Coleman’s leg broken in horror challenge
Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Republic of Ireland skipper Seamus Coleman suffered a broken leg in a horror challenge by Wales defender Neil Taylor.
The Everton full-back was stretchered off after Taylor had been shown a straight red card for his 69th-minute tackle during last night’s 0-0 World Cup qualifier draw in Dublin.
Republic boss O’Neill said: “Seamus has gone to hospital. It’s been confirmed by our doctor that he has broken his leg. It’s a real blow to him.
“He’s having the season of a lifetime at club level and he’s a big player for us, a great captain and a a great character, so it’s a big, big loss, a big loss to Everton, a big loss to us. But he’ll fight back, I hope.”
Wales boss Chris Coleman was quick to defend Taylor and revealed he had gone to the Ireland dressing room to apologise to Coleman.
He said: “Sadly for Seamus, obviously, it looks like it’s a bad one. Neil Taylor is not that type of player. He’s had a serious injury himself. He’s a great boy, he’s a cracking lad.
“It’s a bad one for Seamus, and that’s a shame because he’s someone I respect. He’s one of the best full-backs in the Premier League, so I hope he’s not out for too long. Of course, Neil is devastated himself.”
It might have been even worse for Wales seconds before Coleman’s misfortune when star man Gareth Bale was booked for a late challenge on Sunderland defender John O’Shea – the caution ruling him out of June’s trip to Serbia – when he too could have seen red.
However, his manager said: “He (Bale) got the yellow card from a cross, the referee thought he was late. Again when I’m looking at it, I thought he had to go for it.
“He’s travelling at a great speed, he’s got to go for it, he gets a yellow card and he’s going to miss the next game.
“He wants to appeal the yellow card.”
Wales might have snatched victory at the death when Bale skimmed the post with a curling effort, but Coleman left Dublin relatively satisfied.
He said: “If you looked at it at the start of the campaign and said to us, “Would you take a point in the Republic and a point in Austria?’, I’m not so sure I would have said, ‘I don’t want that’.
“It’s not so bad, but because we have had draws – we dropped two points to Georgia at home – that’s been quite significant. But still, there’s a long way to go, five games, 15 points.”
O’Neill too was happy enough with a point.
He said: “It’s five games gone, we’re exactly halfway. Two games at home, three away. We’ve 11 points on the board. I would have taken that.
“Serbia won, Austria won – they’re not out of it. Wales didn’t gain any ground on us, but we still have to go there and they are capable of winning matches.”