Hunt broke silence
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Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt has broken his silence after his clash with Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech on Saturday.
The popular Reading midfielder, who had been making his first Premiership start, said last night: "My head is still spinning and I can't believe what has happened. But I can say, hand on heart, that it wasn't intentional.
"The ball was there to be won, but it all happened so quickly that it has become a bit of a blur. I know people will have their opinion and Jose Mourinho is only trying to protect his players. But he is wrong."
Hunt was distraught after learning of Cech's condition.
He added: "I have never tried to injure an opponent - my team-mates and players who have played against me in the past will tell you that.
"I can honestly say it was a freak accident and I am so upset that another player has ended up in hospital over it.
"I'm not a malicious person and I didn't try and 'do' him. I just hope the Chelsea players, their supporters and their manager will understand that."
Hunt, who also played for Reading manager Steve Coppell when he was in charge at Brentford, has been consoled by team-mates over the weekend.
He has received many messages of support from former team-mates after Mourinho accused him of acting deliberately.
Coppell said: "The referee was 10 yards away and in a great position to make a decision. He didn't book Hunt."
The midfielder also told the Daily Mail: "Of course I was sorry to hear that Petr had surgery - he's a fellow professional and no one wants to see another player come to harm.
"It was the first minute of the match and I was simply chasing the ball down. As a player, you know it is a contact sport but you don't expect anyone to end up in hospital.
"Usually when you challenge a goalkeeper you tend to come off far worse, but my heart goes out to him and I hope he understands that it was an accident.
"I'm not a dirty player and we're not a dirty team. We won the Championship last season and we didn't have a single player sent off.
"Yesterday was the first sending-off (Andre Bikey) for a Reading player I can remember for a long time, but we're not an aggressive team and I'm not an aggressive player.
"Everyone knows how I play and everyone knows how Steve Coppell's teams play - we're not overly aggressive and we play within the rules."
Despite being named man of the match at the Madejski Stadium, Hunt admitted that he had been lying low this weekend after the furore that his collision with Cech caused.
He added: "It's been tough to take because making my first Premiership start meant so much to me, but I can understand the reaction in some ways.
"I'd be the same and I'm sure if it was me lying in hospital then my family, friends and girlfriend would all be worrying about me and all looking out for my interests.
"Mourinho has done the same for Petr Cech and all I can do is hope he has a speedy recovery and reiterate that I did not do it out of any malice.
"I'm sorry that it happened and I'm sorry to see a fellow professional in hospital, but it wasn't intentional."
The popular Reading midfielder, who had been making his first Premiership start, said last night: "My head is still spinning and I can't believe what has happened. But I can say, hand on heart, that it wasn't intentional.
"The ball was there to be won, but it all happened so quickly that it has become a bit of a blur. I know people will have their opinion and Jose Mourinho is only trying to protect his players. But he is wrong."
Hunt was distraught after learning of Cech's condition.
He added: "I have never tried to injure an opponent - my team-mates and players who have played against me in the past will tell you that.
"I can honestly say it was a freak accident and I am so upset that another player has ended up in hospital over it.
"I'm not a malicious person and I didn't try and 'do' him. I just hope the Chelsea players, their supporters and their manager will understand that."
Hunt, who also played for Reading manager Steve Coppell when he was in charge at Brentford, has been consoled by team-mates over the weekend.
He has received many messages of support from former team-mates after Mourinho accused him of acting deliberately.
Coppell said: "The referee was 10 yards away and in a great position to make a decision. He didn't book Hunt."
The midfielder also told the Daily Mail: "Of course I was sorry to hear that Petr had surgery - he's a fellow professional and no one wants to see another player come to harm.
"It was the first minute of the match and I was simply chasing the ball down. As a player, you know it is a contact sport but you don't expect anyone to end up in hospital.
"Usually when you challenge a goalkeeper you tend to come off far worse, but my heart goes out to him and I hope he understands that it was an accident.
"I'm not a dirty player and we're not a dirty team. We won the Championship last season and we didn't have a single player sent off.
"Yesterday was the first sending-off (Andre Bikey) for a Reading player I can remember for a long time, but we're not an aggressive team and I'm not an aggressive player.
"Everyone knows how I play and everyone knows how Steve Coppell's teams play - we're not overly aggressive and we play within the rules."
Despite being named man of the match at the Madejski Stadium, Hunt admitted that he had been lying low this weekend after the furore that his collision with Cech caused.
He added: "It's been tough to take because making my first Premiership start meant so much to me, but I can understand the reaction in some ways.
"I'd be the same and I'm sure if it was me lying in hospital then my family, friends and girlfriend would all be worrying about me and all looking out for my interests.
"Mourinho has done the same for Petr Cech and all I can do is hope he has a speedy recovery and reiterate that I did not do it out of any malice.
"I'm sorry that it happened and I'm sorry to see a fellow professional in hospital, but it wasn't intentional."
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