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Former All Whites football coach Kevin Fallon faces an uncertain future at one of Auckland's top secondary schools, as new details emerge over a fracas involving schoolboy rivals.
Auckland police have a copy of film footage of the brawl between players from Fallon's Mt Albert Grammar 1st XI
and Auckland Grammar in a semi-final match at the national championships in Napier last week.
The Herald on Sunday understands Fallon allegedly left the bench and manhandled an Auckland Grammar player who shoved a MAGS player after a dangerous tackle midway through the second half.
Fallon was then pushed to the ground by a Grammar player in the melee before the match was stopped and the sides separated.
A player from each school was red-carded, but no action has yet been taken against Fallon.
Parents from another rival school, King's College, handed the footage to Newmarket police. A formal police complaint is unlikely to be laid, but the Herald on Sunday understands an internal MAGS inquiry is reviewing Fallon's future at the school.
"If people want to fire me, they will fire me. I'm a believer that whatever is meant to be, will be," Fallon told the Herald on Sunday. "There are certain things you do and you might regret, but you can't go back. People always seem to remember controversial things [with me]. You get castigated for that, like [last] week."
Auckland Grammar has complained verbally to MAGS and is expected to lay a formal written complaint shortly.
MAGS headmaster Dale Burden is conducting an internal review of the incident and is seeking more evidence before making a decision on Fallon.
He did not have a copy of the footage but had taken witness statements from independent sources and would conduct formal interviews this week.
"We're not sweeping this under the carpet by any means. But we have to be fair and not go in with pre-conceived ideas. If I don't do this the right way, then you'll get a headline."
Asked if he meant Fallon's employment at the school was under review, Burden said: "When I finish the investigation and make a finding, then we will act accordingly."
Burden has spoken with Fallon to get his version of events but had yet to formally interview him.
Auckland Grammar headmaster John Morris, a former New Zealand goalkeeper and ex-chairman of NZ Soccer, declined to comment further.
A decision will be made on Wednesday whether the Knockout Cup final - a showpiece of the school sporting calendar - between MAGS and Auckland Grammar will go ahead.
