Taylor: Red card was punishment enough for Hazard

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor does not believe Eden Hazard should face additional punishment after being sent off for kicking a ball boy during Chelsea’s Capital One Cup semi-final second leg at Swansea.

The Football Association is reviewing footage of the incident and the Belgian’s automatic three-match ban can be increased in “exceptional circumstances”.

Hazard was dismissed by referee Chris Foy after he lost patience during the closing stages of the match at the Liberty Stadium as ball boy Charlie Morgan - the son of Swansea director Martin – refused to hand over the ball after it had gone out for a goal-kick.

Morgan fell to the ground as Hazard attempted to get the ball from him, with the Blues forward then trying to kick it from under him but appearing to instead make contact with the youngster.

Hazard escaped criminal action over his conduct after 17-year-old Morgan and his father, Swansea director and hotel owner Martin, decided not to press charges.

And Taylor does not feel it is necessary for the FA to punish the Chelsea midfielder further.

He told Press Association Sport: “There is obviously a process which the FA have to go through and it is up to them what they decide.

“But I don’t think the young lad involved would want to see Hazard punished further.

“The referee made the correct decision on the night and you do not want people to be hung, drawn and quartered for things that happen in the heat of the moment.

“It is disappointing and Hazard has shown remorse and the two clubs handled the matter very well.

“It will be seen as another stick to beat the game with, but the game has always been about passion and emotions running high and it is a shame for this to overshadow the wonderful achievements of Swansea and Bradford – two clubs who have faced extinction – in reaching the final.”

It is understood Swansea will not face any action over Morgan's role in the incident, as any complaint of time-wasting is an issue to be handled by the officials during the game.

The incident has inevitably divided opinion, with former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin claiming he would have done the same as Hazard while branding Morgan’s behaviour as “disgraceful”.

Nevin told BBC Radio Five Live: “I would have kicked the ball out from underneath the ball boy if he had been lying like that, 100 per cent.

“I was very, very disappointed by the way the ball boy acted, and I say ’acted’.

“He must have been watching footballers, the way he rolled around and pretended to be more injured.

“He only has one job and his job is to go and give the ball back, and what did he do? He keeps the ball. I have to say I was absolutely amazed to find he is 17, not 12, not 13.

“He should know what his action should be in that situation. His behaviour was disgraceful.”

Swansea vice-chairman Leigh Dineen, meanwhile, placed the blame squarely at the door of the Chelsea man and defended Morgan, who has become something of a Twitter celebrity, with his account now having upwards of 80,000 followers.

“The boy went to pick up the ball and he fell over. He didn’t hold on to the ball for a minute; it happened over about 20 seconds,” he said.

“Had it been 2-0 to Chelsea, I don’t think Hazard would have been anywhere near the ball. But I don’t think Hazard deliberately went to kick him.

“You can’t kick out at anybody. I don’t think you can do that. If it was done on the field of play, there would be plenty of questions to be answered.”