Wigan decide against Caldwell appeal
Wigan will not appeal against Gary Caldwell’s red card in Monday’s Barclays Premier League defeat at Manchester City.
Caldwell was dismissed for a challenge on Carlos Tevez early in the second half at Eastlands, a decision which infuriated manager Roberto Martinez.
The Spaniard was angered that Caldwell’s tackle was deemed to have been two-footed and later accused referee Stuart Attwell of “lying” in explaining his decision that way.
Martinez has since been asked to clarify those remarks by the Football Association and could face disciplinary proceedings.
In another twist, Martinez has now claimed Attwell’s official report refers to the challenge only as being of “excessive force”.
Because of that, he now feels that an appeal against the red card could be deemed frivolous and Caldwell’s automatic three-match ban therefore increased to four games.
Martinez said: “I never have a problem with referees’ decisions, you can agree or disagree.
“What I don’t accept is the reasoning of the red card.
“You can see he explains to my captain it was a two-footed challenge, he explained to Gary Caldwell it was a two-footed challenge and then he told me straight after the whistle it was a two-footed challenge.
“After half an hour when we are allowed to speak to the referee again, he just explained the reason was it was a two-footed challenge.
“I don’t understand that, I cannot take that. It clearly didn’t happen.
“If anyone went two-footed into the challenge, it was the opposing player.
“The reasoning of that decision I cannot understand and that is what all the problems have been around.
“Obviously since then the report gives a completely different explanation of the challenge. That is for everyone to give their own interpretation to.
“What it says is it was a challenge using excessive force, which contradicts his first reasoning of the red card.
“We need to go with the report and we cannot appeal against that report because we are risking further punishment.”
Tevez went on to score a hat-trick in the final 18 minutes of the game to propel City to a 3-0 win that leaves Wigan just four points above the relegation zone.
Martinez has been given until April 6 to give the FA his observations following his initial comments.
