Adelaide coach faces punishment after 'throttling' player

MELBOURNE, Oct 17 (Reuters) The coach of Australian A-League side Adelaide United is to face a disciplinary hearing tomorrow after putting his hand around the throat of an opposing team's player, Football Federation Australia (FFA) said.

John Kosmina held Melbourne Victory player Kevin Muscat round the neck after the player knocked the coach off his seat as they scuffled for the ball during an A-League match at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Sunday.

Kosmina, who has recently acted as assistant to Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, was separated from Muscat by other players and officials before Adelaide went on to win 1-0 and inflict the first defeat of the season on the previously perfect Victory.

''The sort of behaviour that we observed ... is unacceptable and not appropriate for the head coach of an A-League club,'' said the FFA's head of operations Matt Carroll in a statement.

''We have set a very high standard of behaviour for all coaches and players and this sort of incident will not be tolerated in the A-League.'' Kosmina, who was sent tumbling from his plastic white seat at pitchside, was sent off from the technical area by the referee while Muscat was given a yellow card, and the FFA said the former Glasgow Rangers player would face no further action.

''I don't like being assaulted,'' Kosmina told local media.

''I went to pick up the ball and got cleaned up for no apparent reason. He's not supposed to come into our technical area.'' Kosmina could face a lengthy ban and fine during the hearing to be held in Sydney.

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