Ola Aina has blamed the new offside rule of the injury by his fellow countryman Taiwo Awoniyi in the Premier League collision last Sunday with degraded Leicester City.
Awoniyi came from an induced coma on Wednesday evening and recovered well after another operation for a torn intestine, suffered in the final phase of Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester.
The Nigeria International was treated by the medical staff of Forest after he collided with a post and made available to return to the field before he realized that he could not continue.
The 27-year-old fell ill after the game and hurried to the hospital.
The truly disturbing thing for everyone in Nottingham Forest is that, because Awoniyi is hit in the hospital, they know that this should not have happened.
If an assistant referee Sian Massey-elis had placed her flag as a clear offside Anthony Elanga walked on Sunday to a blow in Forest’s 2-2 draw against Leicester, there would have been no intersection to the distant post.
There would have been no collision between Awoniyi and the frame of the goal.
It is a relatively new rule – those who tell the assistants to wait until the passage of the game is over before it is signaled – but it was a long time ago as an accident that waited to happen. And now the accident is here and Awoniyi is the victim.
Read also: Awoniyi from induced coma, recover well
“Anthony was miles outside,” Aina told Mail Sport.
“The whole world could see it and I could do that from where I was.
“Do you immediately think ‘offside’. You could certainly lift the flag?
“I personally liked how it used to be when they just set it up immediately for offside.
“A simple decision and continue the game.
“To look it and then just seeing happen … Well, this would not have happened with the ‘t’ if the flag had just risen, would it be?”
Aina also added that he and his teammates Awoniyi sent a good message.
“T is a very cooled man,” says Aina softly.
“He doesn’t like to get in the way. He is going on his own things, but he can also have fun.
“He has been in a few of my videos, but I know he doesn’t like the cameras too much, so I don’t try to put them in his face. I respect that about him.
“Of course I sent him a message. The whole team has.
“I have heard that he is recovering well, so hopefully we will hear from him soon.
“I knew that he had hurt himself at the time, but just didn’t realize that it was to the extent. I only really heard when everyone sent messages about our group treasure for players.”
Aina also spits about what he and Awoniyi have in common.
“We have many things in common, me and Taiwo. Like our beliefs.
“But this is our teammate and brother and someone we spend for most of the year day in day out.
“It affects everyone in one way or another. All we can do is show our support and hopefully everything will go well for him now.”
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