Echoes of Eden Hazard ball-boy incident when Bristol City played Watford
Watching Chelsea's Eden Hazard tangle with a ball-boy at Swansea in last night's Capital One Cup semi-final brought to mind an incident I witnessed at Watford a couple of seasons ago.
The latest faux-pas to afflict the West London club seems to have elicited sympathy for 17-year-old Swans ball-boy Charlie Morgan and earned opprobrium for Belgian international Hazard.
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard receives a red card from referee Chris Foy for violent conduct during the Capital One Cup Semi Final Second Leg match at the Liberty Stadium Swansea
But I witnessed a very different scenario when reporting a Championship fixture between Watford and Bristol City at Vicarage Road in February 2011.
The Hornets employed the controversial multi-ball system back then, a method aimed at keeping the ball in play as much as possible.
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Unfortunately for one young ball-boy operating on the touchline below the press box, he proved altogether too zealous in carrying out his duties.
Clearly not as well-versed in the dark arts as Master Morgan, he retrieved the ball far too quickly for Watford's defence, contributing mightily to City's opening goal in the first half.
Lewin Nyatanga found Martyn Woolford with a quickly-taken throw-in and the winger's cross was turned in by Maynard to set the Robins on course for a handsome 3-1 win.
You had to feel for the ball-boy, who was subjected to dog's abuse from irate Watford fans for the remainder of the first half. Clearly, he could not do right for doing wrong!
Of course, football has gone beyond being a parody of itself in an age where every incident is analysed to death, prompting self-righteous indignation among a public that are quick to pass judgment.
It struck me that the Watford ball-boy was pilloried for doing his job to the best of his ability, in stark contrast to Charlie Morgan, who has attained overnight celebrity out of trying to gain an unfair advantage for his team.
But then again, nothing really surprises me anymore.
4 Comments
by WatfordFan
Thursday, January 24 2013, 9:25PM
“Ridiculous article. Being a Watford supporter who was at that game, I can assure you the ballboy was subjected to no abuse whatsoever. It was in fact the linesman and his assistant who came in for massive abuse, as the ball left the pitch clearly but no flag was given. Watford played on with the initial ball moving back up the pitch, before the flag was finally raised several seconds after going out. The intial ball was still in play higher up the pitch when Nyatanga quickly retrieved a second ball from the helpful ballboy, and Bristol City scored a goal that should never have been allowed, all due to useless officials. So it was them who came in for abuse, not the unwitting ballboy. But hey, let's not let the facts get in the way of your 'echoes'. Malky Mackay's post-match interview can be found here if you need your memory jogging Mr Stockhausen: http://tinyurl.com/6765f8l”
by Vonner
Thursday, January 24 2013, 5:20PM
“Hazard did one thing wrong IMO - his aim was about 3 feet below where it should have been...”
by seanl
Thursday, January 24 2013, 2:16PM
“I agree, he's a stupid little boy who doesn't understand the consequences of what actions like this could do for both the Hazard personally, and Chelsea as a club with regard to financial penalties by not progressing to the final in the cup etc. (Ok it was never gonna happen anyway but thats not the point). I'm certainly no Chelsea fan, but Swansea should be fined imo.”
by piledriver
Thursday, January 24 2013, 11:48AM
“The "boy" was 17 and tweeted that he was going to do it.
If you lie on a ball don't be surprised when you get kicked and, by the way, Hazard got the ball and the little toe rag was play acting, hence, no charges brought.
That's the last time he should do that job.......Have I mentioned his Dad is a Director of Swansea?”