ZLAT’S A DISGRACE
Mings devastated by 5-match stamp ban
TYRONE MINGS has come out fighting over his FA ban for stamping on Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Bournemouth defender starts a five-match suspension when his struggling side face West Ham today.
It follows last weekend’s clash with the Manchester United striker.
Mings is convinced his sanction was too severe.
“I am extremely disappointed at the FA’s decision to ban me for five matches, following what was an accidental collision with Zlatan Ibrahimovic,” he said.
“At no time was there any intentional stamp or a movement to suggest that.
Upsetting
“My foot did not change course and at no point did I try and move my foot towards his head. My only focus was to get back in and defend.
“Conduct like that is not part of my game, so for people to deem that I could intentionally stamp on a fellow professional’s head is upsetting.
“It is an action that would not be acceptable in any walk of life, let alone on a football pitch, and one that would never cross my mind.”
Under FA rules, players can be banned even if they do not show intent. But Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe defended “gentle giant” Mings, who missed most of last season with a knee injury. Howe said: “We believe he’s ® innocent of any charge. It was a pure accident from his perspective.
“He’s hugely disappointed to miss five games at such a crucial period of the season for us.
“When you’ve been out for such a long time with an injury, to then receive a suspension of this magnitude and miss more football is the most frustrating thing for him.
“From my dealings with him, in training and the games I’ve seen him play, he doesn’t have that kind of streak in him.
“Although he’s a beast by stature, he’s a gentle giant on and off the pitch and I think it’s a real shame for him.
“I see a defender who’s made a very good tackle trying to get back to his goal as quickly as he can.
“People who understand the game to a really high level, and especially being a defender myself, know the only priority is to defend your goal.”