I Was There, Part IV: Keeping Muscat and Kossie apart? That was a Breeze
There are few more infamous A-League moments than Muscat v Kosmina from the competition’s early days. In the final instalment of our nostalgic I Was There series, Tom Smithies reminisces with the man in the middle of the drama.
Referees say their job gives them a front row seat, as close to the action as you can get.
Occasionally, though, it’s possible to get too close – such as when John Kosmina and Kevin Muscat are in each other’s faces, and the man in black is the only thing coming between them.
Matthew Breeze can still vividly recall the moment that has become one of the A-League’s most enduring images, all but able to feel each protagonist’s breath on his cheeks as he tried to keep them apart in a tumultuous Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United encounter in 2006.
Seconds before, Muscat had barrelled Kosmina over in trying to retrieve the ball from beneath the Adelaide coach’s feet, and “Kossie” responded by grabbing the Melbourne Victory captain by the throat.
As 32,000 fans at the then Telstra Dome screamed their disapproval, Breeze had some quick decisions to make.
“In games like that you’re always on your toes because of the atmosphere and the rivalry,” the former FIFA ref recalls for KEEPUP. “People talk about the Sydney derby and the Melbourne derby but I can tell you that Adelaide against Melbourne Victory, they really disliked each other.
“They were foul to each other, the way the players spoke to each other, the lack of respect. Then you had personalities like Muscat and Kossie – very similar, liked to think they would be the boss and take control of things. Sometimes you’d let them think that.
“In this case there was banter throughout the game, that crackle and tension. And then things went a little bit awry.”
Kosmina and Muscat had already had one encounter, incongruously leaving the pitch at halftime arm in arm while quietly tipping the proverbial effluence over each other.
“Both of them were very experienced football minds,” says Breeze. “Maybe manipulation is a little bit too strong a word, but everything that both of those guys did on the field was to achieve a certain result.
“Being arm in arm poses a certain degree of friendliness, but the words that were being spoken were… very different.”
Even now the footage of the incident is shocking for the speed with which it escalates, and various players and coaches became embroiled.
“I remember the noise of the crowd just rose above everything and it was like a perfect storm,” says Breeze. “If the ball was one seat across it wouldn’t have got stuck, or if a player other than Muscat went to retrieve the ball it wouldn’t have happened.
“If I was a couple of metres closer I would have been able to manage it or the assistant referee might have been able to manage it.”
Without the benefit of VAR, Breezer had a few seconds to process what had happened, and work out the consequences. Muscat got a yellow card for what was termed unsporting behaviour, while Kosmina was dispatched to the stands.
“I remember thinking that Muscat’s dived in at Kossie’s feet ostensibly to get the ball and I just thought that conduct was way out of line.
“He should have shown a bit of respect and waited for the ball – but that was his style, he literally dived in, he wanted the ball back and nothing was going to stop him.
“Kossie was caught a little bit unawares and then the words were spoken. Muscat was out of line and he had to be dealt with (getting a yellow card).
“Kossie’s reaction was typical, take no backward steps, take no prisoners. If someone wrongs you they’re to be wronged back. Grabbing Muscat by the throat was just too much, any sort of contact above that head area had to be dealt with pretty sternly.
“But it’s funny, you know, it’s one of those iconic A-League moments, isn’t it? It was a great 10 years for me (in the A-League).”
