Calls to ban Birmingham defender Martin Taylor from football for life after his tackle on Eduardo da Silva that resulted in such a horrific injury are way over the top.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger quite rightly retracted comments made immediately after the game calling for that life ban on Taylor and hopefully he also regretted the use of the phrase "only having to kill someone once" to illustrate how he felt about the incident.

Yes, Taylor should serve a suspension - but it's the tackle and all those like it that should be banned. If we banned him and every other player who made tackles like that there would be hardly any left to perform at any level.

'It's the rules that need changing more than players' attitudes and mentality. They are human and as such can easily be led and directed by trends - and rules'


Recently I was even considering the idea of calling for the introduction of a rule that one foot has to be kept on the ground at all times when making a tackle. That would still allow for sliding tackles, of course, but would rule out two-footed lunges through the air - the ones that can do real damage.

I am definitely prepared to give Taylor the benefit of the doubt for his challenge on Eduardo. OK, the Arsenal forward may never play football again. That really would add fuel to those ill-chosen words from Wenger. But it's the rules that need changing more than players' attitudes and mentality. They are human and as such can easily be led and directed by trends - and rules. But those rules must be strictly adhered to and obeyed - just as the referee's word should be law, whether he is right or wrong.

I don't want to see the beautiful game go down the road of having to stop every few minutes for video analysis of an incident before a referee is advised on the right decision to make. No, the ref is there to do a job. It's a tough one and whatever he says should go. No arguments, no histrionics and certainly no more of this laying on of hands and back patting by players in a bid to get the referee "onside".

Incidents like the Eduardo one and the resulting horrific injury are thankfully few and far between. But when they do happen they generate strong views and opinions. Let's act on those views, opinions and suggestions in the right way and hopefully see football - and footballers - clean up their act a little.