THIS cannot be chalked up as an act of youthful petulance. Nor can it be dismissed simply as a rush of blood to the head.
The actions which cast an ugly shadow over Everton’s match with Stoke City were of an experienced professional footballer who acted like an idiot.
Quite what Marouane Fellaini was thinking as he launched a head-butt, swung an elbow and jabbed an arm out, all in the direction of Ryan Shawcross’s face, is anyone’s guess.
Perhaps the problem was he wasn’t thinking.
Had he remembered that cameras pick up every inch of a Premier League pitch and – more importantly – the possible repercussions then you would like to believe he would have thought twice.
Either way, a hefty suspension and substantial fines from his club and the Football Association await the 25-year-old this week but also he must now work on regaining the complete trust of his manager, teammates and the club’s supporters.
Such a situation would have seemed unthinkable before kick-off on Saturday.
For what reason could Fellaini, Everton’s top scorer and talisman who has been in sublime form at times this season, feel the need to issue a public apology and show remorse?
Well, for a trio of unsavoury incidents and ones which, when officially reviewed by those at Soho Square, will leave the Blues without their star man for at least three matches.
The fear is the FA may want to make an example of Fellaini and will ban him for more than that. Manager David Moyes is preparing for the worst and says he gets what he deserves.
Such has been the importance of the Belgian’s eight goals and towering performances that it feels almost sacrilege to be so critical but this season is not about Fellaini, it is about Everton and no-one player is immune to criticism.
If the Belgian wants Champions League football, whether that is with or without Everton, and the respect of his fellow professionals then he can’t act in such a way.
Fellaini is a vital part of a Blues side that have genuine aspirations of returning to Europe’s top table yet his acts at Stoke were selfish.
There are flaws in all great players, it makes their character so compelling, but this goes beyond that.
He claims they were acts borne out of frustrations over a lack of protection from the referee.
The real frustration is that we are left talking about this.
Hopefully Fellaini does not need to read these words, or any of the other comments, to realise he has made a serious mistake.
The swift and unequivocal rebuke from his manager should have seen to that.
His apology late on Saturday evening was a welcome step though it still tried to suggest there were mitigating circumstances for his actions when, in reality, there are none.
Fellaini is right; he does not receive enough protection from referees, but in no way can he take the laws of the game into his own hands.
The way Moyes handled the situation, though, deserves applause.
Where some of his peers may have tried to gloss over the incident, or claim not to have seen it, the Everton manager tackled the issue head on and acted with class and authority.
Moyes did not do anything exceptional, but simply what was right and what was needed in the situation.
Everton must hope that the manager’s forthrightness and Fellaini’s apology carry some weight with the FA when they make their ruling this week otherwise their trip to Stoke may be particularly costly.
