Fulham boss cannot defend Sidwell

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Fulham manager Martin Jol admitted it would “sound ridiculous” to defend Steve Sidwell after the midfielder’s sending-off in the home defeat against Arsenal.

Sidwell, just back from a three-match suspension for his dismissal against QPR, was shown a straight red card for a 12th-minue challenge on Mikel Arteta.

Jol said: “I can’t defend him because it would probably sound ridiculous.

“It was the first foul and it spoilt the game a bit. Sometimes you hope the referee will book you because it wasn’t intentional, but if you are consistent it is a red card.

“It was probably a red card but sometimes you have to take these decisions in the spirit of the game so, as his manager, I would not have given it because I knew it wasn’t intentional.

“You saw his reaction – he knew he could be in trouble again and he was.”

The Whites boss added: “I was annoyed with him but he will say it was not intentional.

“We knew it as not intentional because he wanted to play and he was looking forward to it after coming back from a three-match suspension.

“I was not only very disappointed for him but more for us because we had to play with 10 men for 83 minutes.”

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