Fergie: Eduardo Ban Is Good Message

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson thinks that the two-game ban handed to Arsenal striker Eduardo for his dive to win a penalty against Celtic in the Champions League is perfectly justified, and feels that such tough action is necessary in order to cure the game of the blight of simulation.

“It was a high-profile game and something has to be done,” The Guardian report the Scotsman as saying.

“[In a big game] it creates an incredible reaction from the media and public in these instances. Something should be done and we hope the message gets across.

“I don’t think any coach is proud of it when players simulate to get decisions. A coach can’t be proud if his team have won that way. Nobody can be proud. A player can’t be proud one hour afterwards when he sits with his brothers and sisters and father and mother.”

“You have to remember five-year-olds are watching. Players in a Sunday team do it. It happens at five or six years old. We all have a responsibility on how it influences young people.

“It’s a very difficult area because I think in the last 15 years it has crept into the game and it is not acceptable.

“I think we have to combat this by educating the players and by getting them to understand the gravity of the offence and what it does for the wellbeing of the game.”

Nevertheless, despite that condemnation, Ferguson felt some empathy for Arsene Wenger’s stance on the specifics of the Eduardo case, and also maintained that a manager should never criticise his own players in public.

“Arsene’s point of view is a good one which is ‘Where do we stop?'” he added.

“I would not criticise one of my own players publicly. When you make public criticism of your players, you damage morale. Your job is to keep it [the dressing room] solid.”