ref would only have given a yellow card. Now we know why tackles like this should always be a straght red. Any studs first challenge should mean you're off the pitch.

I hope Eduardo recovers but it's a very nasty break and i think his career might be over.

boldy you try tackling someone straight on without your studs showing at some point whilst executing the challenge. the only way otherwise is to challenge like a ballet dancer!

There is a difference between your studs showing at some point during a challenge and your studs showing continually and at the point of impact during a challenge.

the point of impact of the challenge is not easily decifered with the speed and skill of an opponent and the speed in which the 2 players are approaching each other.

the challenge in question was no more than a clumsy mistimed challenge at worse and was administered without malice or intent to injure in my opinion.

the outcome was horrible and ended with a very serious injury to eduardo but other than the 3 match ban he will have to serve for the red card i dont think there should be any other repercussions for taylor regards this incident.

[boldie]

Oh I completely agree. 3 match ban is enough for this one. Like you said, just a clumsy mistimed challenge. I never wanted this guy to stop playing forever. I do want every challenge like this to be punished with a red card though..and not just when someone breaks his legs.

[turny]

Oh I completely agree. 3 match ban is enough for this one. Like you said, just a clumsy mistimed challenge. I never wanted this guy to stop playing forever. I do want every challenge like this to be punished with a red card though..and not just when someone breaks his legs.

i agree the punishment for this sort of tackle should be the same regardless of the resulting injury but it doesnt always happen.

its like the difference between murder and attempted murder imo both should carry the same sentence though they dont, why should you get off lighter because you were rubbish at trying to kill someone than if you actually killed them? the intent is still there.

[boldie]

Oh I completely agree. 3 match ban is enough for this one. Like you said, just a clumsy mistimed challenge. I never wanted this guy to stop playing forever. I do want every challenge like this to be punished with a red card though..and not just when someone breaks his legs.

i agree the punishment for this sort of tackle should be the same regardless of the resulting injury but it doesnt always happen.

its like the difference between murder and attempted murder imo both should carry the same sentence though they dont, why should you get off lighter because you were rubbish at trying to kill someone than if you actually killed them? the intent is still there.

Should even be higher for attempted I think...you can't even kill someone FFS..what use could the work possibly have for someone like that?

[kenjude]

The care they get is amazing too.  My mate did his leg playing football in  the place as Shearer.  Big Al was up playing again in 9 months or whatever it was, my mate was told not to do anything like play football, go skiing etc ever again.  Not sure what the difference is though, repaired is repaired surely.

At Stevenage we had signed a forward from Gateshead called Paul Thompson, he looked outstanding in his first few pre-season games then broke his ankle in the next. Will never forget him sitting pointing at his foot which was turned at a horrible angle.

He came back, but never quite seemed the same again and ended up dropping back down the pyramid to play for Gateshead again. Of course he might not have made it without the injury, but he had shown enough in the games before the injury to appear to have a chance.

Apparently his ankle damage was very similar to Shearer's, so I guess there's an element of fortune in the extent to which your recovery enables you to come back. There may even be some psychological effect - if it's on your mind, or you aren't confident that it's right, then you aren't going to be able to commit 100% when you need to.

And of course the amount of personal care you can get with the physio will have a massive impact on how much strength and confidence you get back. The likes of Shearer and Eduardo had and will have a better chance of a full recovery than those playing at much lower levels.