Perth Glory Owner and Chairman Tony Sage says the club will support Michael Baird if the striker opted to take personal legal action against Simon Colosimo after the Melbourne Heart captain accused Baird of ‘blatant simulation’ following last Sunday’s 2-2 draw.
Perth Glory Owner and Chairman Tony Sage says the club will support Michael Baird if the striker opted to take personal legal action against Simon Colosimo after the Melbourne Heart captain accused Baird of ‘blatant simulation’ following last Sunday’s 2-2 draw.
Standing by his star striker, the Chairman said the Glory would not be challenging the two-week suspension handed out to Baird after FFA’s Match Review Panel found him guilty of simulation in the penalty area.
Baird went down from a challenge from Heart youngster Kliment Taseski during injury time of last Sunday’s game. Referee Kurt Ams instantly pointed to the spot, allowing Robbie Fowler to score a penalty to equalise the game at 2-2.
Following the round, both Baird and Central Coast Mariner Patricio Perez were given two-week suspensions, but the FFA’s actions have been called into question due to the fact both players had no avenue to appeal the penalty.
Both the Glory and Mariners have opted not to take legal action to clear their players after being promised by FFA chief executive Ben Buckley that the rules governing the lack of an appeal process would be reviewed by October 30.
However, Sage said that Baird was disappointed by Colosimo’s post-match comments where he accused Baird of ‘blatant simulation’.
“He (Baird) obviously seeks an apology from a player that called him a cheat after the game and I hope those two players can resolve the issue,” Sage said on Thursday.
“If he (Baird) wants to take something on a personal level, not a club level, he’s more than happy to do so.”
“That’s up to Michael (what he does), he’s the one that was defamed.”
“We will support him in any decision he makes but he is that type of character, he just wants to get on and play.”
“He is of the old school, what’s left on the pitch is done on the pitch, so if he gets an apology, he’ll drop things.”
Sage said he hoped the matter would be settled without going to court.
“If he’s (Colosimo) a captain of another club, especially, you’d think that you’d want diplomacy to take over everything else and I would expect it (an apology) to come.”
However, Melbourne Heart chief executive Scott Munn said he wasn’t expecting Colosimo to apologise to Baird.
“Simon said it was blatant simulation and the outcome was that he’s subsequently been suspended,” Munn said.
“I think nothing more needs to be said. He didn’t refer to Baird as a cheat.”
“He referred to it (the penalty) in the right terminology so I have the utmost respect for Simon as our captain and I know he leads us in a proper way at all times.”
“I’m very comfortable with what Simon said and as I said the FFA have vindicated that.”
“At the end of the end of the day, he is not bringing into question anything that the player did, not questioning the integrity of the person, he was just saying what happened and I think that was appropriate.”
