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Marquez’s latest bad behavior

 

BY DAVE MARTINEZ

Saturday night's match between the New York Red Bulls and the San Jose Earthquakes was a chippy affair, with plenty of questionable plays. None more questionable than Rafa Marquez's football tackle of Shea Salinas.

With the Red Bulls defending a corner kick situation, Marquez wrapped his arms around Salinas in the box, refusing to let go of his marker.  Salinas began to tumble under Rafa's weight, and Marquez followed through, driving the speedy winger into the ground.  As he rolled off the leveled body of Salinas, Rafa catches him with a kick to the arm that appears to have been delivered with intent.

No call was made on the play.  To make matters worse, Salinas would be taken off the pitch with a fractured left clavicle from the infraction.

Many have speculated whether or not Marquez delivered the blow with intent.  How will the MLS Disciplinary Committee respond? Do you think he deserves to be suspended?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. no suspension. it was hardly a football tackle (i played both american football and soccer). looked more like an accident, as Salinas tripped, marquez fell on top.

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  2. One match suspension because it should have been a red card, but I’ve seen harder hits in middle school flag football. This isn’t like a studs up scissor kick to the shin; there is no way to anticipate a broken clavicle on that play. Its also not clear that Salinas, though clearly fouled, didn’t go down on purpose hoping to draw it. What burns me about Marquez is the stupidity of the foul — it was unnecessary. But legal shoulder to shoulder hits are often much more violent than that. So yes, very bad on Marquez and one game, but let’s not go over the top on this one.

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  3. Personally I can’t stand Marquez because he seems to be a total a-hole on the pitch. However, that being said, he didn’t try to break Salinas clavicle. That was unintentional. It had to be a result of the foul, not the kick out.

    Hypothetically, if Salinas hadn’t broken his clavicle, and Marquez hadn’t kicked out at him at the end of the play, the only thing you could really argue would be a missed penalty.

    That didn’t happen, so a second hypothetical is Salinas still doesn’t break his clavicle and Marquez kicks out at him. I think you suspend Marquez for the kick out. Is that one game, two games? That should be his punishment IMO.

    I seriously doubt Marquez was thinking if I tackle this guy his clavicle will break. That part is very unlucky for Salinas, and a little unlucky for Marquez in terms of public opinion. I think he’s still a d.*.c.k but not an intentionally-clavicle-breaking-one.

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  4. get that POS out of MLS. He was dirty playing for Mexico and he’s still dirty today. He’s on my list of players I despise irrationally along with John Terry and Sergio Busquets.

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  5. If Marquez hits the pitch again before Salinas does it will be a travesty. How about Salinas recovery time +3 games. If you knock a guy out for the season with an intentional foul your season should be over too.

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  6. Backe should have banned him for the season already and sent him packing to Atlas or wherever. I was really disappointed that he did not go skulking back home over the winter break.

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  7. Marquez is a snobbish a$$hole who thinks he is on vacation and too good to play in MLS and can get away with whatever he does (as a complete opposite to Blanco). Send him back to Guadalajara where people revere him.

    Hatin’ him since he hit Cobi. Sore loser.

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  8. and you know SJ’s “plan was to rough em up from the beginning to try to slow down Henry” how? Were you privy to the pre-game speech? And how does fouling a no-name player slow down Henry? Henry said before the game that they had to stop Wondo because given any chances, he would punish the Bulls with a goal. So clearly we know that that is exactly what must have been going through Henry’s mind when he two-footed studs-up tackled Wondo.

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  9. Chavez’s tackle does not negate Marquez’s actions and dirty play. And the discussion here is not about Chavez, it’s about Marquez.

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  10. Chavez’s tackle was not directly from behind…it was more from the side, and at least he did get the ball. The problem is that he did go through Miller to get it.

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  11. Isn’t most of the MLS considered reckless behavior? Watching the league in general reminds me of a bunch of clumsy players invariably leading to clumsy and reckless fouls…

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  12. In Germany, Bundesliga coaches/clubs can fine players huge amounts of money for reckless behavior on the field, team rule infractions, etc. Does anyone know: Is that possible in MLS? Red Bulls are in a bind with a high-priced jerk who fans hate but who also is protected by his contract. I am just wondering, if MLS would really throw the book at Marquez, which he desrves, would the Red Bulls be able to recoupe at least part of his wages by imposing a big fine or, even better yet, get the lawyers to study if Marquez had broken terms of his contract.

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  13. You’re right. Not everyone can see it.
    But that kick was intentional, for sure. What we can’t see is whether Salinas is pulling back on Rafa and dragging him with him, which at least gives “logic” to the f— you kick after they fall.

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  14. Sorry- I watched this and it’s no worse then what happens on every corner in the EPL every weekend. And I’ve watched the video 20 times and still can’t say the kick was intentional. I HATE Rafa and the Red Bulls, but this just isn’t a suspension for me. It’s unfortunate that the player was hurt- but if he hadn’t been I doubt this video or incident even gets attention drawn to it.

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  15. 8 match ban.

    2002 WC red for assault on cobi jones
    2009 WC qualifying red for assault on tim howard
    2011 MLS Playoffs started melee on the field after NY eliminated by LA
    2012 breaks shea salinas’s clavicle
    2013 beheads brek shea, banned from soccer for life by FIFA
    2014 signs multi-million dollar contract with UFC
    2015 banned from UFC for life after stabbing a fighter in the back with knife in the locker room
    2016 becomes a soldier in infamous Mexican drug cartel “Los Zetas,” soon kills his boss and takes over the operation

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  16. MLS has matured past the crap level. NYRB should be proactive and get rid of him before MLS slaps a multi game suspension this week.

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  17. A bit over the top from Polish Pete there, but if Shalrie Joseph got suspended for his tackle then whoever scythed Miller down outside the box (Chavez?) should get suspended too. I understand — and agree with — much of the bashing of Marquez, but if he had tackled a SJ player like Miller got tackled, or elbowed someone in the face like Cooper was elbowed, people would be calling for his immediate arrest. Marquez deserves all the punishment and vitriol he attracts, but that should not serve to paper over the rest of the shenanigans in this match.

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  18. Ok ban Rafa , but if you do Chaves needs to get 4 x the ban as he intended to brake Millers legs , baniteraz for each elbow (2) in second time he gave to Mayra but our boy is strong …then salinas for swinging at our medical staff..so so Rafa gets 5 , Chaves gets 20 baniteraz gets 10 and salinas 3 ….so basically SJ will lose 3 starters for a season, if we want to be fair ….

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  19. I don’t watch Red Bull games or support them in any way and won’t until Rafa is gone. He’s a disgrace to himself, the team, and the league.

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  20. This is a real litmus test. Let’s try this. Remove all letters that are bigoted and xenophobic (any reference to “dirty Mexicans” and so on). (Also: the word “thug” is a right-wing-radio dog whistle for any brown-skinned person not on your team, fyi.)
    Next, filter out all the knee-jerk anti-Red Bull sentiment.

    And this is what we are left with. A foul in the box, but the kind of foul that is committed on every corner kick in every Premier League game, and surely many MLS games. (See Maurice Edu’s goal in the WC against Slovenia; note the embrace on Gooch..)
    But still a foul. The falling was unfortunate, and I would doubt seriously that it was intentional. That’s obviously what broke his clavicle. The kick afterward is inconclusive, but I’d bet it was not an accident. For that you might get a match ban.

    But as for Rafa himself? This guy’s a disaster. I do feel bad for him. And the comparisons to Blanco are apt. I saw Blanco play, and what you never see on TV is that literally every touch, the guy was either completely hacked — or he dove. It must be even worse for Rafa. He must get such a working-over on every play off the ball. I mean, wouldn’t you give Rafa a shot whenever you got a chance?

    The guy was brought to New York to be a star. He played at the highest level for the best teams. Unfortunately for him, nobody cares that he played with Barça.

    I’m a Red Bull fan, and I think the team is much better without Márquez. He can chip the nice long ball with amazing accuracy, but that’s about it.

    And he completely lost me not in the play this weekend, but last year with his missed punch and dive after the Galaxy game. He should be somebody else’s problem.

    I don’t really see a suspension for him, but it would definitely save RBNY some trouble in not playing this guy.

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  21. This tackle was clearly carried out with intent, and the end result was serious injury. This is every bit on the same level as Mullan’s tackle on Zakuani last season, and should receive a 10 game ban and a fine. You simply cannot have this kind of crap…it’s not part of legitimate soccer.

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  22. Yup, have to agree with you here. I’m having a flashback to a World Cup game vs. the US a decade or so ago (maybe someone can remind me who one that one) … Red card?? Dirty player?? Yes – he always has been.

    Marquez sucks! Way to make your country proud.

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  23. I’m a RBNY fan and I think Rafa is an absolute disgrace. 3 games at the very minimum, should probably be more like 5-10, considering his history. Frankly, the sooner he’s out of MLS, the better.

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  24. I did as you suggested, and I stand corrected. Marquez does look back and seems to snap his leg down. Maybe I first saw a different reply or a different angle. Given their positions, I don’t think the kick could have caused the injury — the tackle did — but that’s irrelevant. I wish RBNY had the courage just to release this joker. And failing that, I wish Henry, who has done a terrific job this year of balancing optimism and criticism without calling out individual teammates, would exercise his captaincy to bring Marquez into line. I go back to 1996 with this club, but Marquez makes it so hard to get behind them fully.

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  25. Maybe not “intent to injure” in the sense that Rafa didn’t want to suffer the consequences that this sort of play SHOULD impose on him, but it wasn’t exactly a love tap.

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  26. Marquez’s bear hug & tackle was unnecessary and dumb. No excuse for it, should’ve been a yellow/red and a penalty. But watch the beginning of the 2nd half and tell me Chavez’s from behind studs up scissors on Roy Miller in retaliation wasn’t worse. Miller was lucky to strain his knee and have had to come out vs break anything. Ref was very hands off all around. In the media though, somehow Marquez’s foul is the only one being paid attention to. Does it take Miller breaking his leg for people to be impartial given Marquez’s history doesn’t help him? That’s really not right either. The SJ plan was to rough em up from the beginning to try to slow down Henry. It was bound to get physical, and both teams paid for it with injuries. Wish the ref had stopped the shenanigans from the start. I think these two teams really don’t like each other.

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  27. There’s a video above. Watch it again. Observe Rafa watching Salinas as he begins to roll over top of him. See the sharp snap in Rafa’s leg as he’s looking at Salinas, and try telling me one more time that the kick wasn’t intentional… or get some new glasses.

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  28. Suspended – 3 games minimum.
    A lo minimo – una suspension de tres partidos.

    I will spare you the choice Iberian Spanish, and DF Chilango slang that I reserve for Rafa.

    And I am a Red Bulls fan to the death. But his track record is abysmal, from flying kicks at Timmie Howard on corners during US-Mexico “friendlies,” to this – he is a malignancy upon the whole sport.

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  29. And MLS would be doing you guys a favor by suspending him for a long time. I’ve seen RBNY both with and without Marquez, and they’re better when he’s not in the lineup.

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  30. I think a lengthy ban and a large fine are called for. Here is why:
    1) Wrapping your arms around a player and wrestling them to the ground is never allowed in the game. Unlike a sliding challenge, which can be perfectly legal if it is done right. Marquez wrapped up Salinas on a previous corner too. Should have been a penalty in both instances but the ref “didn’t see” either.
    2) Kicking out your leg like that in the follow through isn’t incidental. Anyone watching that replay without a taste for energy drinks will conclude that it was intentional. Which is just straight violent conduct. There is no manner in which that can be mistaken. Marquez should have been red carded for that.
    3) A player was badly injured because of the completely unnecessary and violent actions of Marquez. SJ should have had two penalties and an entire half to play with a one-man advantage, instead they saw a starter being carted off for at least a month.

    The league has been hitting players with suspensions and fines for much less than what Marquez did, if there is any justice in the League, Marquez will see the longest suspension of the season so far.

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  31. I’m as diehard USMNT as they come but Cuathemoc is the man. Agree completely on him being a great representative for Mexican soccer.

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