Stu's not boiling
From Martin Samuel at White Hart Lane
THEY didn't call him Psycho for nothing. First day in the job, his player gets an elbow straight in the face in the build-up to the winning goal, blood everywhere, pandemonium on the bench, all hell let loose, Stuart Pearce says… nothing.
Well, not exactly nothing. He admits he saw the incident, but chooses not to make a fuss about it.
He offers no excuses, doesn't blame the referee, the offending player or the opposition manager. He'll never last in this game.
Truly, we can only wish Pearce and Manchester City well from here.
A lot of managers would have hidden behind the elbow incident involving Thimothee Atouba and Joey Barton. Many would have talked it up to disguise a defensive lapse that cost three points. Not Psycho.
"I worked with Mr Clough and never heard him criticise a referee," said Pearce, "so I do not intend starting now.
"Nor am I in the business of criticising Tottenham or their players. I know Martin Jol and I will leave what happens next up to him.
"Joey Barton feels Atouba elbowed him. I saw what happened and I can't condone it. But do I blame it for their goal? No.
Faults
"It was a part of what went wrong, but I would put three or four other faults ahead of it — not closing down Fredi Kanoute, not getting tighter in the area.
"I don't want to make a big issue of it. All I can do is make sure my team conducts itself in the right manner and leave Tottenham to look after their players."
If, by that, he expects Tottenham to discipline Atouba, he may be disappointed.
Manager Jol — a former team-mate of Pearce's at Coventry — did not seem in the mood to administer punishments after a result he feels may turn his season.
"I have had an explanation from Thimothee over what happened, and it was a positive one," he said.
"He did not say nothing went on. There was a bit of niggling — but an elbow? No, I did not see it, and neither did the linesman or the fourth official, who were standing by me.
"I have known Thimothee and worked with him for eight months, and have never seen him booked, let alone accused of something like this.
"But Stuart is an old-fashioned left-back and an honest man — if he says something happened, I would not complain about that."
Too nice by half, the lot of them. In the end, it will be left to the FA to decide, with the help of video evidence. Even if a three-match ban for Atouba is the outcome, it is hard to feel the usual sympathy for victim Barton — and not just in the light of previous misdemeanours, involving Christmas parties and cigars.
Pearce, a man of the football world, knows the score.
Atouba and Barton had been niggling at each other in the build-up to the gory blow, a tap here, a pull there, and at one time a full-blooded dig in the stomach from the City man.
It was only after this that Atouba lashed out with his elbow, a swipe that had a catastrophic effect on Barton's face — and also, sadly, on Pearce's first match in charge.
While City were distracted, and their destroyer out of the game, Spurs scored a winner that was barely deserved.
Reality
City had been at least equal to the task of winning and, in the second half looked likelier to score.
But the reality for Pearce is that the defeat had as much to do with his goalkeeper as any nefarious activity by Tottenham.
David James, perhaps under the strain of measuring up to his England rival Paul Robinson a week before an international, had a poor game.
He was at fault for Tottenham's first goal after 15 minutes. And he was left flailing to little effect for their controversial second, scored by substitute Robbie Keane with seven minutes remaining.
The first James as good as created. A poor throw intended for Nedum Onuoha went instead to Andy Reid. His cross was missed by Jermain Defoe, struck by Simon Davies and then turned into the net by Defoe's head at the far post.
As for the second, all that could be said in James' defence was that the deflection from Davies' shot caught him out, and he had already gone to ground when the ball fell to Keane.
At worst, it was a final unconvincing moment in a thoroughly unfortunate afternoon — the sole bright spot being a fine one-handed save from Reid in the second half.
Not that Robinson did much better. He hardly inspired confidence before England's World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
At least he was not responsible for City's equaliser, though. The goal of the match, it was scored by its most enterprising player, Claudio Reyna, two minutes before half-time.
It was a lovely move. A clearance by Richard Dunne was controlled by Barton and fed to Robbie Fowler, whose exquisite flick was met on the volley by Reyna.
It was the highlight of a game from which City deserved more.
Pearce deserves the chance to submit his CV in the summer to keep the City job. If honesty counts for anything, he should be halfway home.
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