Kosmina: A-League fans have gone too far
Former Socceroo and Fox Sports pundit, John Kosmina, has accused active football supporters of holding the game to ransom following their boycott of A-League matches this weekend.
In a column for the
Adelaide Advertiser, Komina said fan groups had gone too far.
Active support bays were largely empty this weekend as the campaign for greater procedural fairness for banned fans ramped up.
A number of players, coaches and club bosses have come out in support.
In the wake of widespread discontent, Football Federation Australia agreed to improve the current process which gives banned fans no recourse to appeal.
The issue hit crisis point after News Limited named and shamed 198 banned football fans.
Fans were subsequenely labelled thugs and terrorists in the media.
Kosmina said he admired the peaceful mass walk-outs by Wanderers and Victory fans last week which “galvanised” the FFA into action.
But the former Adelaide United and Sydney FC coach opposed the follow-up boycott.
“…how far are these active support groups going to take it?” he asked. “This week’s boycotting of matches has gone a step too far for me.
“Just as the PFA did in the Matildas’ pay dispute a few months ago, these groups are now holding the game to ransom to get their way.
“You now have supporter groups in conflict with the FFA, when the real beef should be with the person or persons that published the story in the first place.”
Kosmina said the FFA should have reacted more quickly to a series of anti-football fan pieces in the media but added that nearly 85% of banned fans had been pinged for “throwing flares or violent behaviour”.
“The FFA’s policy of zero tolerance in matters of this severity is correct and can’t be varied," he added.
"The process of banning a fan in itself is not a simple you would think. There are checks and balances to make sure the right person is punished for the right reasons.
“But because of the actions taken these past seven days this will all be reviewed and maybe the fans will realise a bit of self-policing might be in order.”
Read more at
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/kosmina-league-fans-have-gone-too-far#gpxIjC2RZdjMxVmC.99