McLeish on attack over Blatter's interfering

Published on Monday 10 March 2008 22:46

BIRMINGHAM manager Alex McLeish has hit out at Fifa president Sepp Blatter's decision to investigate Martin Taylor's leg-breaking tackle on Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva.

McLeish believes Blatter's interest could mask a "hidden agenda" against the English game and the style of play in this country. Blatter wants to look further into the challenge made by Taylor during the Premier League clash at St Andrews a fortnight ago.

Taylor insisted the tackle was not malicious and Eduardo is satisfied there was no ill intent in the mis-timed challenge. But Blatter appears determined not to let the matter rest and wants the Football Association to release details of the matter to him with a view to possibly increasing the ban.

McLeish said: "This just seems to keep going on and bubbling under. I am disappointed with Sepp Blatter. If he were to look at every tackle every week in every European game, he would be out of a job because he would have to ban everyone.

"(When) I heard his comments I was flabbergasted. Sepp has probably seen the extent of Eduardo's injury and some of the pictures in the papers and he has been horrified because of that.

"The people who know the game know it wasn't a malicious tackle. Could there be a further suspension? Sepp Blatter could go to court with that one and he would fail 100 per cent. They (Fifa) have no jurisdiction over this.

"Why is he talking about it? For me, there could be a hidden agenda here and he is having a go at the English game. I think he thinks the English game is too robust."