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Australian football news Central Coast Mariners - FanFootball

Farce: Danny Vukovic suspension reduced

April 25th 2008 03:30

A goalkeeper in the Australian A-league has had a nine-month suspension for manhandling a referee reduced to six months AND split into two to allow him to play at the Beijing Olympics in August.

Now that's an appeal!

Danny Vukovic is a goalkeeper with 2007/2008 A-league grand finalists Central Coast Mariners and it was in that grand final match against Newcastle Jets when the young goalie lost his cool in the dying minutes and literally slapped the hand of referee Mark Shields.

What a let-off for Danny boy

His frustration stemmed from the referee's decision not to award his side a last gasp penalty and was subsequently sent off with a straight red-card. His offence was serious despite causing the referee little arm - it was nothing more than a slap on the hand at best - but the fact that he manhandled the ref did not go amiss with the FFA which gave him a 15-month ban of which six months of it suspended on a probationary basis and only activated if the player re-offends within a year of returning, meaning Vukovic would miss nine months of A-League action and the chance of representing Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics (read more about this incident here)

However, an independent committee ruled on Wednesday that his suspension be further reduced meaning the player is free to resume playing in the A-League competition again on October 6 but more importantly, he is now eligible for selection to the Australian Olympic team.

If football wishes to avoid becoming the laughing stock - it actually already is with this decision - of the football codes in Australia then it needs some credibility. It's incredible that a player can he suspended until June - then be allowed to play in the Olympics - and then go back to being suspended until October!

Vukovic was fined $10,000 for his strike but nevertheless, people will say the chance of representing Australia at the Olympic games is priceless.

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Posted By: charles - Category: Australian football news, Central Coast Mariners

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Dwight Yorke close to joining Central Coast?

March 11th 2008 05:05

The Central Coast Mariners are reportedly at an advanced stage of negotiations to bring back former Manchester United and Sydney FC striker Dwight Yorke to Australian football.

According to some sources, the club's new marquee signing could be captured possibly within days on what is rumoured to be a minimum two-year deal. He will replace Socceroo John Aloisi who has signed for Sydney FC.

Dwight Yorke during his days at Sydney FC

It is believed Yorke's manager Simon Bayliff contacted Sydney FC last week, but the club were already in advanced negotiations with Aloisi, whom they signed on a $1 million-plus package.

The Mariners' move for Yorke would reunite him with majority shareholder Peter Turnbull, originally an investor with Sydney FC.

Yorke's mooted wages are believed to be less than his $1 million Sydney FC package in season I, when he skippered them to the A-League title - against the Mariners.

The Trinidad and Tobago attacker, who has always stated a desire to return to the A-League and pursue coaching, would likely live in Sydney.

Yorke, 36, scored seven goals in 22 matches for Sydney FC during the inaugural A-League season before returning to the UK with Premier League side Sunderland FC. It remains to be seen whether Yorke would want to return to Australia to play for a club other than Sydney. His manager at Sunderland, former Man Utd teammate Roy Keane, is keen to keep hold of the striker as evident by the striker's absence from the transfer list during the recent January transfer window.

[Source: FoxSports.com]

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Posted By: charles - Category: Australian football news, Central Coast Mariners

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15 month ban for slapping ref

February 26th 2008 04:30

Vukovic slaps the hand of ref Shield

Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic has been banned for 15 months - or effectively two-thirds of the next A-League season - for slapping referee Mark Shield in the dying minutes of the 2007-08 A-League grand final loss to Newcastle Jets on February 24, 2008.

Vukovic was found guilty of violent conduct after he appeared to slap Shield's hand in the final minute of the match when the Mariners were denied a last-gasp penalty. He was red-carded.

The 15-month ban of which six months of it suspended on a probationary basis and only activated if the player re-offends within a year of returning, means Vukovic will most likely miss nine months of A-League action. He is also most likely to miss the chance of representing Australia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics depending on whether the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) chooses to extend the ban to international matches.

Although the 15-month ban may sound harsh for a slap on the hand, the seriousness of the issue is that the player could have faced a potential life ban for the incident.

Vukovic has a week to appeal the decision but things are not looking too bright from him. At most, he will only be successful in reducing the ban by a month or two at best. The FFA will be weary of backing down from the 15-month ban for it may set a precedence for future incidents of a similar nature.

[Video Source: YouTube]

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Posted By: charles - Category: Australian football news, Central Coast Mariners

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