Healy tackle accidental, says McAllister

COVENTRY CITY boss Gary McAllister insisted Youssef Safri’s leg-breaking tackle on Sunderland’s Irish midfielder Colin Healy was “absolutely accidental”.

McAllister said Safri, who played alongside Healy when the Sunderland midfielder was on loan at Highfield Road from Celtic the season before last, was not a malicious player and he would not have intended to cause his opponent harm.

The damage to Healy's shattered right leg was so bad Sky Sports decided not to show it again after the game as it would be too upsetting for viewers. Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy stopped short of accusing Saffri of any intent, but felt it was "a poor tackle, over the ball".

McAllister said: "When it happened, it was not what I saw it was what I heard.

"There was a big crack and we were all praying that it was the noise of the shin guard rather than the sound of bones cracking. It was disturbing seeing a fellow player being treated with oxygen when we came off.

"But it was absolutely accidental. I have played with Safi for 18 months now and he is not malicious. He went for the ball. The ref was two or three yards away and he didn't see anything," he said.

McAllister said the high tempo of modern football meant that it was possible for something serious to happen without there being intent.

"When something like that happens, it takes the edge off the game. Colin Healy is a young player who has worked hard to get a contract at Sunderland and to get into this position. He is young enough and he will be fine," he said.

The news is a huge blow to McCarthy, who was unhappy with the challenge. McCarthy said: "I have seen the tackle again and I have to say that it is a bad tackle. It was over the ball.

"I'm not saying it was malicious or intentional or anything like that. I'm not saying he meant to do it or he wanted to do it. But it was over the ball and he missed the ball and caught Colin's leg," he said.

The injury came just days after Sunderland were told by FIFA that they would not have to pay Celtic compensation for Healy after recruiting during the summer.

Sunderland's Jeff Whitley says he and his colleagues are stunned that Safri avoided a red card for the tackle.

"We all just want to wish Colin all the best because it was a terrible thing to happen. When something like that happens in a game, you don't have much of an appetite to keep playing.

"It's a hard job for referees because challenges happen quickly, but we thought it was a blatant red card. I'm sure he didn't mean to cause that sort of damage no-one would but he went over the ball and didn't get a touch," he said.