Manchester City fume at Bert van Marwijk's use of Nigel de Jong as a 'scapegoat'

06 October 2010 07:55
Manchester City are furious at the role of Holland coach Bert van Marwijk in making Nigel de Jong one of the most reviled players in Europe. [LNB]Van Marwijk has this week dropped the City midfielder from his country's squad for two forthcoming European Championship qualifiers after De Jong's tackle on Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa broke the Frenchman's leg on Sunday.[LNB]Last night, the pressure on De Jong continued to grow as Newcastle officially called on the FA to take action over the tackle - even though assistant manager Colin Calderwood has already said it wasn't malicious - and there were calls in Holland for the 25-year-old to be dropped by his sponsors.[LNB] Wild: Nigel De Jong flies in on Hatem Ben Arfa at Eastlands on Sunday[LNB]City believe the issue would have died down in this country had VanMarwijk not taken the extraordinary decision to publicly attack DeJong. The club feel that the Holland coach is merely trying to rebuildhis reputation in the wake of his team's brutally ugly play in July'sWorld Cup final loss to Spain in South Africa.[LNB]Controversy: Holland boss Bert van Marwijk dropped Nigel de Jong from this week's squad[LNB]A City source said last night: 'What the Dutch coach has said hasleft us flabbergasted here. Nigel is being used as a scapegoat forthings that happened to Dutch football in the summer.'[LNB]Referee Martin Atkinson saw De Jong's seventh-minute tackle and didnot give a freekick. This usually means the FA cannot take anyretrospective action. [LNB]Last night Newcastle contacted the FA. A club statement said:'Newcastle United have today written a strongly worded letter to theFootball Association in relation to the tackle by Manchester City'sNigel de Jong on Hatem Ben Arfa.[LNB]'The club has asked the FA for the appropriate action to be takenagainst De Jong for the tackle which, in the club's opinion, wasunnecessary and used excessive force.' [LNB]The call is doomed to failure because FA rules state that any retrospective action must take place within two days. [LNB]Last night City were reluctant to be drawn into a public slangingmatch with Newcastle, especially given that Ben Arfa is out for theseason with a double leg break.[LNB][LNB] Nightmare: Hatem Ben Arfa is carried off with a broken leg[LNB]But senior officials were a little bemused that their Premier Leaguerivals have chosen to complain, even though manager Chris Hughton andhis assistant Calderwood had not made an issue of the challenge.Officials from both clubs talked and drank together at Easlands afterthe match without De Jong's tackle being raised and only yesterdayCalderwood said: 'I wouldn't want to take that type of challenge out ofour football.'[LNB]De Jong is in England - having returned when he was dropped from theHolland squad - and it is understood he will visit Ben Arfa in hospitalin Newcastle soon. [LNB]Newcastle defender Jose Enrique said: 'They should ban De Jong untilBen Arfa can play again. His tackle was criminal. He already injuredanother player last season.' [LNB]City manager Roberto Mancini stood by De Jong, saying: 'Nigel is agreat player as well as being honest and loyal and I support himwholeheartedly.'[LNB] Insight: Bert van Marwijk's a disgrace for dropping De JongNigel de Jong must be banned for as long as Hatem Ben Arfa takes to recover from broken leg, insist angry NewcastleNigel de Jong must be banned for as long as Hatem Ben Arfa takes to recover from broken leg, insist angry NewcastleVIDEO SPECIAL: Horror show! Nigel de Jong's (not so) greatest hits[LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail