And here we are … again.
it’s with a sense of amazement, even bewilderment, that I am back here, writing another one of these. How many times have I written this article this season, or an article like it? How many times in the aftermath of a narrow Celtic victory has the opposition manager squealed about decisions and the whole of the press corps wants to have an inquest?
I’ll tell you how pissed off with this nonsense I am.
I said last night watching the furore after we’d scored the third that I hoped it wasn’t tight, that I hoped it was blatant, that I hoped the decision to allow it was a shocker because I knew that the chorus of whingeing would be heard from every part of the media. As it turns out, the decision was tight and the officials actually got it spot on.
With their typical dexterity, the hacks moved on to the penalty Aberdeen “should” have had … I thought the ref got that one right as well. But still, the chorus of frustration and anger is loud on days like today and especially this season.
Notice that at times like these nobody bothers to waste your time with the hoary old argument that these things “even themselves out”.
Notice too that amidst the general noise about the decisions Aberdeen should have got that no-one wants to talk about Jota’s perfectly good goal which should have stood, or Ibrox’s amazing ability to get penalties and avoid conceding them in the same game, which Shaun Maloney is making a bit of noise about.
It’s only decisions in our favour which drive our media to this, that and opposition managers who know they have to face the wrath of their own fans and who could, therefore, do with a little deflection tactics, and Stephen Glass badly needs one of them of course.
As I have said in these pieces before, we want the debate on refereeing. I’ll be writing more on the subject later on today, so if it’s suddenly intolerable that Scottish officials keep making mistakes then let’s have the conversation, and decide what can be done.
If the implication is bias – and I expect Glass to be hauled in front of the beaks for his comments last night although I don’t think he should be – then let’s have refs declare their allegiances in a manner which prevents any taint.
Years of fan discussions on this – and I don’t doubt a few within football – have told us how to fix these things … if it continues I’ve got to believe it’s because some prefer it that way.
If there is a clamour for appropriate refereeing standards so be it.
James you should’ve saved yourself time and penned the last part of the last sentence first, because we ALL know that is exactly the case.
‘They like it this way’
Hence whinging like petulant playground kids when we manage a win, and yes, that’s despite everything they do to stop that happening.
They KNOW the true way forward IS WITH VAR but they’re not 100% sure how they can make that work in their favour all the time, which in turn leads to them moaning about refs decisions.
Cheats have been winning for years through their cabal, IF they’ve the ‘nads for VAR let’s get it done NOO.
Great piece, despite the subject matter
HH
Even if glass hadn’t moaned the lackeys woulda had a piece on it,,, we won ats the root of the problem here,, u mentioned the sevco pen,, if u look up the ref over past games involving em an him,, pen for are a lot, against nil,,, also sending off make interesting reading,,,as long as we’re winning who cares
Can’t see anything changing the Masons have the whole of Scotland sewn up.The sevco/rangers fans attacked there own people at ibrox,they attacked their own disabled fans and blamed it on Celtic for allowing their team to beat sevco/rangers, destroyed the toilets at Parkhead,they destroyed George square TWICE and included in the roiting fans at George square were off duty police officers and what punishment was meted out for all these NOTHING.
As ex ref Steven Conroy said the other day, refs would just lie about what club they support. He’s a celtic supporter, according to himself a BIG celtic supporter, but always claimed to support Dumbarton.
The reason being you want to ref the biggest matches & celtic v sevco is the biggest game. No-one will admit to supporting either.
Personally I think he lied about being a celtic supporter because he knew he wouldn’t of got anywhere in the game because the rest all swing the lead
Yes yes
From what I see these days, players can be in a quite advanced offside position but the linesman does not raise his flag to indicate until the ball comes within their playing distance. Aberdeens first goal, there were at least two players in offside positions within six yard box when ball was struck goalward, were they interfering? I think they must be so goal should not have stood.