Season › 2016-17 › News Ibrahimovic denies 'deliberate kick' on Coleman Lyndon Lloyd Monday, 5 December, 2016 51comments | Jump to most recent Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images Zlatan Ibrahimovic is pleading innocence over yesterday's incident with Seamus Coleman where he appeared to kick the Everton defender in the head. The pair tangled in the second half of the 1-1 draw with Manchester United, with the Swede falling on top of Coleman and then catching the Irish captain with his boot as he fell over him. The challenge eventually forced the Toffees' defender from the field, although his substitution was down more to the impact of Ibrahimovic falling on top of him than the boot to his head. Television replays suggest that there might have been intent to hurt Coleman by Ibrahimovic but he rejected the accusations with his typical bravado. “It was a physical game," he told MUTV. "They played hard. I heard one of the commentators say I kicked someone in the head on purpose but it was a 50-50 duel and he pulled me down. “Trust me, if I want to kick someone in the head, I know how to kick someone in the head and make him fall asleep. That is the only thing I have to say.” Ibrahimovic will escape censure from the FA because referee Michael Oliver included the incident in his report of the match. The official has been criticised in some quarters for only brandishing a yellow card to Marcos Rojo for his two-footed lunge on Idrissa Gueye in the first half. Coleman, for his part, didn't address the controversial side of the incident but explained that he felt it was the right decision to come off. The fullback made way for Mason Holgate when it became clear to him he couldn't continue because of what looked like pain in his chest from him taking the weight of Ibrahimovic's fall. “I'm not one to come off," Coleman said. "I don't know the ins and outs of the injury yet. It's feeling much better now, after the game. "I couldn't stand up straight and I couldn't run really, so it was a case of using your head. "There's no point being brave and not being fit to play to your full potential, especially against a team like that, because you could be at fault for a goal. Your bravery would end up being stupid." Reader Comments (51) Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer Colin Glassar 1 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:00:52 Ibra is a living legend. He can kick Seamus in the head as much as he wants as far as I'm concerned. Anyways, Seamus didn't make a fuss about it and I bet he's chuffed that he survived an Ibra kick and lived to tell the tale. John G Davies 2 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:03:44 I was sitting away from the incident so can't be 100% sure, I don't think it was intentional.I don't think he has got a snide move like that in his game. He would fight you at the drop of a hat but I don't think he would kick someone in the head as a result of a tackle. Gary Russell 4 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:17:10 I took his response as a clear admission he meant it. Looked like it too, from the TV. It's sometimes part of the make up of 'great' players. Cantona, Keane, even Bergkamp, a nasty streak of win at all costs. Ray Smith 5 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:17:48 Colin (#1),I've read your post several times and cannot make my mind up as to what you are saying?Surely kicking someone in the head as many times as he wants, is not what you meant? Daniel Lawrence 6 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:22:42 How has this not warranted a charge? Oh yes, silly me. John Pierce 7 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:28:11 The fall and the kick are all one fluid movement. As much as I'd love to see the narcissistic prick get banned, nothing doing for me. Zlatan should be congratulated as it got Holgate on the pitch, much better than Seamus. Mark Morrissey 8 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:32:11 Two errors that ought to be reviewed by an FA panel but can't be. The card for Rojo should have been a red all day long. If that had been Barry on Rojo he would have been off based largely on his previous behaviours. No one was badly hurt BUT that should not be the caveat. The Aguero tackle against Chelski got him a four game ban. Rojo's tackle was worse. The only reason he wasn't sent off was because our man got straight up and therefore a yellow was issued. If Idrissa Gana Gueye had writhed about like sideshow Bob did for Chelski, Rojo would have been sent off, no doubt. Gordon Crawford 9 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:35:46 No legend in my eyes. He is arrogant and thinks he is above the law. He should serve a long ban for that kick on Seamus. Roger Helm 10 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:48:11 We need some form of citing or "on report" system that rugby has. It's not right that players can get away with thuggish behaviour. The rugby codes have cleaned up their acts so there is no reason why football can't. There are plenty of cameras around. While they are at it they should mic up refs so we can hear what is said. Colin Glassar 11 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:50:08 Oh c'mon guys, Ibra is something like a 12th Dan. He'd eat Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris for breakfast if he wanted to. That was more like a muscle reflex than a kick. Seamus played Gaelic football as a kid so I bet he's been kicked in the head a few times. He's a tough nut is our Seamus. Jim Jennings 12 Posted 05/12/2016 at 17:56:17 "Seamus played Gaelic football as a kid so I bet he's been kicked in the head a few times."Colin supports Everton so I bet he's been to Las Vegas a few times. What do you mean? That makes no sense... Darren Hind 13 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:03:12 Said on another thread. I was at right over the other side, but everyone round me jumped up because we could see he clearly brought his heel down on Seamus.Utter Gobshite Stan Schofield 15 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:10:45 "Trust me, if I want to kick someone in the head, I know how to kick someone in the head and make him fall asleep". What a nice chap. Eddie Dunn 17 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:22:54 No blood, no foul. Sam Barrett 18 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:34:22 The reason there was no red card was Gueye's and Coleman's reaction to each incident. Neither of them 'feigned' injury or rolled about on the ground. If either incident was the other way round it would've resulted in 2 red cards as Man Utd players would have made the most of it. Jack Convery 19 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:40:00 If it had been the other way round, R Sole would say Coleman did it deliberately and he'd have acted like he'd taken a bullet to the head. We are too honest for a League were cheats prosper. Deli Alli should be banned for 6 games after that dive on Saturday but he won't. Until someone is made an example of this type of behaviour will continue unabated. Oh and by the way we need refs with balls, big balls. Luiz should have gone at the Etihad in the first half. Rojo at Goodison, the guy who shoved Aguerro over, Fabregas for the slap on Fernandinho, which wound him up good-style, McClean for WBA and R Sole of course. Brian Williams 21 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:44:20 Was at the game, saw it clearly. He'd seen his arse because Seamus had taken the ball from him and was coming away with it.His excuse and "if I kicked someone" etc doesn't wash. He tried to hurt Coleman and succeeded. Far from being a legend, anyone who talks about themselves in the third person is a complete wanker. Paul Kossoff 22 Posted 05/12/2016 at 18:50:47 Scum of the earth kicking someone in the head and meaning it as this prat did, and anyone defending this action is as big a prat as they are! Hopefully this will be looked at and he gets a three game ban. If Costa had done this, you wouldn't hear the last of it would you Colin, (#1)? Surprised at you defending this. Keith Harrison 24 Posted 05/12/2016 at 19:01:28 It was a deliberate kick, and he should be banned. No-one seems to have picked up on his deliberate roll over Baines later in the game. He does do it deliberately as he tends to fall the opposite way momentum would dictate so he can injure his opponent.Our lack of play acting ensured they finished with 11, not 9. Mick Davies 25 Posted 05/12/2016 at 19:12:47 Colin Glassar, you should be ashamed of those posts, whether you were drunk or not... unbelievably childish and not something I'd expect from an Evertonian. Henrik Lyngsie 26 Posted 05/12/2016 at 19:22:18 Keith (#24), I agree on the roll over on Baines. And he made sure he landed heavily on Coleman as well. But we are just so nice. I noticed that Rojo got way with a yellow card from the worst tackle I have seen for 50 years. Even United fans said it was a blatant red card. But 5 minutes later half the United team appealed for a yellow card to Barry and waved imaginary cards in front of the referee. I thought don't they have any shame in life. If you get away with murder it would be normal to keep a low profile. In a way I am proud that our players are just etting up like Gana and Coleman and that we don't wave imaginary cgards and surround the ref. But you are sitting back with a feeling that the Sky teams do it all the time and benefit from it. Oliver Molloy 28 Posted 05/12/2016 at 19:42:24 Can anyone explain why Coleman stopped and turned back inside again when he was away if he had not have done this!No doubt Ma Utd got away with two red cards yesterday, and Mourinho (who was on my wish list for new manager) has gone right down in my estimation.Referring to Everton as "the opponents" really shows him to be quite the arrogant snickerdick. Mike Berry 29 Posted 05/12/2016 at 20:05:56 Proud Coleman and Gana play for us. No acting, two honest lads Mike Gaynes 30 Posted 05/12/2016 at 20:23:20 Oliver #28, surely you jest?You mean that only now have you discovered that Mou is an "arrogant snickerdick"??? As for Seamus turning in, he was trying to draw the foul and earn a free kick. Unfortunately, he succeeded too well. Oliver Molloy 31 Posted 05/12/2016 at 20:33:56 Mike, Yep, I sure did know he was full of himself but this was just disrespectful to all connected with Everton FC in my opinion.Regards Coleman trying to draw the foul , if indeed you are correct, it's a little close to our goal to be turning inside, don't you think? Why did he not just keep running? Kase Chow 32 Posted 05/12/2016 at 21:05:15 Definitely intentional.Jose has been painting himself as a victim all season and now the FA are scared to upset him.Ibra went down in my estimation for that. Nasty nasty bloke.And anyone that can't see that was intentional hasn't played the game before. Andy Crooks 33 Posted 05/12/2016 at 21:36:47 I cannot believe that anyone, not registered as blind, thinks that it was anything other than an assault. I actually think that Ibrahimovic is a wonderful player. Sadly, though, I think he is a sad specimen of a man. Andrew Wayne 34 Posted 05/12/2016 at 22:00:46 We could see it clearly from the Lower Bullens, he saw red because Seamus mugged him and the kick down was a deliberate act. He spent the whole game swaggering around like a prat and apart from once again Everton having a goalkeeper who doesn't get the clue in the job description, never got another sniff. Bolasie was pole-axed as well with the liner looking across to Oliver before choosing not to give anything. I thought Oliver was the best of a bad bunch but he had a shocker yesterday. Man Utd tried every snide pull, kick, grapple and whine trick in the book and got away with the majority. Terence Tyler 35 Posted 05/12/2016 at 23:03:13 "I heard one of the commentators say I kicked one of their players on the head on purpose." Would the commentators name be Mr Conscience by any chance? Lying twat. David Pearl 36 Posted 06/12/2016 at 03:59:49 Oliver (#28), He mis-controlled the ball.Brian (#21), David Pearl agrees with you! I think Seamus was more concerned with being winded. Thankfully you don't tend to practice kicking someone in the head whilst sat on your arse on a football pitch. You only do that from 14th Dan onwards. Ralph Basnett 37 Posted 06/12/2016 at 06:54:24 Colin Glassar, Ibrahimovic earned his Black Belt as a teenager but does not practice the art more shows his 'moves' to boast and to enhance his arrogance!!!Watch again and you will see there is a definite second movement of the leg into Seamus and watch Zlatan's face: he is looking at Coleman and knows exactly what he is doing. Jay Griffiths 38 Posted 06/12/2016 at 09:11:21 Guaranteed Ibra clocked him. A professional footballer knows where his feet are. And they're pretty good with them, on the whole. Anyone who thinks it was unintentional, can I borrow money from you and I'll pay you back in ٤ notes? Ron Sear 39 Posted 06/12/2016 at 09:22:58 I was sitting very close and a very clear view of what he did to Coleman. If that had been in the street, he would have been arrested and charged. Amazing how some players seem to get away with it time and time again. Oscar Huglin 40 Posted 06/12/2016 at 10:06:28 Colin, agreed. Love Ibra. Didn't look intentional. My brother was raving that Rojo and Ibra should be off the pitch but in the man-bun's case I think he was watching through blue-tinted goggles. Sam Bull 41 Posted 06/12/2016 at 12:42:07 Definitely intentional; maybe not to contact his head, but he fell with his full weight onto Seamus, then added the axe kick. Drew O'Neall 42 Posted 06/12/2016 at 15:48:41 Ugliest bloke in the Premier League?He's got a head like a fistful of scrotum. Paul Walsh 43 Posted 06/12/2016 at 15:55:46 It was definitely a deliberate act by a right snide. The only people who are defending him are those in his thrall as some sort of footballing ninja icon. He knew it would impact on his hard man image too: hence the feigned concern when Coleman eventually had to go off. He's nothing but 6'4" shithouse. Don't even get me started on the coward Rojo. Jamie Barlow 44 Posted 06/12/2016 at 16:13:38 Of course he meant it.Doesn't bother me though. He's a snide and that's something we need more of. I remember Cahill having some red shite in a headlock in the build-up to a goal in our 3-0 win. Can you imagine a Shite, Chelsea, Man City or Man Utd player jumping up after a tackle like Rojo's on any of their players? Far too fuckin nice, us.Keith@24 – It reminded me of when Van der Saar did the same after Pienaar scored against Man Utd. Tom Bowers 45 Posted 06/12/2016 at 16:28:56 Players and managers will never admit did anything wrong or saw something that was obvious to everyone else when it concerns themselves or their club. That's human nature.However, how many others think that Martial got the benefit of an inept linesman for deliberately barging Bolasie to the ground thus causing this bad injury? Brian Williams 46 Posted 06/12/2016 at 16:43:51 You only have to look at the photo in today's Daily Mirror to see where his attention's focused when he lands on Coleman. I knew anyway it was deliberate but that photo just confirms it. Shithouse! John Hughes 47 Posted 06/12/2016 at 17:09:54 We need a Mark Noble type of captain/player who would have been right in the referee's face when things happen like they did against Manure! Ronald Koeman was not backward in coming forward himself when playing; we need to get a bit nastier. Tony Dove 49 Posted 06/12/2016 at 17:50:21 Seamus is one tough cookie and luckily for us he gives as good as hegets without complaint. The duel between him and Martial was brilliant. Jon Cox 50 Posted 06/12/2016 at 19:36:40 Well, in this particular case it's a shame we've got a team full of ladyboys.Just imagine if Ibrascratchanitch had have done that with big Dunc or Joey B in the side.These pieces of excrement do this crap because they know they can get away with it.It's about who they play for.I rest my case.. James Byrne 52 Posted 07/12/2016 at 12:53:16 I was sitting right in line with this incident and at eye level in the Park End and witnessed Ibrahimovic deliberately kick Coleman in the head.Those of you who can't even see this from a YouTube video might need your eyes testing! Martin Nicholls 53 Posted 07/12/2016 at 13:14:28 I was sitting a distance from the incident so didn't see the kick clearly until later on TV it was undoubtedly deliberate. We know that the FA are to do nothing because Oliver "included it in his report". We also know that our own Duncan Ferguson served a jail sentence because a supporter reported what was later deemed by the Court to have been a criminal assault the fact that it took place on a football field was (and is) irrelevant. Maybe one of you guys (James #52?) who had a clear view on the day should report the incident to the police and see what happens? Des Farren 54 Posted 07/12/2016 at 17:53:51 "He can kick Seamus in the head as much as he wants as far as I am concerned."The concerning thing about this is the writer's unconcern about what he has written. Damian Wilde 55 Posted 07/12/2016 at 23:07:07 Colin, why are you gushing over an arrogant prick? Colin Glassar 56 Posted 07/12/2016 at 23:21:07 It was tongue in cheek Damian, originally. But some of the OTT comments makes it sound like HE shot JFK. It was a tap on the head. Malicious? Yes. Life threatening? No. It's the type of kick out that happens in a lot of games. It wasn't sportsmanlike but neither was it a criminal intent to maim or kill.The Rojo plunge was far worse and should've been a straight red. That was way beyond the pale. David Hayes 57 Posted 08/12/2016 at 07:19:49 Colin Glassar (#1) WTF? I can not understand the joke, if it is a joke. Joke or not, shameful shite from you, well below your normal welcome insight. John G Davies 58 Posted 08/12/2016 at 12:46:19 Colin (#56),I could not agree more. They kick you, you kick them harder. That's how I was brought up to play my football.Look at the options to watch a nice gentle game in a different sport... that would be my suggestion for anyone offended by the ruffians playing nowadays. Mick Davies 59 Posted 10/12/2016 at 00:42:26 John G Davies, you think deliberately kicking someone in the head is part of the game? Some people on this thread really need to grow up. I suppose you think Joey Barton should be PFA spokesman? 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