Hi Tel,
I think we sort of agree. I didn't say it made it allright. I did say it was wrong. But as much as I have lost my overall love for football, mainly due to overpaid and pampered footballers (though a good many are not!), bottom ine is, any match, but particularly when you're about to lose a cup semi final, they wll be highly charged and adrenaline takes over. Whether right or wrong, it's a fact. That little git didn't just take his time in giving the ball back, which if that was the case, Hazard woul deserve even more than you suggest, he dived on top of the ball! Hazard tried to retrieve it with hs hands and the fella wouldn't let go.
Just because he's a pro footballer, doesn't mean to say he's a robot. Sometimes we expect even too much from footballer's. He's human. It wasn't a premeditated attack, it was heat of the moment.
As for the precedent. I'm not sure you have it the right way round. If he gets a long ban or similar, the precedent is set whereby ballboys (and ballgirls!) may also fall on the ball, and do ther bit to get their pet hated opposition player banned. And become a hero to their pals.
If no further action is taken against the player, it'll hopefully be forgotten about. I would suggest, the ballboy in question should be banned from attending matches as a spectator, let alone as a ballboy, so that a precedent is not set. Swansea FC could be fined for not having proper control over their ballboys, though I feel that would be harsh.
Definitely agree with you regarding the FA. Absolutely corrupt from Bernstein down (in my opinion of course). And at risk of offending our Mike from Clydach, Brooking getting a knighthood despite his cheating regarding WHU and the Tevez affair, is almost as bad as the scumbag Ferguson getting a knightood.
Right then, rant over. Since Tel introduced me to Sounds f the Sixties and BBC 4 on a Friday night, and Mikey M is an all round decent fella, I do love you both. Please don't fall fall out with me
