Wigan boss Roberto Martinez says
Ashley Williams is not a "nasty footballer" after the Swansea player
was criticised for kicking the ball at Manchester United striker Robin van
Persie's head.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said Van Persie was "lucky to be alive"and called for Williams to be banned.
But Martinez, who signed Williams when in charge of Swansea
in 2008, believes Sunday's incident was not deliberate.
"I can guarantee you he is not the type who would do
that on purpose," he said.
Van Persie was lying on the ground when defender Williams
kicked the ball from a couple of yards away as referee Michael Oliver blew the
whistle for a foul.
Ferguson said Van Persie "could have been killed"
and labelled Williams "disgraceful" after the
1-1 draw…
Ferguson wants Williams
banned
"Robin van Persie is lucky to be alive. He (Williams)
should be banned by the FA. Robin could have had a broken neck,"
The Spaniard
admitted the incident was a "dangerous situation" and the player had
shown frustration but he does not believe Williams would be so malicious.
"It is an emotional game and it is very unfortunate that
it hits Van Persie in a part of the body where he could have been hurt heavily,
and you don't want to see that," he added.
"If you see one of your players with a bang on the back
of the head it is really dangerous and it can have bad consequences. You can
understand that.
"But from my point of view, I signed Ashley Williams for
Swansea and I know his character inside out.
"I can guarantee you without even looking at the
incident that he is not a nasty footballer.
"He is a winner and fully committed, a leader and a
captain, and I don't for one second doubt that he did not do that on
purpose."
Williams, 28, insisted after the game he did not deliberately
kick the ball into Van Persie's head..
"I just kicked the ball in frustration and obviously not
trying to hit him square on the head," he added. "Everyone's going to
have their own opinion but from my point of view I tried to apologise on the
pitch but it all flared up."
Brendan Rodgers, who was Williams' manager at Swansea
until he left to take charge of Liverpool in the summer, said he felt the issue
had been blown out of proportion.
"When you slow it down and look at it 20 times it does
not look good for Ashley," he said. "But I know the player well and
it is just that split-second when you can see he is trying to clear the ball
and unfortunately hits Van Persie right on the back of his head.
"Of course, it looks dangerous but knowing Ashley he
won't have meant it, knowing his character that won't have been
intentional."
QPR boss Harry Redknapp, speaking ahead of his side's Boxing Day clash with West
Bromwich Albion, said of the incident: "I don't see how he was going to be
killed.
"He kicked the ball at him. I have seen worse things on
a football pitch."
However, Newcastle managerAlan Pardew, whose side face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Boxing
Day, said he understood Ferguson's reaction but that the Red Devils boss might
not be so angry with hindsight.
"If one of your players gets hurt or you think he was in
danger, you are going to protect him," said Pardew.
"I think the one with Van Persie was perhaps not as bad
as Alex at first imagined. Sometimes from the sideline, it looks a lot worse at
the time.
source:sport
source:sport
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