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Home Clubs Bwin Liga Portuguese Cup Champions League UEFA Cup National Team Portuguese Abroad Portsmouth Player Profiles Transfers/Rumours Sitemap Your Say/Opinion Links About/Contact Advertise with us	26 August 2006, by Sean Gillen Mendes: “The worst moment of my career” Portuguese talks about horror tackle Pedro Mendes has admitted that he feared for his health after the horrific challenge that left the Portuguese unconscious on Wednesday night. The midfielder was the victim of a brutal forearm blow to the jaw by Manchester City’s Ben Thatcher, with the impact so heavy that it sent Mendes crashing into the advertising boards on the side of the pitch, where he suffered a seizure shortly afterwards. “The moment was terrible. After the incident my head crashed into the fence and I do not remember anything after that until I was in hospital,” Mendes told the Daily Mail. “At first I had fears of the possible after-effects of the incident but the doctors told me they are optimistic I will be okay.” “I am a strong person and one day I hope to forget what happened. But this is the worst thing that ever happened to me in my career. It is the hardest to deal with.” FA to act The challenge has caused widespread outrage in England, and although Thatcher is believed to have written to Mendes to apologise - there is pressure on the Football Association to discipline him heavily, after the defender received only a yellow card. “The tackle was totally unnecessary by Thatcher but I am not the referee and the decision from now on does not depend on me,” said Mendes. “As far as I am concerned this match is finished for me now and we move on.” “Now this subject is in the hands of Portsmouth and the FA. If I am called by them to speak I will give my opinion.” The former Porto man was released from hospital on Thursday and according to a club statement from Fratton Park: “will continue to be under medical and neurological supervision during the forthcoming week.” No comeback date Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is unsure about when he will be able to call on his Portuguese midfielder for first-team duties: “We don’t know when Pedro will be able to play again, but it could be some time. Then we have got to see how he comes back.” “Let’s hope The FA can take the most appropriate action possible. It’s one of the worst incidents I’ve ever seen in the game,” said Redknapp. “Pedro is disgusted by what has been done to him. Stuart Pearce (the Man City manager) is apologetic. Of course he is but something has got to be done. Let’s be honest – it was brutal.” “All our lads were sickened by it. They did well not to react badly and carry on playing. We don’t want anything like this in football. We are there to play, not hurt each other.” Home . Clubs . Liga . Portuguese Cup . Champions League UEFA Cup . National Team . Portuguese Abroad . Player Profiles © Copyright of PortuGoal.net 2003-2007. Design addSymbol	Mendes fires screamer before falling to injury Europe return the target for Mendes Mendes strikes as Pompey go fourth Mendes: Redknapp the key behind success Mendes frustration at phantom penalty Spectacular debut goal for Fernandes Fernandes and Douala sign season-long loans Mendes: "The worst moment of my career"

Portsmouth

26 August 2006, by Sean Gillen

Mendes: “The worst moment of my career”

Portuguese talks about horror tackle

Pedro Mendes has admitted that he feared for his health after the horrific challenge that left the Portuguese unconscious on Wednesday night.

The midfielder was the victim of a brutal forearm blow to the jaw by Manchester City’s Ben Thatcher, with the impact so heavy that it sent Mendes crashing into the advertising boards on the side of the pitch, where he suffered a seizure shortly afterwards.

“The moment was terrible. After the incident my head crashed into the fence and I do not remember anything after that until I was in hospital,” Mendes told the Daily Mail.

“At first I had fears of the possible after-effects of the incident but the doctors told me they are optimistic I will be okay.”

“I am a strong person and one day I hope to forget what happened. But this is the worst thing that ever happened to me in my career. It is the hardest to deal with.”

FA to act

The challenge has caused widespread outrage in England, and although Thatcher is believed to have written to Mendes to apologise - there is pressure on the Football Association to discipline him heavily, after the defender received only a yellow card.

“The tackle was totally unnecessary by Thatcher but I am not the referee and the decision from now on does not depend on me,” said Mendes.

“As far as I am concerned this match is finished for me now and we move on.”

“Now this subject is in the hands of Portsmouth and the FA. If I am called by them to speak I will give my opinion.”

The former Porto man was released from hospital on Thursday and according to a club statement from Fratton Park: “will continue to be under medical and neurological supervision during the forthcoming week.”

No comeback date

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp is unsure about when he will be able to call on his Portuguese midfielder for first-team duties: “We don’t know when Pedro will be able to play again, but it could be some time. Then we have got to see how he comes back.”

“Let’s hope The FA can take the most appropriate action possible. It’s one of the worst incidents I’ve ever seen in the game,” said Redknapp.

“Pedro is disgusted by what has been done to him. Stuart Pearce (the Man City manager) is apologetic. Of course he is but something has got to be done. Let’s be honest – it was brutal.”

“All our lads were sickened by it. They did well not to react badly and carry on playing. We don’t want anything like this in football. We are there to play, not hurt each other.”