The wife of Everton defender James Tarkowski has fiercely defended her husband after he received vile death threats online.
Tarkowski, 32, faced criticism after a tackle on Liverpool`s Alexis Mac Allister during their 1-0 defeat in the Merseyside derby. The incident occurred on Wednesday.
During the first half of the game, Toffees captain Tarkowski made a strong sliding tackle to clear the ball, but his follow-through caught Mac Allister high on the leg.
VAR reviewed the tackle, and referee Sam Barrott only issued a yellow card, considering it “reckless” but not a sending-off offense.
However, officials later stated that it should have been deemed serious foul play, and VAR should have recommended a red card after reviewing the pitch-side monitor.
James Tarkowski`s wife, Samantha, revealed the death threats he has been subjected to in an explicit rant on her Instagram page.
She stated that she initially intended to ignore the abuse, but decided to speak out against the “disgusting” level of hate directed at her husband. She mentioned receiving death wishes and vile comments aimed at both of them as individuals and as a couple.
Samantha emphasized that her husband is not just a footballer but also a husband, father, brother, friend, and the father of their two children. She highlighted that he is doing his job to the best of his ability and does not deserve such intense hate.
She questioned those who believe Tarkowski deliberately tried to injure another player, pointing out the speed of football and split-second decisions involved in tackles. She argued that no player intends to cause injury and would not feel good if they did.
Samantha condemned the “pure s*** messages” and threats as intentional and unacceptable, distinguishing them from passion for football. She described such behavior from so-called “fans” as disgraceful and pathetic, reminding everyone that they are real people affected by this abuse, which extends beyond the sport.
Everton has also issued a statement denouncing the threats as “unacceptable” and offered to support the police in any investigation.
Tarkowski himself admitted that it was “not a great challenge” and that he apologized to Mac Allister, who accepted it. He explained that he anticipated a 50-50 tackle but ended up catching Mac Allister high. He acknowledged it was “not a great one” from him.
Despite the favorable decision regarding his tackle, Tarkowski criticized VAR for not intervening on an alleged offside against Luis Diaz before Liverpool`s winning goal, scored by Diogo Jota.
Tarkowski argued that Diaz`s offside position behind him influenced his decision to lunge for the ball, leading to a loose touch that allowed Jota to score.
James and Samantha Tarkowski began dating in 2015 and married in 2023. They are featured in a new Amazon Prime Video series that follows the lives of footballers and their partners.
In the show, Samantha jokingly responded to a question about her favorite thing to do with her husband by mentioning “shagging” after checking if the show would air past the watershed.
She later added that just being in bed together at the end of the day was her favorite part, followed by “shagging.” Samantha also humorously mentioned getting intimate with James after he was appointed Everton captain.
