What an odd little football environment we have here at times.
Yesterday, the Diomande red card for the Ibrox club provoked the usual shrieks of outrage from across the city and their demented manager. The footage doesn’t exactly show a murder being committed; there’s not much there.
No much, that is, except for the only things that matter: the raised hand and the attempted slap.
And really, that’s all the news that’s fit to print.
The SFA released a statement after the game in their usual way which is only reserved for controversies involving Ibrox, knowing there’d be an outcry.
It clarified why Nick Walsh initially sent the player off, went to the monitor, and then upheld his own decision. It doesn’t matter if you make contact or not. It doesn’t matter if it’s forceful or not. The attempt alone warrants a red card.
As usual, the broadcasting studio was full of Ibrox apologists or those too worried about keeping their jobs to speak freely. Chris Sutton, the lone voice of reason, took advantage of The Village Idiot’s latest minor meltdown to ask the obvious: should we allow players to slap out at each other?
It’s a valid question, but given some of the ludicrous things we’ve seen in Scottish football, maybe some people do think that’s acceptable.
The studio’s fixation on whether this would qualify as “violent conduct” on the streets of Glasgow was laughable.
If someone did that to you in a pub, you’d kick them halfway to the car park and drag them the rest of the way. There’s no ambiguity about the intention in such cases and you’d act accordingly.
Clement, ever prickly, decided to lash out at a Sky journalist who dared to ask him about the incident. His reaction says it all—a man who doesn’t take setbacks well. Sure, they got the result yesterday, but losing the player to a ban is surely not what they wanted, especially considering their squad’s glaring weaknesses.
Violent conduct carries an automatic two-match ban, doesn’t it?
The so-called referees’ podcast with Conroy and his mate was equally baffling.
Right after the game, they couldn’t wait to point out that the SFA wouldn’t retract the ban because it was technically within the letter of the law, while also insisting it wasn’t a red card in their view. If it’s within the law, how can it not be a red card? It’s a bizarre contradiction and a perfect encapsulation of the absurdity here.
Now we’re in for days of hysteria over a single decision because Ibrox is stamping its feet and certain hacks don’t seem to understand—or care—what the rule book says. Some even seem to believe the rule book shouldn’t apply universally. If that’s the case, why bother having one at all?
The notion of “common sense” will be dragged into this, but only as a smokescreen. It’s like someone arguing they’re fine to drive after two glasses of wine, technically over the limit but feeling okay.
“Hey, I know you’ve pulled me over, I know your wee machine there says I’ve had too much to drink, but look at me, I’m obviously fine … show a bit of common sense here, eah?”
Everyone wants to talk about common sense when it suits them, especially when it’s Ibrox on the receiving end of the rules.
Here’s a thought: how’s this for common sense; how about applying the rules equally to all clubs, no matter how inconvenient it might be for one team?
Because once you start talking about “common sense” as a replacement for the actual rules, you’re just asking for chaos. That’s the slippery slope—rules applied when convenient, ignored when not.
The real question here is this: why did VAR call Nick Walsh over?
By the rule book, his initial decision was 100% correct. So, where was the clear and obvious error? Why challenge his interpretation when the rules were clear?
To his credit, Walsh stood firm, and the SFA, rightly, backed him.
Of course, Ibrox will appeal.
Of course, the mainstream media will rally behind them, banging the drum loudly over the next few days. But no amount of noise can change the footage: the player clearly raises his hands and attempts a slap.
That’s all there is to it.
The arguments about “common sense” and “it wouldn’t be violent conduct on the street” are just distractions, smoke and mirrors to obscure what’s really going on and what these Peepul are really demanding; chaos. Throw the rules out and let anarchy reign, so long as it benefits the club from Ibrox and their lunatic manager.
Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group via Getty Images
I’m only too ready to castigate that mob at every opportunity, but too be honest here, I think it was a handbags scenario and a yellow card would have been enough. The fall out from it though is succulent to say the least, their sense of entitlement prompting their rage and over reaction as per usual. For that alone it was worth the red card.
James – you missed out the third element here: raised hand, attempted slap and then he ran away (is that what they meant when they said they didn’t do walking away?). The player knew immediately he was in trouble for his actions and tried to flee the scene.
Credit to Nick Walsh here for applying the rules. As you say, why did VAR call him over. Whoever was in charge I trust Willie Collin has him in for extra homework this week – compared to other sports (golf, rugby, cricket) the rules of football are pretty straightforward and not voluminous, is it too much to ask to have players, officials, managers and pundits who actually understand them?
“Why did VAR call him over” –
Because Don Robertson called him over…
An official who if a player openly stabbed another one on the field of play (from any team across the board by the way) would be reluctant to do anything about it…
He’s probably not the most pro Liebrox official out there but his leniency for thuggery is off the bloody scale !
And on the subject of their appeal – isn’t there some jeopardy in making spurious appeals? I seem to think this was previously the case to avoid tactical appeals to keep players available?
Didn’t all these clowns ie the village idiot, these two attention seeking ex referees and all the ibrox apologists want Alistair Johnston sent off the other week for a nudge?
That’s Nick Walsh taken over from Collum as public enemy number one in their eyes. I just hope Collum holds his nerve as the attacks from Ibrox and their media fans on the referees will get worse, especially if the laws of the game are implemented fairly across the board a I think that’s what Collum is aiming for.
Willie Collum as a referee made mistakes, but they were fairly evenly balanced and the Ibrox mob hated him for it.
So the ibrox clubs fans commit acts of violence and nothing is said by the media.
Now the media is saying that acts of violence by their players should also be ignored .
What a pathetic bunch of neanderthals their players and supporters are .
The police should be involved in this but we know they are only there to protect big business , banks and whatever iteration plays out of ibrox..
These peepul have and will always disgust me
Scotland shame right enough ,
I also think clement should be banished to the stands fir a while, another fuckin blight on scottish football .
CUNTS
Attempted burglary carries a sentence, attempted murder carries a sentence. It says violent conduct not an act of violence.
They really are deluded, next they’ll be claiming the world is flat and they didn’t go into administration and get liquidised in 2012 – surely not even the dead are that stoooopid
its ironic this thug who has previous for far worse gets a red card and it it is a red by the way . his assaults on johnson and hatate were stonewall reds and hardly got any media scrutiny.
Wouldn’t be violent conduct in the street, FFS!!! Clemente should have a meet with the SFA booked every monday morning he always has something to criticise and can do so with impunity it seems.
He is an embarrassment to football management. The Klan deserve these Roasters!!
I’m not sure who was on VAR but my assumption is they will be in the hot seat for the next derby game & my second assumption is that Nick Walsh has just removed his name from the pot for that fixture by sticking to his guns & correctly standing by his decision.
“what’s the officer problem?” “I thought this was America!”. This classic Randy Marsh scene reminds me of the rangers in this article.
Is there anything else is happening at the moment that could be a reason for another great distraction? Do they need a side fight with the authorities to feed their sense of entitlement and superiority or cover the fact they are skint with a transfer window deadline approaching.
Ye’ll be hard pushed tae find a mob who, shout, scream, bitch and moan, when everythin doesn’t go their way like they do. Every single incident, or debatable decision against them, is met with hysterical accusations and assumptions. It’s only since officials have been under more scrutiny and the ibrox team have been gettin away with less, they’ve suddenly become the enemy and ‘obviously’ pro – Celtic, with a corrupt approach towards ibrox. It’s more ‘comfortable’ for their twisted mindset, tae go down that road, than accept that we’re so much ahead of them legitimately and fairly. Fuckin unreal.
“Violent conduct is when a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.”
There is absolutely no grounds for appeal. He tried to hit him and missed. It’s violent conduct. A great spot by Walsh and a decision the SFA must stand by.