An ‘angry’ Luton boss Rob Edwards labelled the decision to show keeper Thomas Kaminski the first of his two yellow cards during this afternoon’s goalless draw at Portsmouth as ‘crazy’, refuting claims that his side were ever trying to waste time.
With an entertaining match at Fratton Park ticking over the half hour mark, Kaminski and team-mate Teden Mengi had been warned by referee John Busy for taking their time over a goal kick. The pair then did the same again moments later, which led to Luton’s Belgian international receiving a yellow card from the official, although in his defence, it was actually Mengi who was standing over the ball at that point.
Town were hit with a double whammy as moments later Kaminski came careering out of his goal to try and clear the danger only to catch home attacker Paddy Lane and another Pompey player for good measure, as he saw red for the first time in his Luton career. Speaking about the incident, a clearly annoyed Edwards said: “Let’s talk about the initial booking first. I don’t know the full ruling, I think it’s crazy, I do. I’m the one telling them in training, to just wait and assess because we’re looking to try and build if we can.
“We had an extra person in there, we’re trying to assess which pass to make, who is going to try and press for them, so we can try and find the spare man and go and break the line, speed the game up there and not maybe just go big into all the bodies. So it’s my fault, but we’re not trying to waste time. It’s early in the game, the way we were playing shows we’re not trying to waste time. It’s crazy and if you’re going to book anyone, book Teden, because Teden’s the one on the ball waiting.
“So there’s the first one and then the second one, he’s trying to do the right thing that he sees in that moment, but football is about split second decisions. He’s decided to come out and try and sweep it, I’ve not seen it back and the ref deems it’s a foul and a booking, but that one I’m not complaining about. The initial one I am and then we had to deal with it.”
Asked if seeing Kaminski receive his first caution would make him alter his approach on restarts, a defiant Edwards added: “Everyone does it though, everyone. Are we going to change football? No, we’re not going to change. The fans were going nuts, the bench as well, that was why. We’re not trying to waste time, I’m really angry with it, really angry with it, what are we supposed to do?
“Otherwise Brighton’s goalkeeper, or (Manchester) City’s goalkeeper would be booked every single game and then if they carry on doing what they’re doing they’ll get sent off if you go by the letter of the law. Sheasy late on, because he (Busby) had already sent someone off, took 40-odd seconds towards the end there managing it and nothing happened.”
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