Critics of Wolves will have been further outraged at the weekend following Karl Henry’s red card during the 2-0 Premier League loss at Wigan Athletic.
The hardman received his marching orders from referee Lee Mason after just ten minutes for a reckless tackle on Latics midfielder Jordi Gomez.
Team-mate Kevin Doyle was quick to defend the 27-year-old, but he also acknowledged that his desperately late lunge on the Spaniard was worthy of the sternest of punishments.
“Karl is a very clean and fair player. He apologised to all the lads at the end of the game,” Doyle suggested.
“He is not a dirty player although we could not argue with the red card. The only thing I hope it doesn’t do is influence referees in situations where they think Wolves put in a few dirty tackles.”
Henry has been in the spotlight more than most this season with his wholehearted displays earning him rave reviews and negative rapport in equal doses.
During Wolves’ 1-1 home draw with online betting outsiders Newcastle United in August, he was eventually cautioned in the 85th minute by inexperienced whistler Stuart Attwell following a number of rash challenges on, in particular, opposite anchorman Joey Barton.
His crunching tackles were well documented by various media sources and he was soon to be in the thick of it once more as his robust coming together with Fulham’s Bobby Zamora resulted in the unfortunate England striker sustaining a broken leg.
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Although he wasn’t penalised by Mark Halsey for his part in the incident, he picked up a yellow card for a show of dissent during the 2-1 loss at Craven Cottage.
Henry is a good old fashioned battleaxe midfielder, but his brushes with the law in recent times must be controlled.
There appear to be no in betweens, no erring on the side of caution and no half measures.
His no-nonsense approach may be commendable as he aids Wolves’ cause, but manager Mick McCarthy must use his nous if his man is to shake off the unwanted tag of a dirty player.
Henry, who was born and bred in Wolverhampton, plies his trade in the same manner as Lee Cattermole and Wilson Palacios, and he certainly wears his heart on his sleeve for his home team’s cause, but a line needs to be drawn if his now chequered reputation is to be corrected
