Alex Baptiste will miss the chance to face his former club Blackpool tomorrow night – but got no sympathy from his manager Dougie Freedman after his red card at Yeovil Town.
The defender was given a straight red by referee Darren Deadman for a professional foul on Kevin Dawson, which has earned him an immediate one-match ban.
Despite remonstrating with the fourth official at the time, Freedman had no qualms with the decision after the final whistle and laid the responsibility at the full-back’s door.
Asked if he was worried a straight red could earn Baptiste a three-match ban, the Scot said after the game: “It doesn’t give me any problems at all because he deserves to miss three games,” he said.
“He can sulk for three weeks if he wants, I’ll just get someone who can defend a little bit better than that.
“I have got no complaints on the penalty, or the sending off, our man got the wrong side of him.
“It was a straight red for Baptiste. It was ball watching and he’d got the wrong side.”
Freedman also said there had been no discussions with Aston Villa about extending Alan Hutton’s loan beyond March 29.
The full-back is currently due to play his final game for the club in Saturday’s home derby against Wigan Athletic.
“I haven’t spoken to Aston Villa and if they wanted to call him back, they will, but we need to keep looking for the right positions,” the manager added.
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The defender was given a straight red by referee Darren Deadman for a professional foul on Kevin Dawson, which has earned him an immediate one-match ban.
Despite remonstrating with the fourth official at the time, Freedman had no qualms with the decision after the final whistle and laid the responsibility at the full-back’s door.
Asked if he was worried a straight red could earn Baptiste a three-match ban, the Scot said after the game: “It doesn’t give me any problems at all because he deserves to miss three games,” he said.
“He can sulk for three weeks if he wants, I’ll just get someone who can defend a little bit better than that.
“I have got no complaints on the penalty, or the sending off, our man got the wrong side of him.
“It was a straight red for Baptiste. It was ball watching and he’d got the wrong side.”
Freedman also said there had been no discussions with Aston Villa about extending Alan Hutton’s loan beyond March 29.
The full-back is currently due to play his final game for the club in Saturday’s home derby against Wigan Athletic.
“I haven’t spoken to Aston Villa and if they wanted to call him back, they will, but we need to keep looking for the right positions,” the manager added.
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