Opinion

C'mon Ricky, how about a dose of reality?

Wellington coach Ricky Herbert needs to take a cold shower after matches before speaking to the media.

His comments on the weekend regarding Chris Payne's second goal for Sydney FC in the 4-2 drubbing of his side were embarrassing - even allowing for the fact they were said in the heat of the moment.

Herbert's furious reaction to Payne's ''handball'' goal did nothing but denigrate Wellington's stellar season in the A-League.

Herbert, the man who will guide the All Whites at the World Cup finals in South Africa, said Payne's handball was worse than the infamous ones by Diego Maradona and Thierry Henry.

Is he for real?

It is clear from television replays that there was no ''intention'' by Payne to handle the ball.

Should he have owned by to the officials? C'mon.

In a pressure situation like an elimination final did Herbert really expect a 19-year-old to walk over to the referee and say: ''Look, I'm terribly sorry but I accidentally knocked that ball in with my arm and you should overrule the goal''.

That scenario nevery really crossed the normally reserved Herbert's mind.

''You've got some comparisons around the world now and that one is three times as bad,'' Herbert blustered, infering Payne's goal was worse than the Hand of God (Maradonna) and Hand of Frog (Thierry Henry) incidents.

Mercifully, former Socceroo Robbie Slater has added some perspective to the post-match moralising by Herbert and Fox Sports commentator Mark Bosnich.

''Henry handled the ball twice in the same movement against the Republic of Ireland,'' Slater said.

''Anyway, they should all get off the kid's back.

''There are four officials. It is their job to see it. The ball came over and he missed the header. He followed through it was not premeditated.''

Payne said his arm had been raised to push away defender Andrew Durante and he was straining for a header when the ball struck him and went in.

''I had absolutely no intention of using my arm. I'm not that sort of player,'' Payne said.

''I saw the ball come across and ran towards it, but I could feel a defender alongside me.

''I was trying to use my left arm to hold him off. I was off balance and the ball could have hit my shoulder, head or anywhere, I wouldn't have known. It basically just hit me and went in.

''The thought never even crossed my mind that the referee would disallow it, as I hadn't tried to do anything wrong.''

Herbert still insists Payne should have owned up to referee Peter Green.

''It's just not acceptable at this level of football. Irrespective of what the result might have been at the end of the day, I think it is poor.

''As a club you know you have to consider what your ethics are like and if you are accepting of that, so be it.''

It's easy for coaches take the high moral ground when incidents like these go against them but would Herbert really have expected his own players to have acted any differently if the boot had been on the other foot?