100%. If what has been said is false, then it is patently defamatory, and one would expect Chief (supported by the Club) to take legal action against the journalist and his employer. However if it is true then no such cause of action exists. Will watch on with interest....
You’ve overlooked a third option: “Don’t feed the trolls.”
Right now this relative nobody is making claims that have caused a few ripples across the small number of people who care enough about football to follow it on social media or forums like these. Those ripples will dissipate and the only people who will remember are those who already dislike Chiefy: I very much doubt Ball’s “story” has flipped anyone’s position.
If the club set the lawyers on him then it will be all over mainstream sports media and everyone will read about it. They could win in court and it would still be an expensive own goal for the Phoenix brand. Is it really worth that?