Roar in push for FFA to downgrade Theo charge
BRISBANE Roar have asked for goalkeeper Michael Theo’s charge for elbowing Adelaide United defender Dylan McGowan to be downgraded from violent conduct to serious foul play.
Theo’s ban currently stands at two matches, but if the offence is changed to serious foul play by Football Federation Australia, the suspension will be reduced to one match and the Roar won’t appeal.
However, if the two-game ban and violent conduct charge stands, the Roar run the risk of Theo’s suspension being lengthened to as many as four matches should they appeal.
It’s unlikely they would roll the dice and gamble on the appeal being successful.
The Roar believe the charge should be downgraded to serious foul play because it was an on-the-ball incident, as Theo was holding the ball when he elbowed McGowan – who had a hold of him – in the dying stages of the Reds’ 2-1 weekend win over Brisbane.
Theo’s violent conduct charge is an “assault on a player” offence that has a mandatory ban of two matches and usually applies when the offending player does not have the ball or the incident takes place off the ball.
Either way, Theo will be suspended for the Roar’s home clash against Melbourne Victory on Saturday night.
FFA will today hand down their decisions on Theo, Roar assistant manager Ross Aloisi and football director Craig Moore. Aloisi and Moore were charged with breaching FFA’s national code of conduct in the aftermath of Adelaide’s win over Brisbane.
Moore mouthed off at referee Stephen Lucas, while Aloisi had a tunnel altercation with Adelaide assistant coach Jacobo Ramallo.