Hardman Steve Pantelidis, the enforcer schooled in the dark arts by under-fire Melbourne Victory skipper Kevin Muscat, expects his former mentor to be rubbed out by the FFA disciplinary panel for the rest of the season after what he admits was a 'malicious' tackle on Adrian Zahra.
Though still close to Muscat after the pair rubbed shoulders for four years at Melbourne Victory, Gold Coast United midfielder Pantelidis pulled no punches when he said of the lacerating lunge at the Melbourne Heart flier during Saturday's 2-2 draw at AAMI Stadium: "To me it was a tackle made out of frustration and there was also a malicious side to it.
"I have known Muscy for six years and while he doesn't go out to hurt anybody, you could see in the incident with Zahra that he was angry at the Heart equalising beforehand and he looked to have lashed out a bit.
"While we are great mates, and will remain so, there is really no excuse for a tackle like that and I will be very surprised if he plays again in the A-League this season. I think he'll be banned from now on right through the finals."
Pantelidis, who has had his own brushes with authority and was banned for a total of 10 games last season as his own discipline degenerated, added: "Whatever the penalty is it would be sad to Muscy end his career this way because he's done some great things in the game and he will go on to make a good coach, probably at Melbourne Victory in the not too distant future.
"He's been a superb leader for the Victory, he's captained Australia and also Millwall and he's been a giant on and off the field and it would be sad if he now quit over this incident and that's the way people remembered him."
Though he has received widespread condemnation for the venality of the late, high assault which could have sidelined Zahra for 12 months - and has left him with significant knee damage - 37-year-old Muscat, according to Pantelidis, should return for Victory's AFC Asian Champions League campaign on a mission of personal redemption.
"He's a legend of the game, so to speak, and while it's understandable that some people are calling for him to walk away from the game now over this, I'd like to see him return and lead the Victory into Asia.
"He could maybe change a few people's perceptions along the way and retire at the end of their campaign with dignity intact and being remembered for the right reasons.
"Of course, this incident has tarnished him some extent but it's important to know that he's a great guy and he's still got a huge amount to offer going forward as a coach. He's always the first to help and advise youngsters at training and he will be around the game for a long time to come.
"Who knows, maybe one day I will play under him at Melbourne Victory. There's no doubt he will become a tremendous manager that a lot of people will people want to play.
"If he was to walk away, it would be a huge loss to the game and I don't see that happening."
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