West Brom: David Coote an absolute disgrace after what made Daryl Dike do v Ipswich Town
West Brom striker Daryl Dike has suffered an injury nightmare since arriving at The Hawthorns from Orlando City in January 2022.
Having only returned from a nine-month absence recently, the American forward’s nightmare has continued after his 10-minute cameo against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday 10 February.
Replacing Brandon Thomas-Asante at the 55-minute mark, Dike lasted just minutes before the worst-case scenario struck and he went down with yet another Achilles injury.
It is not an unknown feeling to the striker, but as the tears streamed down his face, it was clear that the Baggies were not set for any good news. And that sadness from the fans quickly turned to anger at referee David Coote’s actions.
David Coote angers West Brom
Instead of showing empathy for the 23-year-old, Coote forced the striker to make his way around the edge of the pitch, having gone down on the opposite side of the pitch to the dugout.
The player could have managed the walk off the pitch towards the tunnel with help. But instead, he was forced to sit on the sidelines and wait for assistance, which could have exacerbated his emotions in the moment.
The referee may have had rules to follow, but would it have hurt to just allow the injured player to cross the pitch on the medical buggy? Dike’s mental well-being is far more important than a game of football, but Coote just could not see that.
It was an absolute disgrace from Coote. Dike was distraught and needed to be taken out of the limelight as fast as possible, not paraded around Portman Road as he pulled his shirt over his head.
Fair play to the Ipswich Town fans, though. The Tractor Boys joined in the round of applause as Dike was driven around the side of the pitch, understanding the importance of his injury.
Despite signing for West Brom over two years ago, the American international has only managed to make 32 appearances, with injuries playing a massive role in his career to date.
In other West Brom news, a first-team regular has explained why he was “disappointed” at a recent decision made by Carlos Corberan.
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