In the aftermath of yesterday’s game, Callum Davidson had a few things to say for himself and for his team, and he turned his guns on the refs.
He said that the officials were a bit too keen to book his players.
I’ve heard this tune from managers before after we’ve beaten them, and although at times I have not disagreed with what they’ve said I always find it funny how the press chooses to report it.
Look at the number of managers recently who have spoken out against VAR.
Only one of them was accused of “playing to the gallery.”
Only one was accused of indulging in paranoia. Incredibly, he was the one with the most right to moan because some of the decisions that went against his club were truly shocking, and they slotted into a familiar pattern.
Because the one guy who got monstered by some of the media was none other than Ange himself.
We are the only club whose manager is not allowed to say what he wants, or rather he can say what he wants but they will spin it and twist it and level baseless allegations against him as if he was some sort of nutcase, or someone who had become infected by a peculiar madness which can only be passed on in the environs of Celtic Park.
“I’m pretty proud of my players and how they went about their business,” Davidson said. “A couple of the goals could be better, I maybe thought the last goal could have been offside. But he was quite eager to book my players and send my players off so I knew I wasn’t going to get that decision.”
That risible stuff, it really is.
The last goal wasn’t offside, and his player got sent off because he prevented a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
That’s about as straightforward an application of the rule-book as you will get.
As for the bookings, don’t make me laugh.
Taylor got booked for nothing during the game, and so we should be the ones griping.
Every single one of our goals was scrutinised by VAR by the way. Just as every one that we score is scrutinised by VAR. Which other club gets treatment like that? In midweek they scrutinised one twice, first for a foul and then for an offside.
But if we complain about that we’re paranoid. We’re indulging in the old conspiracy theories.
They say you aren’t paranoid if they’re really out to get you, but we don’t even get the benefit of that doubt although we’ve proved that they were time and again.
But Callum Davidson basically accuses the ref of having it in for his team and there will be people in the media who will nod their agreement. “Oh he got a rough shake today, he really did.”
Just as they did when it was Neilson moaning about us, or Martindale bitching about something, or Derek McInnes’ foot-stamping fury. That’s all allowed.
We’re the only people in the game who aren’t entitled to our say.
We’re entitled to our say and we will have our say.
The fact that the hun fan boys among the meedjits don’t like it is entirely predictable and pathetic.
I love their pain.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose
My Celtic paranoia kicked in at half time yesterday so at half time i quickly scanned the recorded first half to see why bad Bhoy Jota a thug of a man was booked for repeat fouling.
He had 3 fouls prior to the booking, 2 on their right hand side where next to no contact meant a STJ player fell over. If this happened down a public park you’d be embarrassed. The third was over the other side and I would say possibly a foul. Then he is booked meaning he needs to watch himself all through the second half.
A booking will not lose you a league but what pushed me to do my own checking was that Jota was booked around where CCV was challenged where he was given a foul against him with Carey getting up holding an injured neck ffs!!!
I believe James posted earlier on the number of fouls against Celtic even though we dominate play because an opposition player falls to the ground. It is absolutely scandalous we are seeing this. Look out for it, any contact at all a player goes to ground and free kick breaking up play and giving them an advantage. Conversely watch the Celtic players when tackled, nobody is hitting the ground unless up-ended.
So cheap booking for false free kicks may become a theme against Celtic.
Yesterday VAR was checking a Celtic player offside from a free kick we scored, assuming for keeper sight obstruction but Abada was the only Celt in the box with 7 or 8 STJ players. The commentators even speculated it will probably not be given.
If that wasnt given it would not be for offside at a direct strike at goal.
If it wasnt given because Huge Abada obstructed the sight of the keeper and the other 7 or 8 St J player did not then that would have probably be up there with the VAR decision to drop Jota’s goal offside at Motherwell when VAR wasn’t fully functioning.
If that last goal was to make it 2-1 I believe there would have been a decision to drop that goal. This is where you may hear Ange speak freely about the ludicrous refereeing we see in this country.