Rory Delap is not a boot boy
Last updated 12:12, Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Two things struck me when I heard Arsene Wenger describing Rory Delap as a coward who had deliberately set out to maim Theo Walcott.
First, Delap, below, hasn’t got a nasty bone in his body so the very idea that Stoke City’s Cumbrian midfielder deliberately tried to hurt the Arsenal striker is utterly laughable.
Second, it’s amazing that Wenger was actually able to make those kind of assessment because the Arsenal manager is famous for never seeing any controversial incident on the pitch.
Whenever his team is awarded a dubious penalty or if one of his players is booked, sent off orabuses an official, he always seems to be looking the other way. But while he is perfectly entitled to throw a protective arm around his players, he is completely out of order launching a character assassination on an opposing team’s players and tarnishing their good reputation.
Wenger pointed the finger at Delap after his foul resulted in Walcott being carried off on a stretcher near the end of the now notorious clash at the Britannia Stadium.
Delap’s tackle betrayed him as a player who was tired rather than someone who is malicious.
The former Carlisle United player from Great Corby is a model professional who knows how to conduct himself.
Tony Pulis has assembled a big, physically strong team but they play in the spirit of the game.
They have gone out and given it a real go this season and their victory over Arsenal proves they’re not going to surrender their Premiership status without a fight – and that Wenger is a bad loser.
