The decision to disallow Maeda’s goal following Austin Trusty’s supposed foul is nothing short of a travesty. It defies the laws of the game and should be raising serious questions at Celtic Park. Our club should be making a noise about it because it’s simply unacceptable.
For five full minutes after the incident, Rob McLean scrambled to find a reason to justify the decision and failed miserably. Michael Stewart, as he so often does, nailed it from the start. It was a simple coming together, an accidental collision with some force behind it, but that’s football. There was no malice, no intent, just two players colliding.
At half-time, Charlie Mulgrew and the ever-ridiculous Alan Hutton – a guy who can’t even land a spot on the BBC, which says it all – decided it was a foul. That’s a defenders mindset for you, and it made no sense. There’s no foul there, just Trusty being stronger in his run for the ball.
It doesn’t even influence the final outcome; it’s not as if Trusty sets up the goal or the guy is making a move to get to the ball. It’s a complete accident with no bearing on what happens next.
Once again, we’re in the position where we have won the game and won it comfortably and where no-one can accuse us of sour grapes or trying to deflect from a poor performance. We absolutely dismantled St Johnstone with some incredible football. But we’re entitled to ask what on earth happened, why that goal was chalked off by VAR.
Look at the incident again.
St Johnstone’s Graham Carey takes a hit, that’s undeniable, but it’s not a foul. Not in any world of reason. It’s a physical game, and this was just a strong collision. Nothing more.
Then, we had to endure VAR reviews for two other goals. The first, Kyogo’s, is only offside if you completely rewrite the rules. You can’t be offside if the only part of your body that’s over the line is something that can’t score a goal, like an arm. Look at the replay; his arm is slightly ahead, but his body and foot are behind. It’s clear as day that it’s a legitimate goal.
The second one, Ida’s goal, is even more ridiculous.
There wasn’t even a hint of offside. The Celtic players were simply quicker to react. But honestly, it feels like had they found the tiniest excuse, they would have ruled both goals out. Hell, they might have chalked all six of our goals off if they could have found a way.
This is the heart of the problem.
Fans, players, and managers are fed up with the misuse of VAR. It’s being used to re-referee games, and when you have administrators who are incompetent, like those at the SFA who can’t even keep their head of VAR for more than two months, it’s no wonder we’re awash in doubts. Hampden needs to sort this out because it’s damaging the game and dragging it down.
Every goal an any incident in our box is being varied to death,,,its killing the joy of the punters to celabrate a goal,,,deliberately or not (who) knows,but it’s been the same since this piece of kit was installed,,,as for so called pundits they’re sent out to tell us different,,, but we all see what’s being done and why it’s to keep that(other mob) relavent and partially in touch for another week
It’s as if VAR wants to pause the game and have a look at every Celtic goal, questions have to be asked about the resignation of John Moss. Not a good look for any organisation to lose a senior appointee so quickly, he’s either taken them for fools or he’s not been happy with the set up in Scottish Football’s refereeing dept.
I look forward to hearing Collum tell us all (weeks after the event) that a “mistake was made.” You have two players, both with eyes on the ball, running at right angles to each other and colliding. It is impossible to say who initiated the contact. Neither had the protection of being within playable distance of the ball. Therefore, as Michael Stewart called it, it was simply a football collision. Neither guy had right of way. Neither was in the wrong. It was simply two guys bumping into each other and, as usual, the smaller guy came off worst.
The collision had no bearing on the wonderful goal being scored. To chalk it off was a travesty and brings into question Collum’s mantra that VAR decisions will be more in keeping with the spirit of the game.
Then again, the cynic in me thinks that spirit of the Scottish game is being maintained. Chalk off a Celtic goal – Free pints all night in the boozer.
I wouldn’t call it a complete accident. Carey tried to cut across, block Trusty’s forward movement but wasn’t strong or tall enough to prevent Trusty’s forward movement and bounced right back off him. No intent from Trusty only from Carey and thus no accidental coming together. There was though absolutely no violent intent from either player.
I was surprised at the ref Robertson, given he’s an advocate of a strong tackle ie Ferguson’s managed instruction on how to tackle, sorry I meant assault, Guchi in a League Cup game against Alloa I believe. That literally put a halt on his Celtic career and I’m struggling to remember if it even elicited a booking. Robertson amongst many is thought of one of Scotland’s better refs but all I can see is him doing is building a track record against us as he was the one that sent Yang off against Hearts last season after a chat wi his m8 Mrs Beaton, cooking up their own interpretation of incidents that at important times seem to go against us.
I say that because it was easy for him to allow Idah’s goal as it was the sixth, inconsequential and at end of an comprehensive victory. Call me a conspiracy theorist if you like but that’s solid evidence over a period of time for wee Willie and the SFA to account for
Imo it was actually the St. J player who ran across intae Trusty when he was comin forward.Tae think the brilliant take from Maeda, caught it sweet as ye like, was chopped for that collision was infuriatin. Tho when it comes tae us, expect nothin less from anti- Celtic ‘officials’ like muir. Personally, ah take a different view on the rest. Rather than him lookin for a way tae chop them off ( which ah wouldnae put by him either btw), ah think he’s realized and thought he wasn’t gonnae get away wi that without severe scrutiny and the other var checks, were him HAVIN tae make sure he never made another mistake. Fkt himself up basically.
I was raging at Maeda’s goal getting chopped off, not just because it’s not a foul but because it was a great goal. The St Johnstone defender hasn’t even taken a complete step and where’s he going? Not towards the play, I don’t think Trusty could’ve guessed the defender was going something so bizarre never mind deliberately foul him when it had no bearing on the play.
So, the VAR official deemed it a foul by Trusty.
Being extremely generous: we all make mistakes?
Trusty was judged to have clattered an opposition player,
leaving him writhing ‘in pain’ on the ground,
– and it was an off the ball incident.
That’s an automatic yellow card, at least?
Yet, no card shown to Trusty.
Was the motivation for the VAR intervention only
to disallow the goal?
Why was Trusty not booked if it was a genuine foul?
Yet another VAR inconsistency? 🙁
But, but what if we had a person at CP who was good at getting his point across?
Say someone who thought he was the perfect person to negotiate football transfers and who had also European experience in a role he’s played in the ECA (European Clubs Association). Ach, let’s say he was a Director of Footbal (at least in his own mind) and we’ll chuck in Chairman of a SPL club. Bugger it, let’s go for it here and say he was even CEO of a SPL football club for a decade and a half.
SURELY, a man of discretion and self-respect, with all of the above ‘attributes’, would go forth and challenge the SFA, SPFL and Lanarkshire Referees Committee and its leading ‘officers’ about the cause of recurring ‘mistakes’ that somehow only ever favoured ONE SPFL football company. Of course he would “go forth” and get to the bottom of what appears to be blatant cheating.
Now if only Celtic FC had a person like that, all the skullduggery would end, wouldn’t it?
Oh, hang on a minute…………. we’ve got one but he’s part of that cheating!
Aw jings…….
James I truly believe that as a club(Celtic) we have to involve UEFA and ask them to investigate foul play as our SFA is corrupt and our referees are an embarrassment hence why none of them were at the last major tournament and we could highlight many so called honest mistakes but the fact we haven’t raises my suspicions on our board,does the SFA have something on them?
Leaked VAR recording.
“Bill*, is there any reason I can’t allow this goal to stand?” “
“Davie*, I’ve checked 5 times and can confirm the goal was scored by a player wearing green and white hoops so shouldn’t stand”
“Er, OK, what reason are we giving?”
“Let’s go for offside – nobody understands the new rule anyway. You come and watch the replay on the screen to give me time to get the crayons out and give the picture to sky”.
*Names have been changed for legal reasons.
I briefly watched the game yesterday on St. Johnstone stream. Obviously the commentary was with a bias toward them & they were very quick on the Kyogo goal to say that it’s quite clear the VAR technology isn’t up to scratch & I think that nails the issue. It’s not about if it is onside or offside. I thought it was a clear offside until you do see as you say it’s only his arm that is beyond the last man.
I think with the camera angle being used for Kyogo’s goal they could easily have disallowed it but the time & the doubt from both sets of supporters shows the technology isn’t up to scratch & nobody trusts it to be utilised properly.
They think it’s used to the benefit of both Glasgow clubs & we think it is actively used as an anchor against us. So basically everyone thinks it’s misused but all the clubs are paying for it… The sooner we ditch it for domestic football the better. No reason it can’t be retained in stadiums for European fixtures but the money in Scottish football isn’t exactly ludicrous & so spending it on something nobody is happy with just doesn’t make sense to me at all.
Of course its not a foul and the ultimate proof of that is that in the reverse situation and the defender is the stronger individual resulting in the attacking player being knocked over there wouldn’t be a penalty awarded !!!
That decision is actually worse than the Iwata penalty against Hearts last year which I didn’t think would be possible – the whole point of VAR is to ensure horrendous decisions don’t occur due to the on field officials only having split-second views of incidents – not for VAR to spend ages reviewing incidents trying to find reasons to make horrendous decisions!!
I watched the game on Saturday in the pub with 5 mates who are all English (3 Man U fans, a Liverpool fan and a Bolton fan) and they LOVE ripping the proverbial out of Celtic when they’re on the telly (simply to wind me up NOT because they are anti-Celtic/Catholic/Irish/Scottish etc) and everyone of them to a man said the decision was utterly ridiculous and then one of them summed it up perfectly with the statement – “I know Scottish football’s a joke but I didn’t realise the referees were the comedians”
You just new when Alan Muir was on VAR there would be multiple check’s on any goal’s that Celtics scored.Him and Dallas should be nowhere near our games as well as being incompetent they are are cheat’s and everybody know’s it except our board who as usual say nothing.
Totally agree James. Just watched sky ask the ref and they actually asked if it should have been a red card for Trusty. Incredible.
Spot on James…I commented on Sat night, saying how bizarre the decision was at the time, and fully concur with your article, and M Stewart’s reliably erudite assessment at the time.
We continue to comment on the issues, that ensure the usage and operators of VAR in Scotland and its impartiality will always be questioned.
We also continually beat the drum, that our club should be agitating for complete change in the governance of our game, and absolute transparency in refereeing standards & use of VAR. Especially whilst we continue to dominate domestically, and cannot be accused of sour grapes!
There are still too many question marks over the competence of our on field officials and VAR operatives, and that is a continually sad & pitiful indictment on our game and what most Celtic fans have believed for decades.
The recent resignation of Mr Moss, just adds to the overall perception that our game’s governance is woefully amateurish, substandard, and in tandem with the officiating, very highly questionable!!!!!
We all hoped that post Hearts game last season and the subsequent outcome, that our board may have started to push for more reform and a better overall package.
From a fan’s perspective, there are still too many ‘honest mistakes,’ occurring, and lack of consistency!
We can only hope that this may improve. HH
I watch the game most weeks with my son as I’m unable to go for various reasons and my son has a young family my beautiful grandkids it’s hard to concentrate sometimes when my youngest granddaughter is either showing me her latest dance moves or performing her gymnastic prowess on Saturday we had a day to watch the game in peace until maedas goal was disallowed ma Bhoy went nuts ! And rightly so we both discuss these dodgy decisions against Celtic because there are a lot he maintains that one day it will matter and I totally agree the hearts game being a fine example but we won’t be four or five up every game we play Celtic goals seem to be scrutinised more than any other team’s and we play and it will hurt us big time if the board don’t speak up the rules are the rules and should not be made any different because the powers that be hate us with a passion big jock said we do it on the park ! A wise wise man indeed but things have to be challenged
This has become a pattern of late. Against the Huns, our first goal was ruled out. Same again on Saturday. We’re the officials hoping to disrupt our game? That worked well for them, didn’t it? As for Lawwell? A true blue Hun who has made a fortune at Celtic FC, despite being incompetent, at best. At worst? He has given both Ibrox clubs a helping hand at every turn.
Hail Hail.
Sick to death of VAR analysing every goal to see if the attacker’s toenail was offside. I thought it was supposed to be only used for clear and obvious errors and there’s no shortage of them with our refs.
So there we have it then…
Mulgrew is The latest in a long line of soup taking bastards then !