dblog.com.au

That’s right, as if losing to Newcastle in such a controversial way wasn’t enough, the FFA has laid down a 15 month ban (9 months + 6 month probation) to Mariners Goal Keeper Danny Vokovic.

What started as an appeal to a deliberate hand ball by James Holland soon turned into a heated debate between both teams and the referee (Mark Shields). Danny, for whatever reason appeared to “high five” the ref and then run off the field as he knew the red card was coming.

It turns out today that the FFA have decided to throw the book at Vokovic (except the whole life ban part) and are still considering banning him from participating in any other form of professional football (including his Olympic Campaign at Beijing 2008). If past events had of been used to predict an outcome you would have expected a few week ban and possibly a 12 month probation period, this is further backed up by the case where Jets player Joel Griffith’s intentionally “whacked” a linesman in the “family jewels” and got off scott free on a technicality.

And that’s not all, the FFA have now said that Sasho Petrovski will have to face the disciplinary committee for “using an abusive gesture towards a match official during Sunday’s controversial grand final” AND that the Central Coast Mariners FC are being “[asked] to
show cause why the Club should not also be sanctioned under the FFA
National Disciplinary Regulations for team misconduct. “.

Now I do understand that I am probably a little biased when it comes to the Mariners, but where is the justice? Where is the disciplinary committee for under performing and over sensitive referee’s (aka Mark Shields, Matther Breeze, etc etc)? Where is the match review committee for blatantly wrong calls? When are the FFA going to get it right? When is FIFA/Someone going to step in and put a stop to the mess that the FFA are making of football in Australia?

It is a given that we really didn’t deserve to win on Sunday night, but what we did deserve was a fair game and a quality referee for such a high profile match, I mean it was the Grand Final after all!

Well thats my little rant, I am sure you will hear more if anything is handed down to Sasho or CCMFC in general.

For now I suggest you head on over to the Marinators forum and have a bit of a read. Also I suggest that anyone who can, please send an email to the FFA (info@footballaustralia.com.au) expressing your disgust in the general state of Australian Football and its Referees.

You can also read the full article over at Sportal.