Video Evidence: Kevin Muscat is the worlds dirtiest footballer

Rarely has a football hardman ever finished his involvement in the beautiful game with such an ugly spectacle, but it now looks increasingly likely that the Melbourne Victorys Kevin Muscat will bow out of professional football on the back of a severe suspension.

Kevin Muscat is poised to feel the full force of the A-Leagues Disciplinary Committee on Friday, as the panel will determine the appropriate punishment for the centre-halfs outrageously awful assault on Melbourne Heart winger Adrian Zahra last Saturday night. He is staring at a five match ban as a minimum, possibly as high as a seven or eight game ban, and with just four games left before the A-League post-season begins its likely that the 37-year-old Muscat has played his last top flight match.

Should Muscats 12th career sending off prove his last, many would argue that is appropriate.

Playing in the Melbourne derby last weekend, Muscat found himself instantly dismissed after he lunged at Melbourne Hearts Adrian Zahra and nearly sliced the player in half with his poorly executed tackle. Sending Zahra into a 360 somersault as a result of his horror tackle, what then truly appalled many onlookers was that Muscat then had the temerity to yell towards the referee when he was handed an instant red.

Since Muscat has been said to have apologised to Zahra, but that will fail to alter the history books that will remember his last contribution to football being arguably the worst tackle ever seen followed by a vicious tongue-lashing at the match official.

That incident can be seen here.

That this is the way football has ended for Muscat is no real shock however. With an almost unparalleled rap-sheet of cautions and misdemeanors, here is a quick recap of why Kevin Muscat can lay claim ! to being footballs dirtiest ever player.

1. Kevin Muscat punches Terry McFlynn: Back in 2005, in the match between the Melbourne Victory and Sydney FC, Kevin Muscat managed to only receive a yellow card after the brute thumped Terry McFlynn in the gut as the pair grappled for the ball over the touchline. (See here.)

2. Kevin Muscat sent off for a flailing arm vs Adelaide United: In 2009 the Victory defender again saw red in a match against Adelaide United. Muscat was given his marching orders when he received a second booking for a trailing arm which made contact with the face of Adam Hughes. The decision attracted the ire of the Victory fans but there was no doubt that there was plenty of contact made. (See here.)

3. Kevin Muscat pushes over coach John Kosmina: In 2006 Muscat showed that you dont need to be a footballer for him to have a dust-up after he got into an angry physical altercation with Adelaide United coach John Kosmina. The fracas broke out after Muscat tried to retrieve a ball from under Kosminas chair, sending him sprawling to the turf in the process. Kosmina then got up, grabbed Muscat by the throat, with players and officials having to separate the pair. (See here.)

4. Kevin Muscat kicks a ball at a ref: Did Muscat intentionally kick a ball at a referee Strebre Delovski in 2009? While thats impossible to say with any certainty, it was no surprise to see the referee getting thumped by the ball after Muscat attempted to take a quick free-kick with the official standing a foot in front of him. As always, the incident ended with Muscat forcefully arg! uing his case the to man in black. (See here.)

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Sadly not all of Muscats horror tackles are available with supporting video evidence.

Of those other infamous moments in Muscats career, he seriously injured both Craig Bellamy and Christophe Dugarry, he ended the career of Chaltons Matty Holmes, he grabbed the throat of Milan Baros, and he reportedly once told Ashley Young Dont go past me or I will break your legs!