Sunday Feb 24 2008 11:36
Arsene Wenger has apologised for his call for Birmingham City's Martin Taylor to be banned for life for his challenge on Eduardo, which left the
Gunners striker with a serious leg injury.
The Croatia striker left the pitch on a stretcher just two minutes in at St Andrew's on Saturday, with players from both sides visibly shaken by the severity of the injury sustained in a 2-2 draw.
That prompted to launch a verbal tirade against Taylor, but he later told his club's official website: "I feel that my comments about Martin Taylor were excessive. I said what I did in the heat of the moment.
"It was a highly emotional afternoon and we were all shocked by the injury."
Wenger had earlier called for Taylor to be banned from the game, saying: "The tackle was horrendous and this guy should never play football again. That kind of tackle was waiting to happen to one of our players.
"I've seen some bad ones, but they're not always punished with broken legs. You cannot accept that on a football pitch.
"It was a massive shock for the team. Eduardo is a fantastic guy and for the players to see him in such pain and to see his leg in such a shape had an effect.
"His injury is very, very bad. More than his season is over."
Blues boss Alex McLeish defended defender Taylor, adding: "Martin is distraught about the lad's injury.
"It's certainly not in Martin Taylor's make-up at all to commit a malicious tackle."
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