A refreshing view on Gallas

In a world where a heavy handful of media figures rarely resist the temptation to jump on the bandwagon, it’s refreshing to see Andy Townsend speaking out in his column for the Daily Mail. Ex-pros are welcomed into the media spotlight for one reason, namely, they can provide an insight that regular journalists cannot. So while every other pundit and his dog has been keen not to step out of line in condemning William Gallas’ challenge on Mark Davies, it is good to see Townsend offer an honest view on the situation.

I am not going to condemn William Gallas for the tackle because I have made tons like that myself. Sometimes as a victim you come out of it OK and sometimes you come out of it feeling six studs from your opponent on the top of your foot.

I am glad to hear Mark Davies has not broken anything but Gallas was just late, his feet were not in or around the knee area and he was not trying to fold him in half. It is the sort of tackle that can happen at any given moment in our game and happens every week. He didn't jump in two-footed and he wasn't hideously over the top.

In the true sense of sportsmanship you would have liked Gallas to have picked the ball up. But it would be hypocritical of me as an ex-midfield player to condemn someone for that type of challenge.