Well, what can we say? The performance of this club, and the performance of its executive directors in terms of getting transfer deals across the line, has been absolutely pathetic in this window so far and with days to go, we are weaker than we were last season.
We haven’t signed a single outfield player to strengthen the squad – we are not counting Bernardo and Idah, they were here last season and the manager doesn’t count them either – since the window opened. We’ve sold a slew of squad players and one first-team player. There are people determined to praise this board of directors for good governance, but the signs are everywhere for those who care to look that these people are anything but good governors.
As everybody knows, one of the areas where I agree with the club—one of the areas in which I think we’ve done virtually everything right—is our stance regarding the ticket allocations of the club from Ibrox. We have refused to be messed about by them and, finally, a few weeks ago, we decided that they had to be punished for their incessant taking of liberties. This has resulted in us banning their fans from the derby at the weekend.
This is an entirely correct decision, and I am fully supportive of it. Still, there is an area where our so-called good governance has let us down badly. Despite our ban, there will be at least two Ibrox supporters at the game. One is John Beaton; the other is Andrew Dallas. Unfortunately for Celtic, they will both be officiating the match.
I don’t think it will make much difference, but the fact that we are in this position at all is pretty scandalous. It’s reflective of the lax attitude our club takes toward so many areas, in so many issues where there are easy and popular solutions, which we don’t even appear to pursue.
A club that was on the front foot, a club that took its role seriously, would be banging the drum for SFA reform. It would shame other clubs into either backing it or shutting up about it once and for all. You and I both know that a lot of these managers who come up against the Ibrox club and get bad decisions against them understand that there should be reform. These same people complain about bad decisions going their way against Celtic.
They genuinely believe in the Glasgow conspiracy, but ask them to do anything about it, and they clamp up. Ask the clubs to do anything about it, and you get no reply. And one of the reasons you get no reply is that no one wants to lead a reform campaign. There is no bigger player in the Scottish game than us. If we led, I guarantee you that clubs would follow and get on board.
But we don’t do it because our board is inherently weak.
It’s made up of weak men who don’t want to stick their necks above the parapet, who don’t want to take responsibility, who don’t want to fight for things. They want to pat themselves on the back for a job well done if those who work in the football department make miracles happen. But they don’t want to lead the club. They don’t want to lead Scottish football.
And I think if you’re a director at Celtic, if you’re a major senior executive figure like Michael Nicholson, the Chief Executive, you should want to lead Scottish football.
You should want to fight to change the game here.
You should take that seriously because when Scottish football is a mess, that hurts us. When Scottish football is a corrupt joke, that hurts us. These things don’t happen in a vacuum. All of it affects Celtic. All of it holds us down. All of it stops us from being the biggest club we can be because it makes a mockery of this game.
No one serious or credible in the business world, except for the usual sponsors, bookmakers, and betting companies, wants anything to do with it because it’s amateur hour. It’s run by complete muppets.
And that’s how we’re apparently content to leave it.
Neil Doncaster spoke recently—and I wrote about it—on Scottish football’s lack of need for a regulator. During the same interview, he talked about promoting the game via the so-called “Old Firm game abroad”, something which he has ruled out for league matches but still holds out some vague possibility of.
So, take a look at how these people market the game right now.
Even if this “Old Firm abroad” concept were a viable option and not a poisonous, grubby sham that none of us wants anything to do with, take a look at how this weekend’s derby is going to be officiated; by two guys so poor, by an association with referees so bad, so low down on the UEFA scale, that none of them made it to the Euros.
The match we market as the biggest derby in the world is going to be officiated by two of the worst referees in a country of bad referees.
And these guys get these games over and over and over again. I don’t know how many John Beaton has had one, but after he was pictured celebrating one of them in an Ibrox fan bar, he should never have got another.
What Willie Collum is thinking by giving this game to two known Ibrox supporters, I do not know. But it makes us look foolish. It makes the game here look like a banana republic.
Those in the media can say all they want defending the integrity of our officials, but it still looks dreadful. Do you think the introduction of these rules in England, Spain, Italy, or Germany means they don’t trust their officials? Do you think they have any less faith in their officials than the SFA professes to have in its own?
No, it’s about protecting the game’s reputation for integrity, for ensuring that we have that level playing field I’ve written about. It protects the sport and the officials itself from even the appearance of impropriety or bias; it’s good governance in other words.
Beaton and Dallas. It’s disgusting.
And it’s proof that whatever changes Collum wants to introduce are going to be largely useless unless he gets some different boots on the ground and starts facing up to some hard realities about officiating in the game here, and how we need to at least consider major changes along the lines that we’ve all talked about.
Those conversations have been going on for a while without any practical benefit. It’s time to take a stand on this, for Celtic to make refereeing reform a point of policy and to seek genuine changes at the governing bodies. We are, to some extent, leaving our fate in other people’s hands, and only stupid people would do that.
Don’t get me wrong, if we turn up and play our football on the day, I don’t think there’s anything these guys can do to change the course of the match. But it makes no sense to leave that to chance. It makes no sense to continue taking these risks.
And yet, this board of geniuses we have, they do it anyway.
Both officials are aware that everyone knows that they support Rangers and have been proved to be biased in the past. They will obviously come under close scrutiny but will they care?
It makes you realise that the SFA does what it wants and sees Rangers as the establishment team.
Penalty to Rangers on Sunday anyone?
I don’t think Beaton and Dallas should be in full stop. Beaton is a very poor ref who has flouted the rules to help SEvco and even gave Sevco a penalty when a Celtic player was fouled two years ago.
A quick strsigh red card for a Celtic player with another couple of bookings against us within the first 30 minutes will put the sevco klan klub at ease.
Chop off a couple of goals for us though VAR,while the same guy on VAR dishes out penalties to sevco like confetti.
Sevco go top ofvthe league,we are then playing catch upin the league after being caught with our trousers at our ankles regarding the transfer window now being closed with no outfield players signed,but the board will put it out there the signings are coming in on January.
At the bigger games I would expect to see less biased errors by the ref’s as it causes wider criticism on refereeing, the SFA and the Scottish game. So not too fussed who the officials are.
Secondly I wouldn’t mind seeing a few thousand of the torn faced klan turn up only to leave for halftime when their galacticos are being pumped. played off the park and after giving their manager and players a rollicking for the shoite they are.
You mentioned earlier James and I tend to agree, we will see no new Celtic players on Sunday but the team from Govan/Mount Florida may be a little more depleted. Hearing some players contracts potentially terminated… Could be another Legal mess for the rangers. Hope so… Plus they have a few injuries. Really looking forward to seeing how their new boys cope with the Celtic crowd, can’t wait and Monday off work to cope with any hangover.
Thats why ill not give celtic board my money i cant stand that p.lawwel our Nicholson now they dont care about us fans the same with DD its the money care about they let the corrupt sfa.spfl walk all over celtic they are a disgrace the pair of WANKERS..
Beaton & Dallas officiating is a disgrace. Just as well we are miles ahead of theRanjurz!
IIRC
Beaton oficiated our very next game v sevco after Brendan called him out for his disgraceful performance in the Hearts game .Then I believe he was involved in the cup final also .
Now he gets this one too
Contrast that with Collum .
Called out by sevco ,nowhere near their games (bar Ayr cup game) then shipped out to head of refereeing.
A job that I predict will see him punted from within 18 months
Collum had the perfect opportunity to make his mark as the new boss referee by making it mandatory for all referees and officials to declare their club of allegiance and support at the beginning of his tenure and at the start of this season’s kick off . That way there can be no cause for concern about a certain clumpany receiving favourable decisions from any sympathetic to the cause arbitors . Toss the correct information into the super computer every game and watch the fairness and honesty take place ?It’s not quantum physics ..is it ?
We all know about beaton. Wee story about dallas. Few (maybe more) years back, a reliable pal of mine was doin some contract work on the front of his (dallas’) house. Had to go round the back of his house for some reason and in the kitchen window, there was a small cartoon portrayal of a rangers fan pissin on a Celtic top. So there ye are ! Shouldn’t be anywhere near a Celtic game. Unless he’s standin in amongst his own lot.
They’re really just taking the piss now and asking ” What are you going to do about it ?”
And the answer from our board will be……………………………………………………?
We’ll beat them on Sunday despite the two blue noses in black.
Scottish football is ran by parochial pygmies so these types of situations will persist. It’s a farce but it’s how things are/will be till the bowling klub minions in charge are entirely replaced with fresh faces & ideas completely detached from those replaced.
We knew that they would get the big guns out for Sunday Maeda booked first, it will curb his enthusiasm.
We will give away more free kicks than them despite having the majority of possession.
All going well, it still won’t be enough . Cheating Fuckers. Hail Hail.
I believe Collum was given the job of Head of Referees so that he could not ever again officiate at matches. It was a way of keeping him quiet, but making him feel good, whilst giving into Sevco’s demands. The SFA seem a most odious and incompetent body of mindless and old has-beens. Governance? – what a joke!
So collum is taken off sevco games last season, gets the top job and then sticks it to celtic with these 2 clowns again , fitting in well isn’t he , thought Crawford Allen was a prick , well collum is well named ,”wee willie”, certainly towing the corrupt SFA line .
Celtic will not need any favours from above to finish sevco off.
Hopefully we destroy that klub and see what favours the gruesome twosome tries to implement.
I commented on referee ‘Conflict of Interest’ on this forum before.
‘Conflict of Interest’ policies for referees in the Bundesliga, FIFA, UEFA, the FA in England, the Dutch FA and the SFA states:
Bundesliga
When it comes to conflicts of interest in refereeing, it’s essential to maintain impartiality. Referees should avoid situations where their private interests might interfere with their responsibilities.
FIFA
A perception of a conflict of interest can be just as harmful as an actual conflict. When you identify a conflict-of-interest situation, whether real, potential or perceived, immediately inform your line manager and the FIFA Compliance Division.
UEFA
Match officials undertake to inform UEFA without delay of any potential conflict of interests that they may have in respect of an appointment, including any connection that they may have or have had with a national association, league or club.
Dutch FA
Referees should avoid situations where their personal interests could compromise their impartiality during matches.
Scottish FA
The Scottish FA ‘Football Governance Handbook’ covers various aspects related to Scottish football. It mentions ‘Conflict of Interest’ for referees.
However, there is no guidance or details regarding referee ‘conflict of interest’ included in the handbook.
I personally, do not have an issue with Beaton refereeing a Celtic match, but he should never be allowed to referee a Sevco match.
There needs to be questions asked about Dallas’s currency as a referee, he has not refereed a match since early 2022, some 2.5 years. In any other job your competency and skills would be viewed as obsolete after that length of time.
John Beaton’s record when refereeing the last five Glasgow Derby matches he was appointed for is:
Draws 4
Sevco wins 1
Celtic wins 0
Tavpens 2
Celtic Pens 0
And no doubt a statement from the PLC. After the cheating complaining to Hampden bowling club committee
Willie collum is nothing but a puppet a patsy called it what you will be does not have the ball’s to be his own man IMO. He’s not part of the brotherhood (or is he) I can imagine the scenario of him telling the boys from the craft who will be reffing the game would not happen. It’s rotten to the core from too bottom but as long as the Celtic board stays silent it will always be that way an absolute disgrace