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Spiteful spit

Comment: 0 November 14th, 2011 by: admin
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HE spat his way to ignominy and then swallowed the ensuing penalty without grumbling.

Wigan defender Antolin Alcaraz surely knew what’s heading his way after his spit aimed at an opposing player during a recent Premier League tussle caused his three-match suspension.

He spat at Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Richard Stearman near the end of their 1-3 loss at the Molineux Stadium last Sunday and all of a sudden he’s controversy fodder.

The Paraguayan international’s misdeed did not escape the television cameras, evident that he erred and forced the Football Association to hand the penalty.

Not good for the Latics

Because of the incident, not only were the Latics’ march derailed but their woeful start of the season was given more prominent exposure. It stained their campaign early this term just as Alcaraz’ reputation as a player and more importantly as a captain was downgraded.

Doing such disgusting act belied what his armband meant. He showed he can’t be a leader because he is short-fused. He also showed he can’t be a role model to young Wigan followers because the latter should see a fine example of a good player-leader combination on the pitch.

As we deplore the Paraguayan’s act, we doff our hats off to Stearman for keeping his composure despite being insulted in a nasty manner. That in a way is worth emulating, not what Alcaraz’ did.

A free-for-all could have ensued after the spitting incident but it was prevented when Stearman kept his temper in check and did not retaliate just as viciously.

Alcaraz, who wore the captain’s armband in the absence of Gary Caldwell, became an apple of the eye for Wigan due to his sterling performance for Paraguay in last year’s World Cup. He could have made more impact for his team and the Premier League but his misadventure only brought him discomfiture.

Instant scoundrel

He turned into an instant villain just like what other notorious football “spitters’’ in the past. His act brought back scenarios of Frank Rijkaard spitting at Rudi Voeller in a 1990 World Cup tiff pitting the Netherlands against Germany and of Fabien Barthez absorbing a six-month suspension for spitting at a referee during a France-Morocco encounter in 2005, among others.

Nobody wants to be spat at. In football, it is one of the worst offences a player can commit.

When Alcaraz did it to Stearman, he stooped to the level of cowardice. The aggrieved Stearman, on the other hand, personified sportsmanship and gentlemanly demeanour.

Cause for trouble

Spitting on the pitch by players is common but to do it against a fellow player courts nothing but trouble which could escalate into massive proportion if unchecked.

Clamours for a stiffer penalty against Alcaraz are now up. Wigan are set to do their own probe but can they handle the mess without compromising their credibility?

Wigan chairman Dave Richards said he was outraged by what his player committed so it is interesting to see what they would slap on the latter. Will he be stripped of the captaincy? Will he be meted a heavier punishment? Or will the team acquit him?

An outfit like Wigan is respected and known to be well-managed. But if they end up with a one-dimensional verdict, their reputation would be placed under scrutiny. Sacking Alcaraz would probably be the best remedy to steer them away from that spitting controversy.

Wigan, currently on an eight-game losing drought, should implement the proper judgment and then move on to make improvement or plod on to at least escape relegation.

Severe matter

The list of those condemning the act and saying that the three-match ban on Alcaraz should be prolonged is growing.  The ball is now on the hands of the FA who are also having their own enquiry. If they are dead-serious in eliminating incidents of spitting among players, they should take the matter with utmost sincerity.

An iron-fist stand on the matter is what the FA need. Why not enforce stiffer bans that could be as high as six months or one-season long if only to scare the wits out of players who would try to defy an anti-spitting rule for that matter.

Alcaraz should have learned a lesson from his sickening act.  Let’s hope what happened to Stearman won’t be perpetrated again.

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