Every season the press in Scotland discuss the poor quality of refereeing, phone after an old firm game however and you’ll be told that, apart from (substitute whatever decision Rangers got in their favour – penalty, goal chopped off, sending off), the ref got all the big decisions right. NO HE DIDN’T – THE “APART FROM” BIT WAS THE BIG DECISION!!!!!!
This season we had Jim Gannon arrive and tell us that Scottish ref’s are useless, the press all agreed. How refreshing it was to have a manager speak openly and frankly about the failings of officialdom in Scotland. This led to conversations about how poor our officials are, you need look no further than the fact that none were going to the world cup. Then something happened and the press turned against him. Maybe I’m paranoid but the change in attitude seemed to change when he mentioned poor refereeing in the first Celtic v Rangers game at Ibrox. Gannon stated that poor refereeing such as the decisions at Ibrox could alter the course of the title race. To mention a recent quote – after that the forces of hell were unleashed upon Gannon. Discuss bad ref’s sure, claim that one team doesn’t suffer like the rest and the attitude is very different.
Did our performance today merit a win? Probably not, but sendings off and goals change games. Who knows what would have happened is they’d been reduced to 10 men and the penalty had been given.
The first game of the season was even, so with the added advantages of referee decisions Rangers win. We destroy them at Celtic Park and the game is drawn. Even again today and the decisions push them over the winning line. We should be better than Rangers and shouldn’t be so far behind them in the title race, but we also shouldn’t HAVE to be 1 goal better than Rangers just to get a draw.
I know some others see differently, but I stated last time that it was time for a UEFA enquiry. Personally I subscribe to the Davie Hay approach to cheating by officials. Remember the League cup final when Shepherd was initially sent off and Hay wanted to take us off the pitch? If they won’t play by the rules, I wouldn’t play at all.
It’s time that we had some real balls on this matter. Were I Reid I’d be standing outside the SFA offices at Hampden at 8:55am tomorrow demanding my meeting. I’d refuse to play Rangers again until non-domestic officials are appointed.
It’s time to get the boxing gloves on and get ready to fight for our corner.
No matter how you dress it up, cheating is cheating. Cheats cannot be allowed to win.
