Source: Daily_Mail
I've not seen Ramsey injury again and I don't want to, admits Whelan
While some of his own Arsenal team-mates could not bring themselves to inspect the damage inflicted by Aaron Ramsey as he lay in agony on the ground on Saturday night, Stoke's Glenn Whelan was straight offer to help the stricken Welsh midfielder.[LNB]Ramsey knew the moment he made contact with Ryan Shawcross's left boot that he was in trouble. Whelan, who was closest to the pair when they clashed at the Britannia Stadium, has revealed how he held the stricken Arsenal midfielder's hand and tried to get him to look away from the damage.[LNB] Quickly on the scene: Glenn Whelan tries to comfort Aaron Ramsey[LNB]'He kept saying "me leg, me leg",' Whelan recalled. 'He knewstraight away it was a bad one. I was just there holding his hand andtrying to take his mind off it, telling him to think of something else.'[LNB]Republic of Ireland midfielder Whelan, who faces Brazil at Arsenal'sEmirates Stadium tonight, stayed in close contact with Ramsey until theArsenal physios and medical staff arrived, while players like CescFabregas, with Eduardo's leg break still fresh in his memory, couldbarely look at the Wales international.[LNB]Whelan said: 'If it had been on other side of the pitch I would nothave gone anywhere near it but just because I was so near I went intoto help him. I just wanted to help keep him calm. It's one of thoseincidents where players from both sides come together for the player.[LNB]'The lad was trying to look down at his leg and because I was closehe held on to me, squeezing me hand because of the pain and I was justtelling him to try to think of anything else until the physios andmedical staff came on. He went into like a state of shock. He was in alot of distress.[LNB]'He kept wanting to look at his leg but I could see how bad it wasand I wouldn't let him look down. I told him to think of something elseand wait until the ambulancemen arrived so they could get on and dotheir job.[LNB]'It was very hard for me to see a fellow professional in so muchpain. It is the first time I have been involved in anything like thatand, touch wood, hopefully it will be the last.'[LNB] Sickening: Ramsey suffered a horrendous broken leg on Saturday[LNB]Whelan, who was on the receiving end of Patrick Vieira's X-ratedchallenge last week, has not seen the incident again, and admits hedoes not particularly want to pick over the macabre details of a tackledeemed 'unacceptable' by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.[LNB]But the Dubliner is convinced Shawcross, who is enjoying his owninternational call-up with England this week, did not intentionallyhurt Ramsey.[LNB]Whelan added: 'First and foremost everyone involved hopes the younglad gets back and back to the standard he was at because he looked aterrific player.[LNB]'I have not seen the tackle again and I would turn the telly offmyself if it came on. It's the sort of thing young people couldn'tstomach it but if it means people from the Premier League and the twoclubs sitting down and looking at it fair enough. The TV people wereright not to show it again because it could make people a little bitqueasy.[LNB]'I don't think it was a dirty tackle. It was late but no more thanthat. Ryan was devastated. There were tears from him as he came off, soyou know it upset him.[LNB]'I don't think anyone looks to break a leg or injure a playerdeliberately. There is a fine line between being hard and being dirtyand it was hard tackle but they could go into it again in any game andnothing happens. Hopefully it was just a one off.[LNB]'At the time Mr Wenger probably felt upset because of how bad theinjury was and it is not the first time because it happened before withEduardo but if he has seen it again I hope he will take those viewsback.'[LNB]Whelan and Ireland face Brazil on Tuesday night without experienced defender Richard Dunne who haswithdrawn after suffering a dead leg in Sunday's Carling Cup Finaldefeat. [LNB]The Stoke man said the Ireland squad discussed the heartbreakingWorld Cup exit in France for the first and last time when they met upin St Albans on Sunday and are now over it.[LNB]Whelan added: 'It was a major disappointment and to not go throughit again we must make sure we get out of the next group first time andnot rely on the play offs.[LNB]'But when we see the World Cup finals start and France will be in it, of course we will be disappointed all over again.'[LNB] Eduardo surgeon backs Arsenal whizkid Ramsey to recover from horrific broken legStoke leap to Shawcross's defence after tackle that left Ramsey with horror injuryRamsey has successful op but Arsenal ace faces long spell out after leg breakShawcross heads into the Gunners' firing line after breaking Ramsey's leg Stoke City 1 Arsenal 3: Hitmen are out to destroy my kids, fumes Arsene Wenger
