JTM's blog

Based on precedent, Adelaide United defender Robbie Cornthwaite faces a playing ban for his alleged assault on an Adelaide night club bouncer last weekend.

The precedent comes in the case of former Melbourne Victory, now Sydney FC defender Sebastian Ryall.

In May, Ryall was stood down by Football Federation Australia (FFA) after being charged with engaging in a sex act with a 13 year old girl back in January 2008.

Ryall was sanctioned under clause 2.1 of the FFA’s code of conduct for bringing the game into disrepute by being charged with a criminal offence.

 He was banned from playing in any national team competition until the September or until the court case is determined, whichever is later.

An Adelaide magistrate court judge still has to decide whether Cornthwaite shall face trial for the alleged assault that is understood to have left a nightclub manager with a black eye and a bouncer needing hospital treatment.

And while there are obvious differences between the two cases, under the FFA’s code of conduct, clause 2.1, Cornthwaite certainly looks to have brought the game into disrepute.

Describing the alleged incident as “certainly out of character for Robbie,” United coach Aurelio Vidmar says the current on-field difficulties will have no bearing on any sanctions imposed on Cornthwaite when club management sit down today to discuss what to do.

“The current team situation doesn’t matter, the appropriate ban or sanction will be put in place.

“The issue is making sure that Robbie and everyone doesn’t commit anything like this again.”

“There is no alcohol ban at Adelaide United and Vidmar doesn’t want to see one.

“I’m certainly not going to ban alcohol, but they will certainly know there needs to be a limit. 

 “That’s been part of the culture of the club for many many years.

“If they wanna have a glass of wine with their meal that’s fine.

“You can let your hair down, but you have to be smart about what you’re doing and where you’re doing it.

“He’s let everyone down.”

Despite that for now at least Cornthwaite appears to have put the incident behind him.

Vidmar says after addressing his teammates, he trained as per normal.

“Look he’s a pretty tough character. He is bitterly disappointed but if I look at the way he’s trained today he hasn’t missed a beat.”

Vidmar too appears to be taking it in his stride after a difficult week on and off the pitch with poor form and the Cassio incident already causing enough problems.

“We don’t need it, but it’s happened.

“You can’t control every aspect of what going to happen at a football club.

“It’s impossible.

“They certainly do know the rules and regulations and the guidelines on what we expect and on this occasion Robbie has certainly crossed that line.

“So now we need to fix it and move forward.

How Adelaide moves forward, at least initially will be made clear in the next 24 hours.

Robbie Cornthwaite has to wait until November before he can defend charges of allegedly assaulting a bouncer at Limbo nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Adelaide United and the FFA have to act much sooner though regarding the central defender’s immediate playing future.

Should he be allowed to play for United for the next two months?

Of course Cornthwaite is innocent until proven guilty, but what can’t be denied is that by visiting the nightclub he put himself into a potentially vulnerable situation.

Over the next few days Adelaide United and the FFA will decide what (if any) player code of conduct Cornthwaite may have broken, and if they find he has will punish him accordingly.

On top of that Aurelio Vidmar must decide on Cornthwaite’s mental state.

Vidmar has already labeled his players “mentally fragile” after the dramatic three-all draw against the Fury, so does he think Cornthwaite is one of them?

Regardless, he now has an assault charge hanging over him, a charge that allegedly resulted in a bouncer needing hospital treatment.

So will he be in a fit state to play anyway?

From the outside it’s impossible to know.

I vividly remember when two Leeds United players were charged with assault back in 2001, the effect on Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate could not have been more pronounced.

Given the violent nature of the assault and Leeds then lofty position in the Premier League, the case proceeded to a high profile trial with the obligatory saturation media coverage.

During the trial Bowyer continued to turn-out for Leeds and played arguably his best football, often driving straight from the court room to the dressing room to strip for a game.

Woodgate meanwhile literally fell to pieces. The uncertainty over the possible verdict was just too much for him to cope with.

There is some way to go before we know whether Cornthwaite will go to trial, but in the meantime how will he react?

Can he handle the distraction or put it aside when it comes to putting on the red shirt?

Will the club let him?

With a squad already struggling with injuries, it’s the last thing that Aurelio Vidmar needs.

He is hardly blessed with depth in that area, and understandably there will be some people saying it’s inappropriate for Cornthwaite to play while the assault charge is pending.

Meanwhile, others will say he should be allowed to play until the charges are dismissed or proven.

I happen to be in the latter camp.

Notwithstanding any club or FFA imposed sanction, Cornthwaite should be allowed to play until his appearance on November 4 at the Adelaide Magistrate’s court, but what happens after that will depend on how the judge decides to proceed.

A defining moment in Adelaide United’s season and Vidmar and Cornthwaite’s careers may have just arrived.