Home
Phil Parkinson reckons it is high time Gary Madine got better protection from League One referees.
The Wanderers boss leapt to the defence of his striker after feeling he had been badly treated by Stuart Attwell in the FA Cup replay defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.
Madine has played the vast majority of games as a lone front man this season and has won many fans with his hard-working performances.
But as Wanderers head to Southend United this morning to prepare for their game at Roots Hall tomorrow, Parkinson feels his front man deserves a fairer crack of the whip from the officials.
“He’s feeling fit, his effort isn’t dropping,” the manager told The Bolton News. “We thought he got no protection at Crystal Palace and you find yourself saying to the referee ‘just be fair to him’.
“Gaz jumps for the ball very fairly – he isn’t someone who’s flinging his arms around.
“I think that’s the case in League One as well. He gets no decisions going his way and I don’t know why.
“Refs are maybe not used to dealing with a big old fashioned target man, but if there is the slightest bit of contact from his end there’s a whistle.
“But at the other end defenders are almost allowed to wrestle the shirt off his back at times.”
Parkinson’s argument was backed up by Ben Alnwick, who believes his team-mate’s strength in the air is actually his undoing with referees.
“He gets a rough ride,” the goalkeeper said. “I think he’s getting knocked about quite a lot but because he’s so strong the defenders are bouncing off him at it looks like a foul. Really, it’s just that he’s just stronger.”
Southend fought for a point at the Macron earlier this season, Keshi Anderson cancelling out Harry Kyprianou’s early effort.
And Parkinson is keeping a close eye on his players’ condition after Tuesday’s replay to ensure the team is fresh enough to get a result.
“Southend are a team who’ll turn the back four around, get on top of us, and we’ll have to be ready,” he said. “We will make sure the team we pick is right.”
Source
The Wanderers boss leapt to the defence of his striker after feeling he had been badly treated by Stuart Attwell in the FA Cup replay defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday night.
Madine has played the vast majority of games as a lone front man this season and has won many fans with his hard-working performances.
But as Wanderers head to Southend United this morning to prepare for their game at Roots Hall tomorrow, Parkinson feels his front man deserves a fairer crack of the whip from the officials.
“He’s feeling fit, his effort isn’t dropping,” the manager told The Bolton News. “We thought he got no protection at Crystal Palace and you find yourself saying to the referee ‘just be fair to him’.
“Gaz jumps for the ball very fairly – he isn’t someone who’s flinging his arms around.
“I think that’s the case in League One as well. He gets no decisions going his way and I don’t know why.
“Refs are maybe not used to dealing with a big old fashioned target man, but if there is the slightest bit of contact from his end there’s a whistle.
“But at the other end defenders are almost allowed to wrestle the shirt off his back at times.”
Parkinson’s argument was backed up by Ben Alnwick, who believes his team-mate’s strength in the air is actually his undoing with referees.
“He gets a rough ride,” the goalkeeper said. “I think he’s getting knocked about quite a lot but because he’s so strong the defenders are bouncing off him at it looks like a foul. Really, it’s just that he’s just stronger.”
Southend fought for a point at the Macron earlier this season, Keshi Anderson cancelling out Harry Kyprianou’s early effort.
And Parkinson is keeping a close eye on his players’ condition after Tuesday’s replay to ensure the team is fresh enough to get a result.
“Southend are a team who’ll turn the back four around, get on top of us, and we’ll have to be ready,” he said. “We will make sure the team we pick is right.”
Source