[Archived] Kicking a ball boy is it a red?

[Joar]

He was seventeen years old.

Had the ball not been underneath him, Hazard would not have kicked at the ball.

Blatant overreaction.

Change child to minor then. I read somewhere that usually no clubs have ballboys over the age of 16. Did Hazard ask his age before kicking? Is retrospectively applying age a mitigating circumstance?

[Ossydave]

It just highlighted what a shambles modern society has become. The youth of today know they can be as cocky and mouthy as they want because if anyone lays a finger on them they get in serious trouble. That little prick knew exactly what he was doing hence his tweets prior to the match. If anyone should get a roasting its the ball boy, not the player. I was brought up to respect my elders, it means nothing anymore though, kids are in control, end of! A ball boy is supposed to help the flow of the game, not hinder it, its also technically cheating.

[SydneyRover]

The fact the ball was underneath the boy when it shouldnt have been and Hazard was quite clearly trying to get to the ball is very much a mitigating circumstance.

I think Hazard would have instinctively applied more care if it was an eight year old ballboy, so yes age is very much a factor.

[SouthAussieRover]

Is the boy Welsh?

If so that's a mitigating factor in regards to Hazards defence.

[DanLad]

If this is the way the game's going, why don't we embrace it? I reckon if we get some of the harder Blackburn schoolboys they'd be able to take out the likes of Eden Hazard no probs. This could be our way back into the Premier League folks!

Venkys would be able to realise their dream of youth development system and no transfer fees!

[thenodrog]

For me its worse than Eric cantona karate kick

FFS! Get a bloody grip! Cantona was intent on inflicting gbh on Matthew Simmonds simple as! Hazard on the other hand was intent on kicking the ball out from under a ball boy whose sole intention was to keep the ball away from him and delay proceedings. He did and any contact was a. minimal, b. unintentional and c. with his ankle / shin not his boot). You appear to be unclear about the role of ball boys so I think I should remind you at this point that the entire purpose of having ball boys is to avoid delays in play and not to cause them!

What Hazard did is what we've all done at school or on the local rec when someone is pratting around. I'll leave you to ponder that if the ball boy had been a player he would have had a free kick awarded against him for obstruction. Also if Hazard had really meant to hurt him he would have done.

Anybody who sides with the ball boy must be quite happy for that practice to continue in the future.

btw Paul.... back to normal.... I completely disagree with your pov as usual.

[adopted scouser]

It just highlighted what a shambles modern society has become. The youth of today know they can be as cocky and mouthy as they want because if anyone lays a finger on them they get in serious trouble. That little prick knew exactly what he was doing hence his tweets prior to the match. If anyone should get a roasting its the ball boy, not the player. I was brought up to respect my elders, it means nothing anymore though, kids are in control, end of! A ball boy is supposed to help the flow of the game, not hinder it, its also technically cheating.

Spot on, that little dick got what he deserved

[thenodrog]

The fact the ball was underneath the boy when it shouldnt have been and Hazard was quite clearly trying to get to the ball is very much a mitigating circumstance.

I think Hazard would have instinctively applied more care if it was an eight year old ballboy, so yes age is very much a factor.

Indeed. There are younger men fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan ffs! According to BBC breakfast the calls condemning Hazard are 70:30 against him... which obviosuly means that a 2:1 majority are favouring the kid's actions. I swear the citizens of this country are becoming so goddam precious it's unreal.

If my lad had done that he'd have had a boot up his arse when he got home and be made to write a letter of apology. Unfortunately for the good of our society I sense lots would pick up the phone and call for a lawyer in the hope of grubbing some sort of compensation out of it. People have little shame these days. I'd love to know how many calls his family have actually had from those @#/? ambulance chasing low life's.

[john.leigh]

Why wasn't one of the other multiple balls used?

Why all the fuss over that particular ball?

[Andy]

The fact that the little scrote wrote about intending to blatently time waste on Twitter earlier in the day showed his intentions.

For me, Hazard is trying to kick the ball but intending to catch the boy a bit, to give him a bit of a dig for falling onto (and keeping hold of) the ball.

Should he have done it? Probably not.

Is it the big deal that a lot are making it out to be? I don't think so.

Huge overreaction to it all.

[matt83]

That ball "boy" or 17 year old man child is old enough to know exactly what he was doing. Ie cheating. I really don't like Chelsea or their players but if that was us I'd be getting very annoyed as that wasn't first time that game the ball boys were cheating.

Hazzard did nothing wrong at all he kicked the ball, not this "boy", who then made a good attempt for an Oscar. I think hazard needs praise for showing restraint by not booting him up the arse.

[scotty_beam_me_up]

The ball boy only did what most professionals do week in week out. He wasted time then feigned injury.

[thenodrog]

Whatever the ball boys intentions was and the behavior he exibited is irrelevant. Wether Hazard hit him or not is also irrelevant.

A GROWN MAN KICKED AT A CHILD!

In front of 30000 first hand witnesses, and probably millions of tv-viewers.

That people even bothers discussing if it's ok or not tells more about society than I would care to know.

QUITE OBVIOUS THAT HAZARD KICKED AT THE BALL NOT THE PERSON HIDING IT.

But.... It's a bit rich for a descendent (I assume) of the Vikings lecturing us on the state of our society! Need I remind you of the deeds of your ancestors? In fact on second thoughts acts of intense barbarity are not solely confined solely to your ancestors are they? Bit of work to do yourself in that direction before you lecture us I'd say.

[SydneyRover]

Gordon manages to show some sense then make a fool of himself all in one fell swoop.

[thenodrog]

The ball boy only did what most professionals do week in week out. He wasted time then feigned injury.

So what you are saying is that he should have had the red card then?

[Ossydave]

The ball boy only did what most professionals do week in week out. He wasted time then feigned injury.

No issue with PLAYERS running down the clock, its part and parcel of the game!

[Paul]

btw Paul.... back to normal.... I completely disagree with your pov as usual.

That's a relief!

Indeed. There are younger men fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan ffs! According to BBC breakfast the calls condemning Hazard are 70:30 against him... which obviosuly means that a 2:1 majority are favouring the kid's actions. I swear the citizens of this country are becoming so goddam precious it's unreal.

If my lad had done that he'd have had a boot up his arse when he got home and be made to write a letter of apology. Unfortunately for the good of our society I sense lots would pick up the phone and call for a lawyer in the hope of grubbing some sort of compensation out of it. People have little shame these days. I'd love to know how many calls his family have actually had from those @#/? ambulance chasing low life's.

Exactly.

However in regard to Hazard and a lengthy suspension. The ball boy exhibited learned behaviour and thinks it acceptable. Where did he learn the behaviour? Watching professional football. Like you I would expect to have taught my children acceptable behaviour, so when after trips to Rovers they came out with foul language at home there was a discussion. What potentially was learned behaviour from football became learned behaviour from home.

Kids gain a warped idea of what is and is not acceptable in society from supposed role models. If he, Hazard, doesn't receive an extended ban the message to youngsters will be clear.

[LeChuck]

Hazard didn't kick a ball boy, he kicked a ball.

If Hazard did catch the kid accidentally then the chavvy little prick deserved it. The tweet shows it was completely premeditated and not a spur-of-the-moment response.

[thenodrog]

Gordon manages to show some sense then make a fool of himself all in one fell swoop.

50% success rate then...... you'll need to push on a bit to match that SR.

[den]

Absolutely the right decision. Red card for Hazard and the ball boy should be disciplined by Swansea as well. Are some of you suggesting that it's OK for player to be kicking out at the ball while the ball boy has it in his posession? It can't be allowed and basically it was retaliation by Hazard.

[LeChuck]

Absolutely the right decision. Red card for Hazard and the ball boy should be disciplined by Swansea as well. Are some of you suggesting that it's OK for player to be kicking out at the ball while the ball boy has it in his posession? It can't be allowed and basically it was retaliation by Hazard.

I don't know about that Den. He didn't do it very hard at all and obvious was trying to poke the ball out from under his body.

If the idiot gets caught by a boot because he's lying on the ball then he deserves it.

Edit: Don't disagree with the red card by the way because it's in the rules of the game, but morally I can't see why some people are outraged and calling for longer bans.

[Andy]

The ball boy only did what most professionals do week in week out. He wasted time then feigned injury.

This makes it right?

[SydneyRover]

Absolutely the right decision. Red card for Hazard and the ball boy should be disciplined by Swansea as well. Are some of you suggesting that it's OK for player to be kicking out at the ball while the ball boy has it in his posession? It can't be allowed and basically it was retaliation by Hazard.

If Hazard hadn't made contact no one would say he did anything wrong.

I think it's perfectly okay for Hazard to try and get the ball back. The ballboy wasn't entitled to have it in his possession.

[thenodrog]

Absolutely the right decision. Red card for Hazard and the ball boy should be disciplined by Swansea as well. Are some of you suggesting that it's OK for player to be kicking out at the ball while the ball boy has it in his posession? It can't be allowed and basically it was retaliation by Hazard.

Have you ever been on a pitch chasing a game in the final minutes with the clock ticking down Den? Adrenalin is produced and one's sense of urgency is heightened, likewise ones sense of frustration and anxiety. Tempers get shortened and passion and emotion is high. It's a big reason why we watch football. If ever a Rovers player does not show a sense of urgency in that situation he's no bloody good to us.

In a nutshell Hazard was wanting to get on with the game.... the ball boy was not. Simple really.

[den]

Have you ever been on a pitch chasing a game in the final minutes with the clock ticking down Den? Adrenalin is produced and one's sense of urgency is heightened, likewise ones sense of frustration and anxiety. Tempers get shortened and passion and emotion is high. It's a big reason why we watch football. If ever a Rovers player does not show a sense of urgency in that situation he's no bloody good to us.

In a nutshell Hazard was wanting to get on with the game.... the ball boy was not. Simple really.

Frustration tempers and anxiety Gord? That's why we need referees isn't it? You can't allow players to be kicking out at the ball while it's in the posession of a ballboy. Surely there's no argument about that?