The South African midfielder was shown a red just before the half time whistle for getting himself into an altercation with Scott Parker, who did just as much but was only shown a yellow card.
He told Sky Sports: "It didn't look too violent to me, I've got to say. The lad has come out of South Africa and was playing his first match.
"I don't know what happened between the two players, but I'm always disappointed when professional players get sent off for something that the word 'handbags' would be an exaggeration.
"I come from a time of playing football when there was quite a lot of violence on the football field and people actually did get head-butted and get kicked and people got hurt.
"I have a problem getting my head around two players nose to nose and one of them sent off for violent conduct. I have a problem with that."
"At most you could accuse him of being naive, that I suppose is a crime, but he's devastated and he's got my sympathy."