Ex-Hamburg manager defends Super Eagles star Otele amid red-card hurdle

Super Eagles and Hamburger SV winger Philip Otele was sent off for a rough tackle in his side’s loss to Werder Bremen, Afrik Foot reports.

The 27-year-old was given his marching orders in the 79th minute by Referee Florian Exner, 13 minutes after he’d only just come on as a result of stomping on Werder Bremen’s Cameron Puertas on the ankle with his studs.

The referee’s decision didn’t go down well with Hamburg’s coach, Merlin Polzin.

Felix Magath criticises the ref for Otele’s red card

Former Hamburg coach Felix Magath has weighed in on Florian Exner’s decision to send Otele off.

“I don’t think he deliberately stepped on the opponent’s leg, but he wanted to avoid the situation,” the 72-year-old said on Sky 90 in quotes revealed by Mopo.

“He made the wrong decision, but that’s how it’s in a game that has physical contact and duels. For me, far too much and far too fast cards are drawn, especially red cards,” the German coach continued.

“I don’t think he [Otele] intended to hit the opponent. We have a sport that allows duels.

“The goals are one thing in football, but the second most beautiful or most important are the duels.

This is not a comparison to England, what we are experiencing here in the Bundesliga. We’ve been getting used to packing everything in cotton wool for a few years now,” the former Bayern Munich coach concluded.

The new Super Eagles attacker was handed a two-match ban, but Hamburg have decided to appeal the decision, and a verdict will be reached at the DFB Sports Court in a few days.