Oriol Romeu speaks about never being sent-off in his career

ORIOL Romeu has played more than 350 games of senior football in his career across four different countries, but despite the Spaniard’s tough tackling reputation, he has remarkably never been sent off.

What makes this fact even more astounding is that only former Spurs and Charlton defender Luke Young has picked up more yellow cards without ever seeing red in the Premier League.

Young was cautioned 62 times in 378 games, whilst Romeu has now been booked 59 times in 222 appearances.

Romeu is often tasked with the dirty work in the Saints midfield, with the 30-year-old no stranger to picking up a foul or two.

Since joining Saints in 2015, he has often found himself high up the rankings for fouls, tackles won, and bookings received.

Despite his numerous yellows, Romeu has only ever been suspended for four games – due to cumulative cautions.

When asked by the Daily Echo just how he avoids the dreaded red card from the referee’s top pocket, Romeu revealed: “It is not an easy job, but it is not something you forget when you have a booking.

“Every time you have a challenge, you have it in the back of your mind, and then you’re probably less aggressive with that booking.

“You’re always keeping some distance between you and the opponent so then you don’t get too close, and you touch his leg and the referee thinks it’s a foul when it’s a clear challenge or whatever.”

Even the most disciplined of tacklers can still misjudge the tight-rope of a booking, but Romeu revealed that once he is on a yellow his approach changes.

He added: “When I have a booking, I always engage when it is 90 per cent clear – it will never be 100 per cent – 90 per cent clear I am going to get the ball.

“Otherwise, I always try and keep my distance to make sure I don’t get the second booking.

“Ideally, you don’t want to play with that feeling of having to stop and be less aggressive.

“But, the way we play, the amount of challenges we have to do, it does happen.”

Saints will be hoping Romeu continues his record for quite some time, with any absence of the vice-captain a big miss in Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Since returning from a fractured ankle at the tail end of last season, Romeu has quickly re-established himself as a permanent fixture for Saints.