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Fab's dark side casts a shadow over his future
James Olley19.03.09
Cesc Fabregas is facing mounting questions about his character after he allegedly spat at Hull assistant manager Brian Horton, regardless of any action the Football Association takes.
If it happened, it was at best an unsavoury act to be dismissed as a continental expression of frustration but at worst the latest in a growing list of incidents that suggest the 21-year-old has a dark side behind his genius.
Although a character assassination would be something of an overreaction, the sight of Arsenal's club captain - who was not even in the matchday squad - gesturing towards the visiting bench moments after reaching an FA Cup semi-final will undoubtedly disappoint manager Arsene Wenger, not that he would admit it publicly.
Given the alleged incident supposedly occurred in the tunnel and was not included in referee Mike Riley's report, the FA are unable to rely on any Setanta TV footage and are likely to request CCTV video from the club before making any decision over possible charges.
Nevertheless, he appears sufficiently moved to once again reiterate his innocence as it emerged a full investigation is set to begin.
"I've absolutely nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of," he said. "The simple fact is I did not spit at the assistant manager of Hull City."
But Tuesday night's fracas is not the first time the midfielder has become embroiled in controversy since arriving in England as a 16 year-old in 2003.
The Spaniard was rumoured to have been the Arsenal player responsible for throwing food at Sir Alex Ferguson following the 'Pizzagate' scandal, after Manchester United ended the Gunners' 49-match unbeaten run at Old Trafford in 2004.
Fabregas's statement that "I have never spat at anyone in my whole career on the pitch" is also somewhat at odds with the video evidence that suggests he may have done just that towards Michael Ballack during a Champions League game at Highbury a year later.
But UEFA didn't charge him and Fabregas said today: "I have seen this video on the internet many times before and I remember the incident clearly. I shouted at him because I felt like I did not make a bad tackle. I did not spit at him."
In the 2007 Carling Cup Final, Kolo Toure and John Obi Mikel sparked a brawl that the Spaniard did not hesitate to get involved in, attempting to haul Frank Lampard to the floor before having to be restrained.
And just weeks earlier, he expressed his disbelief that Mark Hughes, then manager of Blackburn, had ever played for Barcelona and claimed when he did "it was not Barcelona football".
Fabregas, a lifelong Barca fan, later apologised, saying: "I went to the dressing room to make my apology to him. I am very young and still have a lot to learn."
It still appears that remains the case but there are mitigating circumstances for a player sent off just once in his professional career.
It could reasonably be argued that Fabregas should have been nowhere near the pitch at the final whistle but his desire to be so close to the action is indicative of the frustration he has endured in recent months.
During his four-month absence with knee ligament damage, Arsenal's season has threatened to implode and in his programme notes on Tuesday night he wrote: "Hopefully this will be the last game at Emirates Stadium that I miss this season and the last time I have to drive in through the security checkpoint before a game. I want to be coming in on the team bus with everyone else."
But frustration is not a watertight defence, given Arsenal had just beaten Hull thanks to a stirring comeback.
Yet spitting at the floor, while not acceptable, could merely be viewed as a Spanish peccadillo.
A club source told Standard Sport: "If it happened at all, I would view it as a continental expression that just shows his disappointment."
On the players' part, winger Theo Walcott is simply looking forward to his skipper returning to action. He said: "He is going to be a brilliant player for us when he comes back.
"I hope people won't expect wonders straight away, but he will get back to his best soon and I am looking forward to his comeback."
When he does, eyes will now be on his attitude as much as his play.
Reader views (9)
The little fella is a fine footballer when he can be bothered, but he needs to grow-up. Maybe getting away from the petulant Wenger would help him, a move back to Spain, or even italy might benefit him, or in the UK to a stronger man-manager- like Sir Alex, or even Gus Hiddink if he stays at Chelsea.
If he wants to be at a club with a nice stadium, a few quid and the odd pretty-passing game, how about joining Mark Hughes at City?
Either way, he should leave Arsenal for the sake of his trophy cabinet, and his reputation.
- Fresh, London
Hull's story keeps changing but I think it is more due to the way they lost and the fact that their season could come to a sad end. Febragas is the Arsenal captain and although I think the Wenger picks captains more as a way to keep players than as reward for long service and leadership qualities, he is still the captain and he has a right to congratulate his teammates.
This was a bad tempered match where Hull did not always display any spotsmanship and if I was an Arsenal player I would not be too cordial after a game where it seemed like Hull was trying to hurt my mates. Arsenal has a recent history of teams breaking the rules of the game to stop them and then saying that they are soft because they came to play football so Arsenal players can be excused for not embrasing a team that kicked and grabbed them for the whole game.
- Zac, NY, NY
So, phil brown has now changed his story for a second time. in his first interview (on setanta) he claimed fabregas had spat at horton on the pitch. later on sky it was he spat at him in the tunnel, now he didnt spit at him at all, but 'addressed it' at him. Add to that the clear inaccuracy of his claims that wenger never shakes his hand, despite video evidence to the contrary at the emirates and at the KC, and its clear mr brown is just a little bitter after the defeat.
How about we talk about the game instead of this pathetic attempt by hull to deflect criticsm of their anti-football and time wasting.
- Zaphod, Norwich, England
Once again same old reply from Arsene Wenger - "I didn't see anything". Whenever Arsenal are accused of anything he NEVER saw it!!! Perhaps that's why Arsenal play such boring football - he's on the touchline but can't actually see how bad his team are playing. They always complicate and overplay the game, always trying to walk the ball into the net - and Fabregas is one of the worst culprits. Until Wenger 'opens' his eyes and actually "sees" something they will never improve.
- Malcolm, London
Wenger has to take his share of responsibility, where his players are concerned. Over the years, he has stoked the flames, instead of addressing his players' disgraceful behaviour, on and off the pitch.
In the Carling Cup Final, he should have been the first player to be dismissed, after grabbing Lampard by the throat. To deny he'd ever spat at anyone, makes a mockery of his self proclaimed innocence, as video evidence, clearly proves otherwise. To hide behind his youth and inexperience, for lack of respect to people like Lampard, Ballack, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Horton, are, burying one's head, in the sand.
I hope he is taught a lesson by the FA.
- Nicolas, Nicosia, Cyprus
I find this unbelieveable! The only shadow that might be cast over his future is one dreamed up by the media. This is not a game for persons who are weak in both the mental and physical sense. The character that this guy shows in standing up to seasoned professional should be lauded not decried. I accept that spitting is not acceptable but until now I have seen no evidence of him spitting at anyone. His verbal confrontations with his elders just show how good and dedicated professional he is. Who would you rather have in your team this type of guy or a persons who just lets the opposition get away with whatever they want.
- Pedro, Dubai UAE
'Mounting questions about his character'??? What? The 'incidents' you have referred to, that have happened over a 5 year period, are nothing. There is no increasing aspect to Cesc's character being called into question. He has grown tremendously, has an amazing character, is already an Arsenal legend at 21 and the Premier League is lucky to have him. The spitting incidient is unproven, the Ballack incident was just him shouting, otherwise the ref would have done more about it at the time or included it in his report as he clearly saw it. He was dead right about the Barca comment, Hughes team played anti-football and were a disgrace to English footbal, let alone Barca, that day.
- Rayman, London
There were cameras all over the place,not one picked up the alleged incident,i dont think Fabregas spat at their assistant manager,Hull lost the game and it was to a dodgy goal allowed by the ref, but these decisions are made week in week out,sometimes in your teams favour sometimes not.Fabregas had every right to be on the pitch,the team of which he is captain had just won an important game and Hull took the loss badly,but at the end of the day the refs decision is final,Hull got a good result at Arsenal earlier this season,this time they got beat,get over it.
- Jim Ex Pat, London N.1, thailand
why can it be argued that the player should be nowhere near the pitch AFTER the game? What has that got to do with anything?! There are clearly no rules on it as the club would allow him to do it if there were so why bring it up? And "Pizzagate", Ballack (which came to nothing!) and the Carling Cup fracas (which involved a ton of other players more experienced than him, including Lampard) are the only three incidents you can find?
- John, Islington
