FFA Cup ball boy scandal is a bad look for game and Reds player Michael Marrone — which is why youngster needs to explain himself

THE FFA Cup ball boy scandal is a bad look for the game and Adelaide United’s Michael Marrone — which is why the youngster at the heart of the incident needs to explain himself, writes former Reds coach John Kosmina.

THE heat of battle … does anyone really know how they will react when the pressure is on and there’s a lot at stake?

That’s probably a bit too dramatic when we’re discussing a football match but it is relevant. There is a lot of pressure during a game and especially in a final … do or die, sudden death, no second chances.

Michael Marrone is shown a red card after the incident in extra time on Tuesday night. Picture: Zak Kaczmarek/Getty Images

United’s goalkeeper Paul Izzo, (I think), explained the importance of Tuesday night’s FFA Cup Final to the team when he said that, as a group, they had discussed before the game that there may not be another final, that games like this come along very rarely and as a player you may not get another chance.

So, does that justify Michael Marrone’s actions in the incident involving the ball boy. No, it does not. It may rationalise it to some degree but unfortunately for Marrone that won’t stand up in court, so to speak.

Marrone was red carded at the time and I think he can expect more than a one-game sanction.

No matter which way you look at it, it is not a good look for the game or for Marrone.

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard was involved in a similar incident almost five years ago and copped a three-game ban. The ball boy on that day was considerably older than the kid on Tuesday night and he demonstrably refused to return the ball but that didn’t get Hazard off the hook.

In this instance, it appeared as if the ball boy was refusing to return the ball for reasons known only to him, although I doubt he’d ever really be able to explain because of his youth and the subsequent unfolding of events.

Michael Marrone arrives at Adelaide Airport with the Reds on Wednesday. Picture: AAP Image/Matt Loxton

Marrone’s team had just copped what was to be the matchwinning goal and there was a great sense of urgency that the kid seemed oblivious to … he hangs onto the ball, Marrone runs towards him, the kid turns his back still hanging on to the ball, the pair collide, end up on the ground and a melee erupts.

Did the young lad panic as Marrone approached and take a defensive action forgetting all about the ball or did he deliberately withhold the ball? Why didn’t he just throw the ball back to Marrone when he retrieved it or certainly as he ran toward him if he was spooked?

The boy does need to explain himself because this will result in a blot on a playing career that deserves much better.

I have watched Michael Marrone’s career since he was a player in the old SASI youth in Adelaide program and I can tell you what happened is completely out of character. He just doesn’t have it in him and this whole thing is very unfortunate.

The resulting melee did Sydney FC a big favour taking the sting out of United’s momentum in trying to get back in the game.

And Marco Kurz needs to be congratulated for settling down Sydney’s Matt Simon who took exception to what happened. Fortunately, no-one was injured but the young lad doesn’t need to be lauded as a hero as some of the headlines have suggested.

Nor did he need to be presented with a medal. Yes, I understand the gesture but watching it all transpire it really made me wonder if there wasn’t a little voice in his head at the time saying, ‘don’t give it back’.