The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Mohsni threatens to quit after lengthy ban
Former Rangers defender hit with seven-game punishment after Fir Park bust-up
Former Rangers defender Bilel Mohsni claims he is prepared to walk away from football after being hit with a sevengame ban for his Motherwell meltdown.
And he also blasted former Light Blues boss Stuart McCall for failing to back him following his shock bust-up with Lee Erwin.
The Tunisia international was back in Glasgow yesterday to see his original four-game punishment extended by the Scottish Football Association’s judicial panel at Hampden.
It was his first public appearance in Scotland since sparking a mass brawl at the final whistle after the Gers’ humiliating 6-1 aggregate play-off final defeat when he punched and kicked Well striker Erwin.
He now faces a lengthy stint on the sidelines unless he moves to a league which does not adhere to bans in other countries. His agent has already admitted his career in the UK is “over”.
But Mohsni admits he will give up the game completely if he cannot find a manager willing to take a chance on him.
Asked if he feared for his career, the 27-year-old told Press Association Sport: “You know what? I don’t care anymore.
“If a manager trusts me, I will be happy to play for him. If no-one trusts me, it’s OK. I will find a job and work.”
Mohsni remains unrepentant for the attack which left Scottish football stunned.
He reacted with fury after Erwin, who has since signed for Leeds, pushed him in the back when his offer of a handshake following the crucial promotion decider on May 31 was snubbed.
The Gers defender, who has been released after his Ibrox contract expired, kicked his opponent before planting a punch into Erwin’s face.
The former Southend player even tried to confront Erwin again as both players left the stadium after the game.
Referee Craig Thomson handed Mohsni a red card in the tunnel after he was rushed off the field by members of the Rangers back-room staff.
Erwin, however, escaped with only a post-match booking.
Speaking after he was issued with an additional three- match ban for “committing excessive misconduct”, he said: “I’m upset by this – even more by the fact I received seven games and Erwin received zero. It’s very harsh, but this is life.
“If you see everything on the video, it is clear if he had not pushed me I’d have gone away and would be back in France on holiday right now, not coming back to Glasgow for a hearing.
“This is how it is now. We don’t punish the one who acts, but we punish the one who reacts. Everytime it is me who reacts and every time it is me who gets a big punishment. This is my life in football – I’m used to it.
“When I ask all of the people I know what they would do, they all tell me they would react the same way.
“Because when someone pushes you from the back, it’s like an attack, so you defend yourself. All I did was defend myself.”
And the Paris-born defender, who shot down suggestions he has angermanagement issues, also hit out at former boss McCall, who has since been replaced by Mark Warburton.
Mohsni said: “(Previous manager) Ally McCoist trusted me and I did very well under him. I scored 12 goals from centreback.
“But McCall didn’t trust me, even when he didn’t have the job. That was disappointing, very disappointing.
“He didn’t think I was good enough to play for him. I played against Queen of the South when we lost 3-0 and he blamed me for the game. So I was like, ‘Wow, this manager doesn’t like me. Okay, no problem’.
“But when I heard what he said after the play-off, I was like ‘Wow, wow, wow’. Normally every manager protects their player, whether they are wrong or not.”
If a manager trusts me. I will be happy to play for him. If no-one trusts me, it’s OK. I will find a job and work.
BILEL MOHSNI