DANIEL JAMES DOES not dive, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after the Manchester United winger was booked for simulation for the second time in five days.
The 21-year-old saw yellow in United’s 2-1 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, less than a week after being booked for the same offence in the 1-1 draw at Wolves.
The results have seen United’s promising start to the Premier League season fade away but Solskjaer has not seen any reason for concern from James. The 21-year-old scored what had looked to be a match-saving goal late on against Palace, only for Patrick van Aanholt to win it in stoppage time.
“I am 100% sure there was contact between Dan James and their player,” said Solskjaer after the game.
Now he’s got two yellow cards, when there was contact with him and it’s twice when I have to say it’s been very unfair and unlucky. Both yellow cards should not have stood.”
Solskjaer is aware that two cards inside a week will have raised eyebrows among rival fans and, perhaps more pertinently, among referees.
But the Norwegian is insistent that James’ tumbles are simply a result of his searing pace, rather than any desire to cheat.
”Do I think he will get a reputation? Yes, I do,” he added. “That’s why I raise it here.
He is not that type of player. He keeps running that quickly and, if you look at the video, there was contact, both today and in the Wolves game.
”He is such an honest boy. He gets up, runs and takes people on. Sometimes, he gets kicked and sometimes, with that pace, a little touch or nudge will be enough for him to fall.”
James has had a good start to life at Manchester United, appearing in all three Premier League games so far and scoring in two of them.
His tidy finish sealed the 4-0 opening-day thrashing of Chelsea, before curling into the top corner against Palace on Saturday, though he was heartbroken as his second goal counted for nothing.
With one game left until the first international break of the season, United will be looking to get back on track next weekend with a trip to Southampton. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side got their first points of the season in a 2-0 win at Brighton on Saturday.
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Brilliant stuff lads – cheers for that. Some great recommendations.
You can add A Year Till Sunday. Best GAA documentary
@Gerard Browne: never knew there was a doc on Ring, will watch for sure
@Gerard Browne: Was coming here to comment the same thing. An absolute classic. Watched it again last week. Ja is the man!
@Stevie D: John Divilly…..sin é!
@Gerard Browne: Not just GAA, one of the best sports docs ever made
@Fr Chewy Louis: it was before its time. Even a cameo appearance by Eamon Dunphy haha
If anyone has BBC 4 I cannot recommend OJ Simpson- made in America, highly enough. It’s a 5 part 30 for 30 documentaries series. It’s one of the greatest documentaries ever made- probably a bit of a stretch to put it in the sports bracket given the subjects infamy & notoriety. Part 2 is on tonight if anyone wants to series link.
@Robert O Farrell: check out a documentary called ‘madness on wheels rallyings crazy years’. Its about when car rallying turned into an arms race to make crazier faster cars in the 1980s with the inevitable banning of the particular group b class due to driver and spectator deaths. If it’s no longer on YouTube it will be on dailymotion
@Robert O Farrell: 30 for 30 are class, some great documentaries, Sole Man is a personal favourite of mine. Their podcasts are good too.
@Stephen Lyons: slaying the badger is hilarious. Hinault is meant to be the baddy as opposed to Greg lemond but hes so cool even in middle age you find yourself rooting for him
Hoop Dreams a great doc to watch on YouTube
Formula 1 drive to survive is superb
For anyone missing Irish basketball there’s ‘We Got Game – The Golden Age of Irish Basketball’. A brilliant documentary on basketball in the eighties featuring Kelvin Troy, who once kept Larry Bird to 6pts in a college game, Dave Hopla, still regarded as the best shooter in the world, and Mario Elie, who went on to win 3 NBA titles after his time in Ireland. Whether you’re into Irish basketball or not it’s a fascinating sports documentary and well worth a watch.
The gatti ward fights were unbelievable and round 9 will go down as one of if not the best round of all time
@Warren Mcdermott: two absolute warriors
The weight of a nation, a documentary on New Zealand’s 2011 world cup win is brilliant too. Surprised it wasn’t in the original list.
If you’re interested in American Sports, would recommend Foul Play, the series documenting the Ole Miss/ Laremy Tunsil scandal, and how corrupt the NCAA system is.
https://youtu.be/_Qm-P2foSE4
Great article guys. Thanks for the recommendations.
Jim Stynes – Every Heart Beats Through. Watched it on YouTube last week for the first time in ages. What an inspirational man.
@Patrick McCarron: Great shout. An incredible watch.
‘A Sunday in Hell’ free on YouTube, for cycling fans.
The Bert Trautman story on YouTube
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_RvDhsv8jjw
If you have amazon then I highly recommend the best of men, it’s about Ludwig Gutterman he created the Paralympics
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Men-Eddie-Marsan/dp/B00IWLJ3H0
@Richard Cronin: also I rather enjoyed the toughest trade
https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+toughest+trade++
The 2009 Lions documentary is also available on YouTube. ROG like.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=97uxJmXMQuc
Road (2014) The story of the Dunlops and Knuckle (2011) are top documentaries
@Richard McBriar: Excellent
“All for one” also for cycling fans.
Great doco showing the team effort of a cycling team and that to a layman it may come across as an individual sport, but it is really anything but. The trials and tribulations (not to mention the funny sides) of a cycling team.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ch1m085rpU
For me it’s the one and only ringy!! ( Christy Ring) xx
‘The Names on the Cup’ brilliant documentary and ‘The Broadstreet Bullies’