Griffith says sorry for low blow<!-- author -->
<!--dt><img src="/images/author.jpg" border="0"
alt="Greg%20Buckle" /></dt-->
<!--strong>Former Australian Captain</strong
-->October 11, 2007 <!-- // author -->
NEWCASTLE striker Joel Griffiths has apologised for lashing out
at a linesman during the Jets' A-League draw with Central Coast,
claiming he didn't intend to hit him.
Griffiths was today fined two weeks wages by the Jets and
formally apologised over the act of dissent in Sunday's match in
Gosford, where he was shown a yellow card after striking the groin
of assistant Alex Glasgow.
"I am sorry for my actions in the incident involving the
linesman in the match against the Central Coast on the weekend,"
Griffiths said today in a statement.
"I wish to say here now, there was never any intention to strike
the linesman intentionally.
"However I do realise that many young people were watching the
game and that it may have given the wrong impression to young
kids.
"In actual fact, I went to the officials room straight after the
match to offer my sincere apologies to the linesman, who accepted
my apologies.
"I have met with the club in relation to this issue and
understand the severity of my actions.
"The club has imposed a penalty on me and I have no argument
with that.
"I play with passion and I play with vigour and perhaps it
overflowed too much on this occasion."
Griffiths requested his two-week fine, one week of which is
suspended, be donated to the Childrens Ward of the John Hunter
Hospital.
Jets chief executive John Tsatsimas said: "Although the incident
involving Joel was dealt with directly on the field, and no further
action was taken, the club has held lengthy discussions this week
with Joel and (coach) Gary van Egmond regarding that incident.
"It is very important that we uphold the integrity of the club
and the game to ensure the correct standard of behaviour on the
field."
Football Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley
confirmed no further action could be taken against Griffiths,
despite an outcry the striker should have received a red card and
served a suspension.
Buckley told Sydney radio station 2KY that soccer's world
governing body FIFA would not allow additional charges against a
player if the referee had taken action at the time of the
incident.
"That's the way the game is governed on a worldwide basis but I
would caution all players when they show dissent, and in particular
dissent towards a referee, that they be very careful with their
actions," Buckley said.
AAP
That's
just paranoid conspiracy talk. You seriously think the FFA sat
around debating how to get Aloisi and that someone came up with the
idea of using Corica as a means to do that? It is quite common for
red card suspensions to be extended.