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26th Apr 2017

Outrage as Neil Taylor receives short ban for that tackle on Seamus Coleman

Does the punishment fit the crime?

Mikey Stafford

He won’t miss as many games as Seamus Coleman, that is for sure.

The Republic of Ireland captain is most likely out of football until 2018 following the double leg break he suffered during the  World Cup qualifier against Wales in Aviva Stadium last month.

Taylor, who received a straight red card for the reckless and dangerous tackle, was handed a two-match suspension. He will miss Wales’ next two World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Austria.

Coleman, meanwhile, will miss the remainder of Ireland’s 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign as he rehabs his shattered leg.

Ireland fans were less than impressed with the punishment handed down by Fifa’s disciplinary committee. At the time of the incident, in the days afterwards, as Welsh players, managers and pundits insisted Taylor was “not that type of player” it was reported that Taylor could face a three or even four-match ban for the leg-breaking tackle.

This has not come to pass, leaving fans and journalists like baffled by the decision.