If I could one have one wish granted in ways to improve the A-League in “Version 5.0” (come to think of it, is there a statute of limitations on “versions”?) it is do away with this ridiculous rule that on-field trangressions cannot be dealt with by the FFA Match Review Panel if the referee at the time of the incident saw fit to not place it on report.
Kevin Muscat, the dirtiest-cum-craftiest player in Australian football got away with a raking action foot stomp on Daniel Mullen this week, the FFA declaring “as the matter did not escape the attention of the referee, the MRP has no authority to intervene.”
Meanwhile disgruntled Brazilian Cassio is being hauled over hot coals for making a fist-pumping gesture to the crowd after copping his second yellow card.
“FFA has alleged that Cassio has breached the National Code of Conduct in relation to his conduct following the issue of the second yellow card.”
His punishment will be decided Wednesday.
There is something very wrong with the system if stomping on a prostrate, defenceless player goes unpunished while a heat-of-the-moment harmless rebuke of the crowd is deemed sanctionable.
Look at the video yourself and make up your own mind. In my opinion, there appears to be premeditation, his knee cocked inward, his left foot coming down on an unusual angle for someone supposedly attempting to recover a ball.
The ball itself is a good foot away from his boot.
There should certainly be enough doubt about Muscat’s intentions to at least place the incident on report to be dealt with after the match, in the manner high tackles are reported in rugby league.
Why is that so hard to do in football?
I can guarantee you that if such refereeing provisions were in place that the incidence of “dirty” behaviour in football would be dramatically reduced.
As it is stands presently, though, many players are quite happy to slip in a punch, an elbow, a sly kick, knowing chances are they will get away with it.
Make no mistake: Muscat is a formidable character on the pitch and it is a brave referee who comes up against him. But he is not a protected species, so why does it appear he is consistently treated as such?
A cynic would say that Muscat hasn’t been sanctioned for his rake of Mullen because the FFA wouldn’t dare suspend him for the grand final.
In all honesty I don’t think that is the case but, all the same, a grand final without Muscat would be disastrous for the code.
However the National Rugby League, it should be pointed out, didn’t allow Cameron Smith’s stature in the game to permit him to play for Melbourne Storm in last season’s NRL grand final following his “grapple tackle” on Brisbane forward Sam Thaiday in the finals.
Smith was slugged with a two-game ban on the basis of video evidence.
He wasn’t even placed on report. At the time, all his indiscretion warranted at the discretion of the match referee was a penalty.
But the NRL, in its commitment to eradicating the scourge of this dangerous tackle from the sport, showed some nerve and charged Smith anyway.
The FFA should have done the same with Muscat. And in letting it go, they’ve let us all down.
Luke Broadbent
Roar Rookie
Jesse is correct, it is a disgrace. I was merely playing devil's advocate and I was trying to offer an explanation as to why proceedings are like the way they are.
Midfielder
Guest
Luke Jes on this call is right .. it is a valid question and with Viddy getting a soft fine it shows the FFA IMO still need a big of growing up to do.
Luke Broadbent
Roar Rookie
"If its a principle thing & FIFA are behind that lack of principle then why does this article not read ” NRL shows courage whilst FIFA runs for cover”?" Let's give Jesse a break on that one, after all, he's only one letter out. Really it can be traced to the legal system of most countries, the double jeopardy clause. This means that a person cannot be tried for the same crime twice. In essence this is what we are talking about here, so if you think about it like that then it makes perfect sense.
Mick of Newie
Guest
There is a major logic gap here. A referees incorrect decision to give a red card when only a yellow was warranted can be overturn eg Lampards. Why can't a referees incorrect decision to not give a card or to only give a yellow (eg Tiatto's 2 footer last week or Joel's sackwack, I can admit this now he is a Beijing player) be overturned. Why does the FIFA laws allow one but not the others. This idea that the referee saw the incident and ruled on it is rubbish. Sorry to reference the NRL but their referees apply a precautionary principle. If in doubt place it on report and if an offence has occurred then a suspension occurs. The deterrance for foul play is high but the consequence of incorrect decisions is lessened. I don't advocate this model for football but a model that accepts that a video review will sometimes provide a better perspective on an incident than the real time assessment. Maybe football is smart not to change. My impression is that this issue has pretty much passed. If this was the NRL we would be upto the High Court Challenge by now and Muskie would be registered to play a couple of games in Thailand to serve his suspension and still play the GF.
Vicentin
Guest
I'm with Jimbo here... and if he was going for the ball doesn't that make it a "studs up" challenge? That is he didn't attempt to get the ball with the upper of his boot but with the stud side. Speaking of the NRL - this has spooky parallels with the infamous Hopoate date-gate doesn't it? Muskie trying to put a young lad off his game by inserting a foreign object ...................
jimbo
Guest
Watch the video a little more closely. Not only did Muskrat stamp on Mullen’s rear passage, he stomped on the back of his knee as well, all with the excuse of going for the ball ref. For my observation, deliberate and bookable offence on both counts. He had a few tangles with Ogenovski as well, but who did the referee book? It wasn’t Saint Muskie. Muskrat’s got more arse, than the referees have balls.
Towser
Guest
Sammy C Thank you god for saving us.
Sammy C
Guest
Humerous to see those defending Muscat. Clear card. In any league / in any country / any player. Case closed.
Brian Munich
Guest
Onside, I reckon Muscat's moved some distance away from his former thuggishness. He is certainly prone to the odd "action" these days, but in England he was certainly up there with Tiatto in the maim-first, ask-questions-later league. Agree Moore is a tough defender who has never been particularly dirty.
onside
Guest
You are right dasilva,he's got away with plenty,but I did not see 'boot on bum 'incident as video ref stuff . I have seen Muscat do things that embarrissed me. What gets me is this is a bloke who made it,who has been to the top.I dont know why he needs to resort to sneaky encounters behind the refs back.Its not as if he needs to pull 'young guns' back a peg.He seems quite fit and in that regard is a credit to himself. Is it fair to compare him to Craig Moore, another tough nut who has been to the top of the mountain. Moore doesnt resort to the same antics as Kevin Muscat. Sure he'll try to get away with a few things, he's a defender,but it doesn't border on foul play.
dasilva
Roar Guru
I heard the mellowing out theory It may have been accident that he stood on mullen and not malicious intent but it was still negligent behaviour. There are plenty of scenario this year where he done something reckless such as stomping on Agostino leg or an elbow to dodd in previous matches so I don't buy that. ________ onside What's comes around goes around? We can only hope. However he got away with heaps this season.
onside
Guest
FFA needs the video referee. But I do not know how it should be used. The Muscat incident doesnt do it for me regardless of either A . a clear breach of the rules, or B . Muscats true intent I want the video evidence for quite serious malicious damage. Say a player being viciously struck in the face, or struck down behind play.Seriously hurt. Foul play ,or indeed really dumb actions like Muscats boot in the bum that only harm either ,the games image, or Muscats reputation dont need the video referee, unless a player was really hurt. What goes 'round ,comes 'round. Imagine if you will how much less marketable Kevin Muscat has made himself.It costs him. One day Kevin will get redcarded and also miss a key game for the most innoccous of indiscretions. A nothing occurence.These things happen to the Muscats of this world.It's not planned by the referees.Its simply karma. They run out out of even a smidgins benefit of the doubt.
Brian Munich
Guest
There is sufficient doubt from the vision that even if the FFA post-match folk could have reviewed it, then a decision against Muscat would have been controversial. Muscat does of course suffer from his reputation, but I agree with those who suggest he has mellowed somewhat from his days in the rough and tumble of English football. The contrast could not be greater with Tiatto, for whom the red mist continues to descend with unnerving regularity. The suggestion that this is some kind of Ben Buckley-inspired pro-Melbourne conspiracy is truly laughable. Anyone care to rake over the last 40 years of pro-NSW leanings from the ASF/Soccer Australia/FFA?
NUFCMVFC
Guest
Can't conclusively prove it's a stomp as Muscat was contesting for the ball at the time
Los Oso
Guest
He was going for the ball, it's clear to see IMO. If the ball was nowhere near him when he made the challenge then he would have been suspended for sure, but as his action was in direct pursuit of the ball (a foot from the ball, Jesse? Please Fink, get a grip!) he can't be suspended for an accidental/incidental stomp. Plus it was a fairy tap to boot, Mullen was carrying on as if he was Mulleninho FFS!
Luke W
Guest
I think post match video should be scrapped altogether, unless of course it is something that the referee and both linesman missed during the game, but was caught on camera. If the referee or his linesman have a good view of an incident and make a ruling then that ruling stands. Simple as that. If there is an incident and the referee explains to a panel of judges that he and his linesman did not see or have a good enough view of the incident to act, then a ruling can be made. Or else we get precedents and such for incidents that may or may not have already been dealt with.
Towser
Guest
Pippinu Whilst I agree with your comments on Tiattos skills,my problem is that as soon as the ball comes near him I'm looking for the mist to descend. It overides his football skills unfortunately for me. Although when it becomes obvious in my face like the goal against Perth its undeniable.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Well - Towser has clearly enunciated what I have always thought - and he is a Roar fan! I have to say, if Tiatto could focus his energies 100% on the ball, he'd be very good. His passing is pretty good and he doesn't let too much get past him, and he's a natural leftie to boot. For the tough, nuggety mongrel that he is, his ball skills are more than adequate for the A-League. I know that Muskie occasionally crosses the line, and he is prone to carry on unnecessarily with "afters" as the commentators would say - but I can't think of a single Melbourne player who has performed as consistently as Muskie this season (recalling that he has played ever minute of every game, along with Roddy Vargas).
Slippery Jim
Guest
I absolutely agree with Jesse on this one. If a red card can be rescinded due to an incorrect decision made by referees who saw the incident during the match that was too harsh or just incorrect, (eg Lampard's red card against Livepool) then an incorrect decision made by referees which was too lenient or blatantly wrong - as iin the case of Joel Griffiths sackwhack, or Bosingwa's stamp and boot which was awarded as free kick against the bootee rather than the booter - should also be able to be overturned post match on irrefutable evidence. As Luke correctly points out, this is not a failing of the FFA or FA or any other football association, as this is a FIFA law governing associations. I suppose it stems from their supposed 'the referee's decision is final' mantra (article 72).
Towser
Guest
Midfielder Entirely agree with Pippinu. The reputation of Muscat fogs up peoples minds & vision. If I was Kevin in the same position as a defender in the heat of battle I would have gone for the ball. He did not stomp,full stop he went for the ball. Kevin Muscat doesnt stomp in Australia, Danny Tiatto does & he's my Roar player. Danny stomps,jumps rakes you name it he does it. As I see both built bad reputations in the UK,Danny also had the red mist in his boots even at Melbourne Knights,Muscat picked up the vibes down at the East end docks at Millwall & went from there. Danny returned with the red mist still in his boots Kevin didn't. Both are paying for past reputations but only Tiatto is continuing his reputation here. In terms of contributing to the team on the pitch Muscat is streets ahead. The guy reads the game incredibly & dictates terms in midfield to other teams a vital player for MV. I never feel watching Muscat that the "brain snap" is one second away ,but with Danny I see a bald headed timebomb all the time he can manage to stay on the park & certainly not a vital player.