Football Federation Australia has resolutely stood by its judicial process despite threats of legal action from Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer.
Palmer had threatened challenging the legality of the FFA’s A-League system in the Supreme Court after midfielder Steve Pantelidis was suspended for two matches.
United have appealed Pantelidis’ ban meted out by the FFA’s independent match review panel for violent conduct against North Queensland’s Robbie Middleby on Saturday.
The matter was heard before an independent disciplinary committee in Sydney on Wednesday before being adjourned until next Thursday because of confusion as to whether United could only contest the length of the suspension or the incident itself.
Palmer, who is currently suing Queensland premier Anna Bligh for defamation, remains upset at the A-League’s judicial process as he believed the disciplinary committee had a “vested interest” to maintain the two-match ban.
“You can’t have a fair hearing with this group of people if they’ve already imposed the penalty on you without hearing from you at all,” he told The Courier-Mail.
“You’re already coming to the hearing with a pre-determination that you’re guilty.
“The process of the procedure is very corrupt, and we’re going to get a court order which will say that.”
Mystery surrounds whether Palmer would following through on his threat – particularly after the confusion on Wednesday night – and an FFA spokeswoman said the national body believed it had been withdrawn.
Palmer was unavailable for comment on Wednesday but Gold Coast United chief executive Clive Mensink was earlier unaware he had backed down.
Nevertheless, the FFA – which has stuck with the same judicial process since the A-League’s inception in 2005 – said it was unfazed by Palmer’s criticism.
“We’re ignoring, we’re not taking any notice of it,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re happy with our process.
“The process is outlined to all A-League CEOs and coaches and therefore players prior to each season so everyone understands what the laws of the game are.”
She stressed the match review panel, disciplinary committee and appeals committee were all independent.
Meantime, Coast coach Miron Bleiberg is resisting New Zealand requests for star striker Shane Smeltz to miss their round five match against Sydney FC on September 5, four days before the All Whites’ clash with Jordan in Amman.
With captain Jason Culina set to miss the Skilled Park match to play for the Socceroos against South Korea, Bleiberg said Smeltz would only be released after they play Sydney.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Mid to have it in for a rival team is ok - in fact it's quite healthy!!
Pippinu
Roar Guru
I don't think that's necessarily an obstacle, to be honest.
Midfielder
Guest
If my previous post about Mr P and the ACL spot is right .. which I think it is... I hope they fall short... and the FFA auditors go tho the books looking at the squad ... hard to see how its under the cap...
Kazama
Roar Guru
Actually, there is a rule that would stop this: "Currently, members of any AFC Champions League squad need to be contracted on loan for a minimum of six months to qualify for the lucrative tournament." http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25879818-5000940,00.html
Pippinu
Roar Guru
That's true - the excess players only become an issue when the A-League season starts - but for the ACL you can have a list of up to 30 players - there's no rule that says those 30 players must also be registered for the A-League - they are two separate registrations.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Probably the big names from other A-League clubs would be under his consideration as well.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
heh, heh - I didn't have that in mind exactly!! I was thinking more of getting your hands on a few Socceroos for short term contracts (and around early April, you just never know who might be available) It's the last month of the European season, blokes like Carle and Carney might be available, or Rhys Williams, or Kisnorbo, etc, etc - you'd only need a few to give your squad a bit of a boost.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
It is a silly rule, and as you say, the precedent is already there to over ride a ref's earlier call under certain circumstances. And anyway, what a ref sees from 30 metres in real time, maybe with his view partially blocked, is different to might actually be happening in real time - I think we should all be adult enough to accept that as a basic reality.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Cristiano Ronaldo on loan, didn't he say?
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Mid you could well be right there - that it's all about getting to the ACL (but there are 27 rounds to negotiate first!) Here is another ineresting thought - if GCU make the ACL (and it's still an if), the rules of the ACL do not apply a salary cap at all - they only have limitations around foreign based players etc. Palmer would actually have a bit more leeway in boosting his squad specifically for the ACL.
dasilva
Roar Guru
True that billionaires tend to be rather tight with money Nevertheless the boycott for the first A-league match against the Roar turned out to be a bluff so there is a precedent
Pippinu
Roar Guru
das they are all possible readings - it's all a bit bizarre - but I have written on this Roar more than once: billionaires don't become billionaires by throwing their money around for no good reason.
Midfielder
Guest
This guy is going to be interesting ... most of the other A-League clubs have the belief that we need to build the domestic competition from the ruins of the old NSL... most accept the fact that the AFL & NRL are leap years ahead in terms of media, tradition, etc... SOOOOOOOoooooo the clubs have by and large accepted the good with the bad... for the betterment of football as a whole.... Mr P seems not to care about the league .... he wants a spot in the ACL ... let nothing stand in his way....Not sure how this is going to pan out but is not going away
dasilva
Roar Guru
I'm thinking the 5000 restriction is an attempt of political brinkmanship or bluff between Palmer and FFA trying to wind them up or holding them to ransom over a particular issue rather then Palmer seriously contemplating restricting crowds (I hope). I don't think he is gone mad or he is being an incredible tight ass.
dasilva
Roar Guru
It's because of a riculously stupid rule that say if the referee saw the incidence on the pitch and decided to not punish the incidence, the post match reviews can't overturn it as it protects the concept of what the referee say is final. So if the incidence was out of the sight of the referee, Fowler would have been in a lot of trouble. It's pretty stupid rule because if you give out red cards, FFA are quite happy in overturning it (as shown by the grand final) if the decision turn out to be incorrect. So doesn't that impair the concept of what the refereee say is final? Why can't it just be, any red card can be rescinded or rewarded after post match reviews irrespective whether the referee saw the incident or not.
Redb
Roar Guru
Picked up the Courier Mail today for a read whislt in sunny Nth QLD, good article the Lions and Browny suggesting they need to stand up, the All blacks like the Swans 'bloods' culture, Titans biter gets 4 weeks,.... then it hits me, Palmer wants a 5,000 restriction on its crowd!!!. - is this bloke losing it or what! Redb
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Realf good point with Fowler. This reminds me of a game against the Roar last year when Carlos was sent off after a 2nd yellow, having been hacked all game by the likes of Tiatto, and then five minutes later, Tiatto elbows Vargas in the throat, directly in front of the linesman, and nothing happened. Then the match review committee cited him, and I thought, ah good, they'll rub Tiatto out - but they said he had no case to answer!! Clearly, we can't have situations where a player gets a severe punishment for not doing too much, while another player gets away with an extremely violent action (remember Joel Griffiths). Having said that, Panta's action didn't look good, and he has a bit of a record counting against him. Personally, I reckon Palmer shouldn't waste his ammo on a so-so player like Panta, and focus his energies when it really counts.
Realfootball
Guest
This circus really needs to stop. Palmer's boycott call before the Roar game was poor judgement, and this talk of a 5k cap is more of the same. This will only hurt GCU. I think it is safe to say that all GCU supporters want the club to focus on football now. The Pantelidis issue is different, because in that same game anyone who was watching on television saw clearly Robbie Fowler deliberately kick the face of the GCU player Anderson. It was very ugly and the fact that he was not red carded can only be interpreted in the light of his importance to the Fury. How Fowler can get away with this and yet Pantelidis gets suspended for two games is beyond rational belief. But it has happened, and it demonstrates a major flaw in the system that needs to be addressed.
Pippinu
Roar Guru
tt thanks - I was surprised to learn that because I thought relations were strained between the Qld state Govt and the AFL. DiCanio I'm not a legal expert - but I know for a while back around the 80s, the AFL was in and out of the courts with clubs questioning one thing or another - how they ultimately resolved it all, I'm not sure. But when someone has a stack of dough - do not underestimate their capacity to bring almost anything to the courts - even if it's something that will be dismissed in 5 minutes.
True Tah
Guest
Pip I think it was something to do about comments Bligh made about Fat Clive's association with a political party.