I couldn’t disagree more. The reason we issue red cards is to protect players, not punish them; you should get one for anything that endangers yourself or another, regardless of your intent
When something’s not intentional it should never be a red card
It always amazes me how many professional players don’t understand pretty basic rules of the sport. You have been able to get sent off for serious foul play for a long time (Balogun’s entire life) and intent to make a tackle or harm the opponent doesn’t need to come into it:
Serious foul play
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.
Can Balogun explain why he was pushing and stepping on his opponent if he wasn’t challenging for the ball? Can he explain how raking his studs down the calf of his opponent, before putting his entire weight on their Achilles, does not endanger their safety?
I couldn’t disagree more. The reason we issue red cards is to protect players, not punish them; you should get one for anything that endangers yourself or another, regardless of your intent
It always amazes me how many professional players don’t understand pretty basic rules of the sport. You have been able to get sent off for serious foul play for a long time (Balogun’s entire life) and intent to make a tackle or harm the opponent doesn’t need to come into it:
Can Balogun explain why he was pushing and stepping on his opponent if he wasn’t challenging for the ball? Can he explain how raking his studs down the calf of his opponent, before putting his entire weight on their Achilles, does not endanger their safety?