MELBOURNE Victory coach Ange Postecoglou will speak to Football Federation Australia about player welfare after midfielder Gui Finkler was denied treatment last week for a season-ending injury.

Postecoglou fumed that midfielder Finkler had to hobble off last week after rupturing his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the 2-1 loss to Western Sydney.



Whilst making it clear it wasn’t an attack on the standard of refereeing ahead of Victory’s clash with Wellington Phoenix tomorrow at AAMI Park, Postecoglou said players need better protection from officials.



“I will be speaking to the league about that because there’s been a couple (of incidents),’’ Postecoglou said. “I was a bit disappointed with the treatment he (Finkler) got from officials.



“He’s done his ACL and he’s had to crawl off the pitch without getting any medical help from our people.



“We’ve got to be aware that players need to be protected and their welfare is the main thing.



“But it was pretty clear that he’d done something pretty serious.



“The game before I was trying to make a substitution, our player was injured and kept going didn’t go down.



“This time he goes down and the referee deems because he’s close to the touchline he should just drag himself off.’’



Postecoglou admitted that he sent on the physio despite not being given permission by the referee.



“I don’t think so (he did any more damage), the damage was already done,’’ he said.



“To be honest our physio ran on without permission because I told him to. I know Gui I know he wouldn’t stay down unless it was something serious.’’

Originally published as Ange upset at player treatment