Roy O’Donovan headbutt video: Central Coast striker apologises for reaction, slams Manny Muscat

CENTRAL Coast’s Roy O’Donovan has apologised to Mariners fans for his despicable headbutt, but delivered some bizarre remarks about the reaction of Manny Muscat.

CENTRAL Coast striker Roy O’Donovan has claimed Wellington Phoenix defender Manny Muscat deserves “an Oscar” after the Mariners striker’s despicable headbutt on Thursday night.

Despite apologising to Mariners, O’Donovan had strong words for his opponent after claiming Muscat elbowed him multiple times in the face.

“I’ve got elbowed in the face not once, not twice, and the referee hasn’t seen fit to react to that and book Manny Muscat,” O’Donovan told Fox Sports News 500.

“I walked away and had a player run into my direction, I leaned my head in and I’ve reacted to it.

“He’s gone down like a movie star there. He should get an Oscar for that. He timed it perfectly.” The former Irish international admitted he could have easily been given his marching orders by referee Kris Griffiths-Jones, who showed both players a yellow card.

O’Donovan felt Griffiths-Jones had dealt with it “sensibly”. “He felt there wasn’t enough force behind what I did,” he said. “I got yellow-carded and nobody got hurt. Manny played out the rest of the team, he didn’t have a scratch or a bruise.

“We shook hands after the game and I’m the only one that has any wounds from the whole event.”

Central Coast Mariners’ Roy O’Donovan headbutts Wellington Phoenix’s Manny Muscat.

But Phoenix boss Ernie Merrick was gobsmacked after the game, calling it the “most disgusting” thing he’d witnessed in a while.

“I don’t understand how someone can get away with that,” an irate Merrick said after the game. “That’s going back to the dark ages. I’ve never seen that so blatantly happen.

“I’ll bet there’s some rule somewhere that says because a player got a yellow card for that they got off for it. That was the most disgusting thing I’ve seen in a while.”

Both O’Donovan and Muscat have been cited by Football Federation Australia’s match review panel and are likely to face suspensions.

Originally published as Roy O’Donovan headbutt video: Central Coast striker apologises for reaction, slams Manny Muscat