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Sign Up Now!Perth Glory will unveil the wealthiest, oldest and most inexperienced ball boy in the A-League when they face table-topping Melbourne City at HBF Park tonight - millionaire owner Tony Sage.
Under strict COVID rules Sage is not allowed into the stadium as the owner or chairman when they play behind closed doors.
But he can scamper around as a ball boy, so he’s swapping his formal jacket and pants for a tracksuit and training shoes to chase balls around.
“I can’t go. It’s a joke,” Sage said.
“It would be the first home game I would have missed in 14 years and I’m not missing it.
“My name was put forward as the owner and then as the chairman and we were told I was not a required person.
“So when you’re watching the game tonight you’ll see me as a ball boy.
“We kicked out a ball kid and I’m taking their place.
“I’ll be running around in my tracksuit getting the ball outside the perimeter of the ground. I’ll be in control of fetching the ball in one of the stands.
“I’m not quite sure what the rules are but I’ll be briefed when I get to the ground.
“I’ve done some crazy things in my time and this will rate up there.
“It’s ridiculous. I have to make assessments on the coach and the team.
“At the end of the year I can’t make a decision on Richie (coach Richard Garcia) or the coaching panel if I don’t see games.
“It’s going to be interesting evening.”
Meanwhile, Melbourne City assistant coach Des Buckingham says the A-League leaders must focus on beating Perth rather than any off-field difficulties.
They will also be without coach Patrick Kisnorbo for two games, after he tore his achilles in a charity match on Saturday and had surgery.
"We're expecting (Sunday's game against Brisbane) to still go ahead - and hopefully still with crowds," Buckingham told reporters on Tuesday.
"We've had to apply for border permits ... we've got a job to do.
"We've got permission to go (to Perth) and we've got permission to come back now so we just hope that nothing blows up while we're there that could impact anything.”
- With AAP
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