There are scant few absolute don’ts in the beautiful game of football: Don’t fly-kick fans in the third row. Don’t bite your opponent. And definitely do not, under any circumstances, tackle a ball boy. Don’t do it. Don’t even think about doing it.
Last night’s FFA Cup final between Adelaide United and Sydney FC fell afoul of that last one after United player Michael Marrone flattened a ball boy on the sidelines during a tense extra time period.
In the 113th minute of the game, with Sydney clinging to a 2-1 lead, Marrone rushed the sidelines to quickly take a throw-in. Footage shows the ball boy turning away from the fast advancing Marrone, who then proceeded to lay a reasonably rough shirtfront on the literal child.
Wild scenes followed as Sydney players immediately remonstrated, sparking a sideline brawl that marred the otherwise uneventful game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkOpxCANV8k
Marrone was immediately red carded by match officials, and the clock expired to give FC the victory and the cup, making them just the second team to hold all three major Australian footballing trophies at the same time.
Sydney brought the young lad up onto the winner’s dais after the game, letting him hoist the trophy and putting a winner’s medal around his neck.
Did the kid hold onto the ball for a little too long? Probably.
Is it still an undeniably dick move by Marrone to rush and physically shove a strange child? You bet your ass.
The shove has similarities to the hugely controversial English Premier League incident in which Chelsea player Eden Hazard kicked a Swansea ball boy after the young lad dove on a ball and attempted to prevent Hazard from retrieving it.
The lesson learned here? Kids might be cheeky, but do not tackle them.
Do not.
