Eastern United soccer coach Diego Pellegrini banned from State League until 2018 over violent-conduct findings

A SOCCER coach has been banned from the State League competition until 2018 after he was found guilty of violent conduct at a game this month — his second in two years.

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A SOCCER coach has been banned from the State League competition until 2018 after he was found guilty of violent conduct at a game this month.

Eastern United coach Diego Pellegrini was red-carded during an incident in the 102nd minute of his team’s Round 16 match against Fulham United on Saturday, August 6.

Eastern United coach Diego Pellegrini has been banned until 2018 over two incidents.

Football Federation SA has not released details of the incident but said in a statement that Pellegrini had been suspended for 12 weeks for violent conduct against an opposing player at the August 6 game.

They said he would also serve a further six months’ suspension due to a previous violent offence last year.

“The suspension is to be served during the football season, meaning (Pellegrini) will be suspended from Saturday 13 August, 2016 until completion of the suspension during the 2018 season,” the statement read.

The Federation also imposed a six-month suspended sentence until the end of the 2019 season.

The club and Pellegrini, who had a decorated playing career in Italy before moving to Adelaide, have until 5pm on Thursday to appeal the penalty.

Pellegrini was found guilty of entering the field of play during a brawl between players from Eastern United and Adelaide Cobras on May 30 last year.

The Federation barred him from coaching on match days for 12 months, with an additional 12-month ban suspended for two years.

Athelstone-based Eastern United was fined $3000 for the incident while the Plympton-based Cobras copped a $1000 fine and a further $1000 suspended fine.

Two Cobras players were also hit with one-game bans.