Managers sending out players too pumped up, says Murphy

A file photo shows Fulham's Danny Murphy reaction during their Europa League final soccer match against Atletico Madrid in Hamburg May 12, 2010.

LONDON (Reuters) - Premier League managers must take more responsibility for "ridiculous" tackles, Fulham's Danny Murphy said on Thursday.

"A manager dictates what his players do and how they behave," the 33-year-old former England and Liverpool midfielder told the Leaders in Football Conference.

"If you have a manager who is in control of his team and doesn't allow these types of things to go on you get a lot more disciplined team. I'm not saying tackling is a bad thing but we want to watch the best players on the football pitch.

"Stoke, Blackburn, Wolves, they can say it's competitive and we've got to win games but the fact is the manager is sending out the players so pumped up that inevitably there are going to be problems," added Murphy.

Dangerous tackling has occupied the media spotlight this week after Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong was dropped by the Dutch national team for a tackle that left Newcastle United's Hatem Ben Arfa with a broken leg on Sunday.

Last weekend also saw Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Karl Henry sent off for a wild lunge.

Earlier on Thursday, FIFA executive committee member Michel D'Hooghe called on world soccer's governing body to send a message and make clear "brutal" tackles must be eradicated.

Murphy said more sense was needed on the pitch and persistent offenders should be held to account.

"The pace with which some people are going into tackles is ridiculous, there's no brains involved in the players who are doing that," he said.

"I don't believe players go out to break somebody's leg but there has to be some logic and intelligence involved."

(Editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)