Whether we like it or not frequently the most careful planning doesn’t necessarily ensure success.
Coaches know this probably more than any others in the sporting world, and that is why the sign of a good coach is identifying that something is not working and making a change.
Off the field of play the same applies. The sign of a good organisation is how quickly they fix a problem.
Football Australia, the Australian Premier Leagues and the Victorian Police are to be commended for how quickly they have reacted to investigate and take action in relation to the events that took place last Saturday evening in the A-League match between Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.
Credit should be also given to those individuals involved for coming forward before the Police came knocking on their door; however with the vision going viral they were left with little choice.
Football Australia issued two life bans to two individuals on Tuesday. A further eight individuals today have been issued bans ranging from five to 20 years. On top of these football sanctions these individuals may also face criminal charges.
This swift action by all concerned is to be applauded, and it is also a credit to each of the organisations involved.
While the bans make sense one wonders how many will be enforced. As many have commented on social media these individuals may be known in their home state and by the staff at Melbourne Victory but how many people will know them interstate or at NPL grounds? What is to stop them signing up and playing at a local sports centre under and assumed name?
Despite these strong actions one feels that Football Australia may well have made a rod for their own back.
In situations such as these as upsetting as events were it is definitely a time when the less said the better. Those who have spoken out on the events that unfolded, and who hold positions of authority within the game, have probably said too much.
For example Football Australia CEO James Johnson is quoted in the FA’s own official statement as saying, “Football has a zero-tolerance policy to disruptive, destructive, violent, and anti-social behaviour at its sanctioned events, and it will not tolerate behaviour that has the potential to threaten the safety or security of spectators, players, and officials. These significant bans against these individuals are consistent with this position.”
James Johnson is a very savvy individual when it comes to sporting politics, and usually is very wary with his words. On this occasion one fears his words may come back to haunt him.
Read these words again, “Football has a zero-tolerance policy to disruptive, destructive, violent, and anti-social behaviour at its sanctioned events, and it will not tolerate behaviour that has the potential to threaten the safety or security of spectators, players, and officials.”
Football Australia’s sanctioned events are pretty much every official game played in an organised competition in Australia. The National Premier Leagues certainly fall under that description, even if the state bodies oversee the running of the competitions and sanction the games and the officials as well as the venues. The State bodies after all are a subsection of Football Australia.
Most of us have no trouble understanding destructive and violent behaviour and what it looks like. What is deemed “disruptive” and “anti-social” may well be a grey area as everyone’s idea of what is disruptive and anti-social may vary, so without clear guidelines as to what is not acceptable, it is hard to know what falls under this description. Certainly anyone who has attended a game at any level will have witnessed individuals who could be deemed “disruptive” or “anti-social,” but are they likely to be banned?
Again most would understand when he states that the FA will not “tolerate behaviour that has the potential to threaten the safety or security of spectators, players, and officials.” How far does one go with this? On a regular basis football is littered with examples of actions by players that could lead to a reaction from fans which in turn could threaten their safety. Players will put in challenges on other players that are clearly unsafe. Regrettably, officials are too often faced with threatening behaviour, and some genuinely fear for their safety, so what penalties if any are going to be handed down to the perpetrators?
Sure, in a game there are yellow and red cards and penalties related to the offences committed, but this statement implies that there will be zero tolerance, in other words hefty punishments that go beyond a one or two match suspension. If a player strikes another player in a scuffle, is not one player’s safety threatened? Is the attacker not guilty of disruptive, destructive, violent, anti-social behaviour?
In 2006 in a match between Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory that Adelaide was winning 1-0 in the 85th minute Victory’s Kevin Muscat chased a ball into the Adelaide technical area. The ball had rolled between Adelaide coach John Kosmina’s legs, and he was grabbing the ball as Muscat came in to get hold of it and try and play on quickly. Was Kosmina looking to slow things down? Muscat grabbed the ball and gave Kosmina a shove with his shoulder that resulted in the Adelaide coach’s chair going over and him toppling backwards. Kosmina was up quicker than a boxer surprised to have been put on the canvas and grabbed Muscat by the throat. Aurelio Vidmar stepped between the two, but the argument continued. Referee Matthew Breeze issued a yellow card to Muscat and sent Kosmina off.
Kosmina was then handed at the time the A-League’s lengthiest ban at a Football Federation Australia disciplinary hearing in Sydney. His suspension totalled six matches for violent conduct, with two of those suspended on the condition of future good behaviour. He also received an undisclosed fine, which was also suspended.
Taking James Johnson’s words literally would Kosmina now face a far greater sanction, and a much longer ban?
Then there was the incident involving celebrity chef George Calombaris at the 2017 A-League Grand Final. Calombaris in court pleaded guilty to assaulting a 19-year-old after Melbourne Victory lost the A-League decider against rivals Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium. Calombaris was at the time pitch-side as a VIP.
The chef was fined $1,000 for the incident, and told the court that he had lost a $300,000 ambassadorship due to the assault charge. Here was a high profile individual who was at the time Melbourne Victory’s number one ticket holder who assaulted a fan and pleaded guilty to the charges. Has he been banned from attending any football matches in Australia sanctioned by the FA?
While it is one thing to hand out heavy punishments to spectators, – and few will argue that the current punishments are not warranted – making statements such as the one made means that you are going to have to come down equally hard on players, coaches and celebrities. Many will argue that this is vital, as after all players and coaches frequently set the tone for what happens off the pitch.
James Johnson has thrown down a marker, and now Football Australia has to live up to that statement. If they don’t expect them to be faced with a number of potential legal challenges from clubs and individuals backed by sharp lawyers who will turn this statement to their advantage.
