‘No one has the right to label me a dirty player’
MOTHERWELL striker Ryan Bowman last night hit back at criticism that has tarred him with the reputation of a dirty player.
Today, Bowman returns to the scene of the crime that landed him in the Scottish football spotlight — the elbow challenge that broke Rangers defender Fabio Cardoso’s nose.
The Ibrox club were incensed with the Fir Park forward for the clash that sparked dismissals for both managers in last month’s Betfred Cup semi-final.
Bowman had been booked early in the game for a similar flashpoint but escaped punishment following the gory scene in the second half.
Brendan Rodgers then waded in by expressing empathy for exRangers boss Pedro Caixinha’s anger, calling out Bowman for endangering the safety of Kieran Tierney in a foul last season.
Before going up against Rodgers and his Treble-winning stars in this afternoon’s showpiece, the former English non-league striker vigorously defended his sporting character and disciplinary record.
‘I don’t want to comment on who in particular but a lot of people labelled me a dirty player,’ stated Bowman. ‘If you look at the stats, I’ve never been sent off for that before.
‘I’ve been booked once since the semi-final. If you watch football all around the world, you see all strikers go up and use their arms for leverage. I’ve been a bit unlucky with what’s gone on.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been called a dirty player. I think I’ve been booked 10-15 times in my whole career. So if you look at the stats, they show I’m not a dirty player.’
Bowman’s yellow card at Hampden was his first of this season and the high challenge on Tierney’s knee one of just two cautions in 31 outings for Gateshead and Motherwell in 2016/17.
The 25-year-old has been sent off three times in his professional career but possesses an entirely unremarkable record of bookings.
When asked if he thought the Rodgers dig was an attempt at mind games in advance of the Final, Bowman said: ‘I don’t know. If it was, it was.
‘I’m not going to comment on other people. I’m just going to concentrate on my game and do everything I can for the team.
‘It’s difficult but I have to try and forget about it and play my usual game. With Tierney, I haven’t gone in to hurt him. He’s had a bad touch and I’ve gone in to kick the ball.
‘It’s not as if I’ve gone: “There you go”. I kicked the ball out of play for a throw-in and, as I came down landing, I caught him on the knee.’
Bowman stressed that the waves of criticism did not hurt but admitted that manager Stephen Robinson had to reassure him there was no need to alter his game for Motherwell.
‘It maybe affected me the first game back, which was a couple of days later, against Dundee,’ said Bowman.
‘It was in my head for the first challenge or so, I was thinking about it.
‘I needed to concentrate and get it right. It’s not on my mind now. The manager tells me: “When you don’t challenge and you’re not physical you’re no good to me”.
‘Physicality is a big part of my game so if I’m not using that the manager is right, I’m no good to him.’