Post by Liam O'Reilly on Aug 25, 2006 11:41:21 GMT
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce has condemned Ben Thatcher for his sickening elbow on Pedro Mendes on Wednesday night.
The City coach initially defended his full back and claimed that referee Dermot Gallagher was right to award a yellow card for the incident.
But upon seeing a replay of the former Wales international's challenge, Pearce has radically changed his tune, and now seems set to punish the player in-house.
"What happened on Wednesday was indefensible," Pearce admitted.
"I have to talk with Ben and I also have a meeting with the chairman. Between us we will decide what to do.
"Any form of discipline will be discussed at board level, kept internal and we will move on from there.
"But I can assure everybody, this has hit the player very hard. There is no bravado about him.
"He has gone home, turned on the TV and seen the challenge. The more you watch it, the worse it gets."
Greater Manchester Police received a number of complaints over the incident, but Pearce would rather not see any criminal action launched.
Meanwhile, club captain Richard Dunne has backed Pearce's assessment of his 30-year-old team-mate, who has since written a letter of apology to Mendes.
"Normally, he is such a bubbly character - but he has lost that," Dunne stated.
"He has been so down since it happened, I don't think he really wants to speak to anyone.
"It is difficult. Everyone saw what happened and it is not something that will just go away.
"Ben is such a nice fellow but this is something we could definitely have done without so early in the season and it has proved a distraction in terms of our preparation to play Arsenal."
City welcome the Emirates Stadium outfit to Eastlands live on Prem Plus on Saturday, though it is still not yet clear whether Pearce will allow Thatcher to feature or suspend the player.
The City coach initially defended his full back and claimed that referee Dermot Gallagher was right to award a yellow card for the incident.
But upon seeing a replay of the former Wales international's challenge, Pearce has radically changed his tune, and now seems set to punish the player in-house.
"What happened on Wednesday was indefensible," Pearce admitted.
"I have to talk with Ben and I also have a meeting with the chairman. Between us we will decide what to do.
"Any form of discipline will be discussed at board level, kept internal and we will move on from there.
"But I can assure everybody, this has hit the player very hard. There is no bravado about him.
"He has gone home, turned on the TV and seen the challenge. The more you watch it, the worse it gets."
Greater Manchester Police received a number of complaints over the incident, but Pearce would rather not see any criminal action launched.
Meanwhile, club captain Richard Dunne has backed Pearce's assessment of his 30-year-old team-mate, who has since written a letter of apology to Mendes.
"Normally, he is such a bubbly character - but he has lost that," Dunne stated.
"He has been so down since it happened, I don't think he really wants to speak to anyone.
"It is difficult. Everyone saw what happened and it is not something that will just go away.
"Ben is such a nice fellow but this is something we could definitely have done without so early in the season and it has proved a distraction in terms of our preparation to play Arsenal."
City welcome the Emirates Stadium outfit to Eastlands live on Prem Plus on Saturday, though it is still not yet clear whether Pearce will allow Thatcher to feature or suspend the player.