In the recent meeting between the Celtic Fans Assembly and the board there were a number of crowd-pleasing statements and promises doled out like Halloween candy. The first was that Ibrox’s fans would not get into the ground in January; that one should be easy enough to follow through on. Other subjects covered included refereeing.
And it’s here we get into a sticky area. As usual the mantra was “we are doing things behind the scenes of which you know nothing.” It all sounds very beguiling. But without action it’s just words, and I don’t see any evidence that things are improving.
The weekend was characterised by another bizarre refereeing performance at Celtic Park. How can a team with 85% possession have committed the same number of fouls as the team with 15% possession? Which team was trying to stop the other from playing football?
Joe McHugh of VideoCelts has pointed out that accounting for the numbers their team must have drawn a foul almost every time they had control of the ball.
But although it’s borne out by the facts the reality is that it’s illogical, and runs counter to everything we know about the game.
Anyone who watched the match knows we weren’t the team constantly fouling and wasting time and playing acting … so how could we possibly have committed the same number of fouls across the 90 minutes as the team who played with eleven men behind the ball and who, by their own admission, came as “spoilers”?
Even if you give Celtic’s board the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are “on this” behind the scenes – and I actually don’t – it amazes me that our club has yet to learn that there is no virtue in doing these particular things “behind the scenes.”
Some things need to be done in public. Pressure needs to be put on in a forum where it can spark debate and send a clear warning. Those clubs who share our view that something is way, way wrong here need to be rallied to the cause of changing it.
We’re one of the clubs who allegedly benefits from what others think is a “West of Scotland bias.” We will, therefore, be taken seriously if we lead the way for openness and reform. We would be seen as honest brokers, willing perhaps to leave an advantage on the table to give the rest the sort of standard of officiating we just don’t get at the present time.
It’s another example of where our board is absolutely abysmal at thinking and acting strategically. This needs more than that. It certainly needs more than talk.
Why are all refs in scotlad from same area it stinks
Nobody is blaming refs for all our failings; where do you see that happening?
But it’s hard enough playing against a totally negative team which puts every man behind the ball without the ref blowing for a foul every time they do have it and lose possession. That makes a difficult task an even bigger uphill battle, and it’s cheating.
Totally agree
The foul against GG when he tried the overhead kick was actually a Livvy player barging into a teammate.
Madden,not just in that game,gives free kicks against us as soon as opponents fall down regardless of contact.
On this occasion he wasn’t the X factor however.
We continued to play speed chess when the board was never going to change.
Foot on the ball and someone to say let’s try something different.
Well said ??? unfortunately we’ve heard it all before ,fans of other clubs said we were paranoid over referees , now they’re beginning to react !!! Not before time. HH..
A short statement of disapproval would suffice every time Celtic were on the edge of dodgy decisions by the same referees. These would soon mount up. The problem goes much further than that, though. Other teams are also occasionally victims too and one team seems to benefit on a weekly basis. Reformation on appointments at the SFA are fundamentally required.
Destruction not reformation of the governing bodies is what’s needed. Shuffling the deckchairs won’t stop the SFA from sinking and dragging the rest of us down with them.
Not going to happen though. Too many masons in too many powerful positions in this country to allow anything to threaten hun control…and it gies me the boak just thinking about it.
Being critical of refs is not a deflection from our failings. I haven’t seen a single person say it qas the ref’s fault we didn’t win. Are you trying to say there is no problem with refs in this country?
You’re spot on with the governing masons everywhere point. Some at our club are too woolly to ever act, board and fans alike. The board are right to stop these huns from coming to Paradise. Nostalgic comments from Celtic fans wishing for that Old Firm atmosphere and their return sound like Wilson and forget this is not Rangers nor the Old Firm. 2012? This swine of masons is a much more vile version.
I too think there is a problem with the refs – there is a West of Scotland bias, they’re pretty much all shite refs, if not bent, but it wasn’t Maddyin’s fault we didn’t win on Saturday. He could easily have avoided giving us the pen at the end for Big G to miss.
If I never see a sevco fan in paradise ever again it will be too soon – please please keep it as it is no away fans no segregation no anti this anti that no massive police bill no shutting refreshments stalls no damaged seats – do the maths