Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has suggested it’s Rangers and not Celtic who have the right to feel aggrieved about referees this weekend.
The self-confessed Celtic supporter, who spent almost 30 years refereeing south of the border, was assessing the Scottish Premiership’s big VAR flashpoints.
In a weekend of controversy, Celtic blew the chance to go above Rangers in the Scottish Premiership table after being defeated by Hearts.
This was after Rangers stumbled to a 2-1 home defeat against Motherwell which was the best part of 27 years in the making.
Rangers and Celtic managers critical of decisions
The fall-out from the two results has been dominated by criticism of referees with the managers of both Rangers and Celtic expressing their frustrations at full-time.
Rangers manager Philippe Clement claimed winger Ross McCausland was kicked off the park after a shocking challenge from Motherwell matchwinner Dan Casey in the first half.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has risked an SFA citation in a post-match attack on John Beaton after VAR intervention led to Korean winger Yang being sent off and a handball penalty being given against Tomoki Iwata.
But going by Dermot Gallagher’s assessment, Celtic don’t have a leg to stand on whilst Rangers have the right to feel shortchanged.
Dermot Gallagher on big Old Firm calls
Here’s what Dermot Gallagher said to Sky Sports with regards the multiple incidents in both matches, starting with Celtic v Hearts.
Yang v Cochrane penalty award – wrong decision
“It’s extremely harsh. I actually thought it was a foul the other way but the referee gave it. Cochrane was in front so I find it hard to see how he commits a foul. All I can think is when we can see the other angle, whether the referee thinks he puts his leg across him here, whether he thinks he trips there I don’t know, but I think the Celtic player goes into Cochrane himself.”
Yang red card, yellow upgraded to red – correct decision
“I think the player is unlucky but I think it is a red card. I think the player is unlucky because he has no idea where the player is, he’s genuinely going to get the ball, but if you catch a player in the face with your studs, it’s inevitable you’re going to get a red card.”
Tomoki Iwata handball penalty decision – “harsh” but fair
“I think so but what you would say is we’ve seen this in Scottish league all season. The one thing they’ve been consistent about, any incident like that has been penalised for handball. I think harsh, very, very unlucky, but to their credit every single they’ve given.”
Now for the take of Dermot Gallagher on the decisions in Rangers’ defeat to Motherwell at Ibrox.
Fabio Silva penalty award – correct decision
“Well what you would say is, it is a penalty, it is a foul, but would you rather they take less time and wave it away so we’ve run out of time then somebody shows that angle and says it should’ve been a penalty. We all agreed that it would be worthwhile in taking a little bit extra to get the decision right.”
Failure to send Dan Casey off challenge on Ross McCausland – wrong decision
“I don’t know (how it’s not a red card). I think it is a red card, I think it is a really, really bad tackle, the pace he goes in, everything about it. The lad had to leave the pitch and went home on crutches, not a nice tackle.”
So whilst the Celtic manager is leaning on conspiracy theories to deflect from his side’s ill-discipline, Rangers are left picking up the pieces after referees failed to protect another Gers player.
Rangers stars are not fair game and after a public appeal from Philippe Clement, the injury to Ross McCausland has to be the last time hammer throwers are protected over footballers.
