The McManaman Redemption

Less than two months ago, Callum McManaman was on the verge of becoming a national hate figure. Then 21 years old, the Wigan Athletic attacker performed what many agree to be one of the worst tackles in recent times.

That tackle, on Newcastle United’s Massadio Haidara, went completely unpunished, both during the game and afterwards. Many called for a lengthy suspension, but FA rules prevented any such action being taken, with the officitating team led by Mark Halsey having been aware of the incident during the game, and choosing to take no further action.

It is easy to forget that none of that was McManaman’s fault. Yes, he did lunge in and the tackle was a very bad one. I’m certain that he would have accepted any ban imposed has FA rules allowed it, without argument. There can also be no doubt that he did not go out to injure an opponent.

Bad tackles are part and parcel of football. Fans quickly jump at the opportunity to criticise opposition players for showing ‘intent’ to injure another, but in a game which is as fast paced and highly skilled as football, timing every tackle to perfection is impossible.

The heat of the moment does not allow for players to think through how they approach a tackle, be it studs showing, a high foot, two feet off the ground, or a combination.

Tackling, therefore, is a fine art. Yesterday Paul Scholes announced his retirement from football for the second time. Scholes was a fine player, one of the best English midfielders of his generation, yet renowned as a reckless tackler. He continued to be so throughout his career.

Nor is there a great trend of players who commit bad tackles on a regular basis. Players usually labelled as violent rarely translate this into actual bad tackling. Lee Cattermole, for one, has been sent off numerous times, yet more often than not it is for two bookable offences, indicative of poor decision making more than anything.

Joey Barton seems to be as likely to be shown the red card for off-the-ball incidents as for a single bad tackle.

The treatment McManaman received after that game was unfair. Newcastle’ assistant coach John Carver was wrong to confront the player at half time. While the media were correct to point to how bad the tackle was, it was wrong to us this to draw any wider conclusions avout McManaman’s character of playing style.

Most of all, it was downright absurd to blame McManaman for the ridiculous FA rules which prevented a fair suspension being applied.

McManaman could have let the tackle, and more so its aftermath, really affect him. Such negative media spotlight can have a hugely detrimental effect on a young career. Character is important in such situations.

Everybody remembers David Beckham’s impetuous kick-out at Diego Simeone at France 98, but it pales into insignificance because of what he did next: helping Manchester United to the treble, captaining his country to three major championships, receiving 100 international caps and becoming one of the most respected footballers of his generation.

Yesterday, however, McManaman showed just what great character he had with a memorable performance on what remains the greatest single stage in English football. All in all it was the stuff of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Wigan Athletic was once a team in the Northern Premier League. That is the seventh tier of English football. Their rise has been meteoric, though perhaps their stay in the Premier League (now in its eight year), when ‘bigger’ clubs have been unable to hang around in the top tier, is more impressive – and more important than cup heroics.

McManaman’s man of the match performance will probably be less well remembered than Ben Watson’s injury time winner, Roberto Martinez’s tactical genius and Dave Whelan’s heart-warming story.

But on the day it was every bit as important as anything else.
He ran Manchester City ragged for 90 minutes, and in particular full back Gael Clichy. He was the major goal threat in the match, not just for Wigan, outplaying the far more vaunted attacking options against whom he was playing. He established himself as a future star.

In my eyes it is still premature to be calling for McManaman to be given an England call up, as some have. His Cup Final performance was not a one-off; he has become an integral part of the Wigan side recent times. Yet his career is still in its infancy and he should be allowed to develop further.

But it could all have been over on that fateful Sunday afternoon in March. McManaman would not have been the first footballer to have been affected after making a bad tackle. While it was lucky that Haidara did not suffer serious injury, McManaman has since shown the necessary mentality to go far in the game.

His efforts yesterday were those of man exuding confidence, for whom the troubles of two months ago were but a distant memory. The McManaman Redemption is complete.