English player Jermaine Defoe bit Argentinian player Javier Mascherano on the arm during Saturday's Premiership game between London teams Tottenham and West Ham that Tottenham won 1-0 at their White Hart Lane.
Tottenham's Defore had a face contorted with anger after Mascherano fouled him - then decided to eat his arm for lunch.
West Ham, Mascherano's team, now sit second from bottom in the Premiership. Only Charlton Athletic have less points....
Football's gnash of the day
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 West Ham United
Tasty tackle ... Defoe moves in on West Ham's Mascherano, who also plays for Argentina
Yum yum: The angry Englishman bites the Argentinian on the arm
What a cry-baby: The Argie then writhes around the floor in "agony" (all non-British players are wimps. If they break a fingernail they are in agony)
By PAT SHEEHAN
OCTOBER 23, 2006
SPURS star Jermain Defoe prepares to clamp his jaws on a rival yesterday in one of the most amazing scenes witnessed in English soccer.
Striker Defoe, 24, bit the arm of Javier Mascherano after being brought down by the West Ham midfielder.
Defoe’s face was contorted with anger as he put the bite on.
The Defoe incident is understood to be under consideration by the FA's compliance department. They are trying to establish the chain of events through consultation with match official Steve Bennett.
Meanwhile Hammers boss Alan Pardew, preparing for tomorrow night's Carling Cup third round tie at Chesterfield, today revealed Mascherano does not have a problem with Defoe following the incident.
Pardew said: "Javier is fine and bears no grudges. Our entire focus is on the next match."
Tottenham manager Martin Jol said Defoe's action amounted to no more than a "comical nibble".
Jol said: "There will be no mark. Ask Mascherano if he has got a mark."
Earlier Sports Minister Richard Caborn had urged the FA to take action against Defoe.
Caborn told The Times: "Any action like this I hope the authorities will decide on. I have said time and again that players in these positions have a great responsibility to set a good example."
Ex-West Ham player Defoe — an England striker — was given a yellow card, as was Argentinian Mascherano.
Spurs boss Jol, whose team won 1-0, insisted the bite was a joke. He said: “Defoe was nibbling — you know the word ‘nibbling’ — nibbling his arm. But if you ask Mascherano to show you any marks on it he will not be able to.
“Mascherano had kicked Jermain three times from behind in ten minutes and Defoe wanted to show his frustration in a nice, comical way.”
The Sun’s Richard Pelham, who took our Page One picture, said: “They were both on the floor then all of a sudden Mascherano is rolling around and screaming in agony.
“Whether it was a vicious bite or just a nibble, you don’t expect to see a player of Defoe’s calibre involved in something like that.”
Steve Midwinton, of West Ham Supporters’ Club, said: “It’s an assault. Players should not be allowed to get away with this.”
Sports Minister Richard Caborn called for the FA to examine photo evidence and act accordingly. He said: “Players have a great responsibility to set a good example.”
Police said: “No allegation of a crime has been made.”
thesun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
Tottenham's Defore had a face contorted with anger after Mascherano fouled him - then decided to eat his arm for lunch.
West Ham, Mascherano's team, now sit second from bottom in the Premiership. Only Charlton Athletic have less points....
Football's gnash of the day
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 West Ham United
Tasty tackle ... Defoe moves in on West Ham's Mascherano, who also plays for Argentina
Yum yum: The angry Englishman bites the Argentinian on the arm
What a cry-baby: The Argie then writhes around the floor in "agony" (all non-British players are wimps. If they break a fingernail they are in agony)
OCTOBER 23, 2006
SPURS star Jermain Defoe prepares to clamp his jaws on a rival yesterday in one of the most amazing scenes witnessed in English soccer.
Striker Defoe, 24, bit the arm of Javier Mascherano after being brought down by the West Ham midfielder.
Defoe’s face was contorted with anger as he put the bite on.
The Defoe incident is understood to be under consideration by the FA's compliance department. They are trying to establish the chain of events through consultation with match official Steve Bennett.
Meanwhile Hammers boss Alan Pardew, preparing for tomorrow night's Carling Cup third round tie at Chesterfield, today revealed Mascherano does not have a problem with Defoe following the incident.
Pardew said: "Javier is fine and bears no grudges. Our entire focus is on the next match."
Tottenham manager Martin Jol said Defoe's action amounted to no more than a "comical nibble".
Jol said: "There will be no mark. Ask Mascherano if he has got a mark."
Earlier Sports Minister Richard Caborn had urged the FA to take action against Defoe.
Caborn told The Times: "Any action like this I hope the authorities will decide on. I have said time and again that players in these positions have a great responsibility to set a good example."
Ex-West Ham player Defoe — an England striker — was given a yellow card, as was Argentinian Mascherano.
Spurs boss Jol, whose team won 1-0, insisted the bite was a joke. He said: “Defoe was nibbling — you know the word ‘nibbling’ — nibbling his arm. But if you ask Mascherano to show you any marks on it he will not be able to.
“Mascherano had kicked Jermain three times from behind in ten minutes and Defoe wanted to show his frustration in a nice, comical way.”
The Sun’s Richard Pelham, who took our Page One picture, said: “They were both on the floor then all of a sudden Mascherano is rolling around and screaming in agony.
“Whether it was a vicious bite or just a nibble, you don’t expect to see a player of Defoe’s calibre involved in something like that.”
Steve Midwinton, of West Ham Supporters’ Club, said: “It’s an assault. Players should not be allowed to get away with this.”
Sports Minister Richard Caborn called for the FA to examine photo evidence and act accordingly. He said: “Players have a great responsibility to set a good example.”
Police said: “No allegation of a crime has been made.”
thesun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
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