When Three Means Six
One week after his finest hour in a Socceroos shirt Mark Milligan will be watching the 15th instalment of the Melbourne Derby from the sidelines. Not through any injured he accrued throughout the Asian Cup campaign, but from a three game suspension that was handed down on December 16th.
Since that day Melbourne Victory has played five games, with Milligan missing two of the games thru suspension and the other three whilst of national duty. With Milligan missing his second Melbourne derby of the season it will be effectively a six game ban for the marquee midfielder, or just under a quarter of a season.
I don’t have an issue with Milligan receiving the initial three game ban, players must be held accountable for their actions but whilst the FFA insist on playing A-League football whilst international football is being player there must be some leeway for all parties concerned. The game between Victory and Perth should’ve counted as the third for the purposes of the suspension. Clubs are continually punished for having international players on their books throughout the season, one only has to look at the catastrophic situation Wellington found them in when New Zealand were trying to qualify for the World Cup last season. The FFA must start rewarding clubs for having international players in their squads, not punishing them.
Last night Matt McKay and Nathan Burns played for their respective clubs in the A-League. Due to a quirk in the fixture they were able to play in the ‘Week 15’ game. If either player was suspended this game would’ve counted as one of the league games missed for that player, Milligan didn’t have that same luxury because his club Melbourne Victory played the previous weekend as part of the ‘Asian Cup split round’.
Milligan missing this weekend is just another missed opportunity for the FFA and the A-League to be promoted in a positive light. Upwards of 40,000 fans won’t get the opportunity to see one of our Socceroo heroes take the pitch this weekend. I suspect Victory may parade him around before the game in his Victory tie and Socceroos scarf but if the FFA take a good hard look at themselves he should be running around in his Victory strip taking on the likes of Koren, Kisnorbo and Mooy.
#LetMilliganPlay
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