Perth coach Ruben Zadkovich has denied punching Glory participant Giordano Colli, and says that “love” exists between the pair.
Zadkovich fronted the media on Friday after it was revealed on Thursday that gamers union Professional Footballers Australia was investigating allegations the Glory coach had punched Colli in a five-a-side coaching recreation on Tuesday.
While 22-year-old Colli is but to touch upon the matter, Zadkovich mentioned he didn’t punch the participant and that it was a “non-incident”.
“I had to step into a five v five training game,” the Glory coach mentioned in giving his model of Tuesday’s occasions.
“I made a forward run and collided with ‘G’ (Colli), and we both ended up on the ground.
“G’ has blocked the run and we’ve had a tangle of legs and we ended up on the ground. I’m not sure how from there it’s gotten to this type of allegation.
“It was a bit of a non-incident and obviously it’s blown up into something more serious.”
Zadkovich mentioned there was no video footage of the incident regardless of claims the session was being filmed by a drone.
“We video parts of our sessions … the last part of training wasn’t filmed because it wasn’t tactical,” he mentioned.
Zadkovich mentioned his relationship with Colli was one which he “treasured”.
“I’ve had ‘G’ as a player now for three years. He was my captain in the youth team,” he mentioned.
“Through Covid when he was stuck on the east coast, he was eating dinner at my house in Newcastle and driving my car.
“The love is certainly there, and we’ll continue building that relationship.”
It’s not the primary time this season rumours have emerged of Zadkovich having a strained relationship with a few of his gamers.
“I’m not sure where the rumours are starting. It’s not nice. It’s not a nice thing for a club to have to deal with or myself – they’re pretty serious allegations,” the Glory coach mentioned.
“Someone’s certainly looking to disrupt what we’re doing and I’ll be making sure that as a club and as a team, we’re focused on our job and that’s to keep building.
“We have to try to find out where it started and that’s a difficult thing to do, and it’s a distraction.
“I’m pretty certain that’s exactly what they want us to be doing and that’s to be distracted. We don’t have too much time and effort to go on a witch-hunt of who’s starting rumours.”
Originally printed as Glory coach Ruben Zadkovich dismisses ‘non-incident’ together with his participant on coaching paddock
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
