FOOTBALL managers will go to extraordinary lengths to defend the indefensible.

Alex Ferguson seems to watch Manchester United games with a permanently blind eye these days, particularly if a certain Irishman is playing.

And then there's Arsene Wenger who must sit in a seat with a permanently obscured view at Highbury because that's the only rational explaination for why he consistently fails to spot anything remotely controversial involving any of his players. (I hope he gets a discount on his season ticket for having to sit behind that pillar.)

So it was somewhat refreshing to hear Kevin Keegan tear strips off Danny Tiatto on Sunday following the Australian's crude attempts to maim David Thompson.

Keegan has had his fair share of critics over the years, from blowing his top with Fergie in a rant which cost Newcastle the title to almost blowing England's chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

But for all his faults as a manager, the one thing you can't accuse him of is being dishonest.

Some managers would have taken the easy way out on Sunday rather than risk rocking the boat by publicly criticising one of his players.

But Keegan, to his great credit, refused to make any tame excuses in defence of Tiatto and went straight for the jugular.

"I've no qualms over the sending off and I'll fine him the maximum I can," blasted the Maine Road chief.

"I was disgusted with it and it was so unprofessional and so stupid, you shouldn't really give it any column space."

If all managers took such a tough stance with their players, there would be no need to conduct kangaroo courts through the tabloid Press.

Thierry Henry and David Beckham should both be fined by their clubs for the illegal use of the elbow at the weekend because, once they've been hit hard in the pocket, then maybe they'll think twice about doing it again.

Craig Short got sent off TWICE last season, remember, for identical incidents but because the two players mentioned above are more high profile, they got away with it relatively scot-free.

Greater consistency from referees is a must but isn't it about time managers were more consistent, too?

Tiatto deserved everything that came his way on Sunday because what he did was malicious and there's no place for it in the modern game.

Judging by the way Keegan was talking, he may now have played his last game for City.

But in some cases such a short, sharp, shock policy is the only way of making the penny drop.