Since last night it has became abundantly clear that we suffered from a horrendous VAR decision. You don’t expect to see those kinds of calls when your team is competing in European competitions. And yet, here we are. Some will say this proves that foreign officials can be just as bad as their Scottish counterparts—just as prone to favouring so-called bigger teams.
Of course, these are two separate issues.
Scotland has its own unique set of circumstances and, consequently, its own unique set of problems. But it’s evident that there are officials elsewhere in the world every bit as bad as the ones we complain about at home. Unfortunately, we got stuck with one of them last night in the match referee.
I thought it was one of the most abject performances I’ve seen from a non-Scottish official in a long, long time. The reaction on social media afterwards confirmed that my impression from inside the stadium was shared by plenty of those watching at home. And it wasn’t just about the penalty decision—though that was bad enough—it was his general decision-making throughout the match.
I’ve watched the penalty incident several times now, and it’s clear as day. The number of ex-officials from across Europe who have weighed in and said the same is definitive proof that it should have been given.
It came early enough in the second half that we would have stood a real chance of getting something from the game—if we’d scored it, of course. But Engels has been pretty reliable from the spot, and I’d have backed him to put it away.
That said, we’re not going to indulge in the hard-luck story. We don’t do that. I thought we played very well last night. We were disciplined, our approach was measured, and we deserved to take something from the match. But we didn’t show enough attacking intent at key moments, and that, more than anything, cost us. We certainly can’t blame the officials entirely.
Still, it looked like an open-and-shut case, and you have to wonder why the referee decided against awarding it. It’s hard to escape the impression that he simply favoured the bigger team, as officials sometimes do.
One inevitable consequence of this will be people telling us that Scottish officials aren’t so bad after all. But the truth is, we are woefully behind much of Europe in terms of overall refereeing standards. You see it clearly in Collum’s YouTube show, where every episode seems to highlight two or three major mistakes.
Maybe these mistakes have always been happening, and the technology just draws more attention to them. But it certainly feels like we’re seeing an awful lot of them. And the systems meant to improve standards don’t seem to be having much of an effect. The fact that so few SFA officials are deemed competent to handle Champions League games is pretty telling.
Last night was just a bad night at the office for the officials, and we’re not about to get a UEFA version of the Willie Collum television show. UEFA issued a statement attempting to clarify the decision, but I don’t think it brought much clarity at all. And that explanation has already been refuted by several ex-referees.
We have no recourse here—no more than Queen’s Park did after the farcical penalty at Ibrox, which should never have been given. That one ended up in the back of the net, though at least it gave us one of the best TV moments we’ve enjoyed in years.
This just proves that bad officials exist in every corner of the footballing world, making baffling decisions that no one can explain. UEFA will stand by their man, and he won’t face any direct punishment. But when their refereeing chiefs review this, they’ll see it for what it was—a huge error that merited a response, even if we’ll never know what that response is.
The important thing is that our players remained focused once the game was out of the way. What impressed me most was how they refused to let their frustration get the better of them on the night.
They stayed disciplined, got on with the job, and carried themselves like professionals. That’s the difference between us and the club across the city. We don’t let these things become excuses. We rise above them. And that’s exactly why we’re the more disciplined, more successful team.
Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images
The other night we put up our latest podcast. Recorded just after the Ibrox club went crashing out of the cup, we called it They’re Simply Depressed.
Totally agree James. He won’t receive any direct punishment but I’ll be surprised if he is given a match next week or even the next round.
The fact we didn’t shout for it but the VAR officials caught it sheds some rare positive light on the people running the system but I feel the referees ego ruled over logic in making that decision. He was so focused on whether the Bayern player got the ball first he ignored the follow through on Engels.
I’m not sure on the exact rule on it as it’s been a somewhat mixed reaction from Celtic supporters to the non award…
But yep – Probably never gettin it versus the likes of Bayern Munich !
Giving a goal kick when it was a corner to us in the idah tackle and then doing the opposite of giving them a corner when blatantly it was a goal kick for us .
I watched the match with my nephew, who said UEFA will “fix this” (challenge to the big cash rich clubs) by reverting to the previous format from next season.
I replied that they’ve started fixing it now to ensure the “top” teams get through to the last eight.
Anyone who thinks that last night was down to a poor individual performance from the referee, rather than part of an overall strategy, is projecting naivety into a new level.
My words at the stadium were, “ we’ll definitely not get this penalty, because we are playing Bayern Munich!”’
The ref duly obliged…
I find it really sad and a tad deflating, that we’ve all warmly applauded this new format and how it lends itself for the so called ‘ small fry’ to advance !
Yet, putting all that aside, UEFA are still fully invested in their “elite clubs” reaching the closing stages of their Premier event !
It’s bad enough to witness the greed and avarice that flows through these leagues, without the assistance of incompetent officials. The referee at the YB’s game was equally as dreadful !!!
Maybe I’m an old dinosaur, but I can certainly look back and admire when football was a relatively level playing field, and not completely permeated with the greed that we currently witness!!!
We can only keep faith with our own club, and hope that they will ( attempt to) speculate in quality, to allow us more nights like these.
So that we can continue to moan at the officials and their ineptitude! lol HH
Gerry, as long as we play in the SPL we will never attract the top players, it’s that simple. It’s not all about splashing the cash and even the decent players we do manage to get, they merely see us as a stepping stone to a bigger league. We are unfortunately stuck with that scenario and we can only hope that some day we can tupe over to a better league ourselves, a European one perhaps if it ever materialises. Until then we are Donald Ducked.
Agree, a European League of 4 divisions with a pyramid system, it would probably have to start without the English clubs as they would cling onto the belief that the EPL is the best league in the World. Market forces would eventually bring them on board.
It will happen but still quite a number of years down the line.
Until it comes we’ve got to keep ourselves relevant in European football by continually competing in the Champions League and under the new system, making it into the last 16 regularly.
Johnny,
Agree with your point and I’ve said as much in some of my previous posts.
However, it’s not just about splashing the cash that will allow us to continually progress.
It’s about our club, with others, ringing the bell for changes to the governance of our game and the massive benefits that would bring to our league and all the clubs within.
Stronger teams mean a stronger league, better competition for us, and more fans returning to ALL grounds. This then raises the profile, brings in more revenue via sponsorship and TV deals.
Presently, our game is ran by amateurs and that needs to change !
I’ve no problem with our club being a stepping stone to other leagues,for those quality players we!aspire to bring in, but it’s hugely important that we have the top men in positions throughout our club to ensure progression is in place, and we can at least always give a good account of ourselves in Europe.
Domestically, we have reigned supreme, and we all continually applaud that…Fiscally,the same applies!
However, our present board never appear as if they want to push the boat out that extra few feet, to help the manager maximise our chances in Europe!
This new format, if it remains in place, is a breath of fresh air, and suits the underdogs like ourselves!
Firstly, we have to negotiate the tricky qualifiers, and if we can, further riches await!
Our search for quality, to have us prepared for that , should now be in full swing !
SPL or not, we have the finances to take our club forward on the field, and there are no excuses for tardiness or unwillingness to do so, this summer ! HH
It’s incredible, when you read the ibrox fan, barkin stuff, on social media. Accusin all the Scottish officials of bein ‘pro- Celtic’ now isnae good enough. They suggest that we don’t ‘get away with it’ in Europe, because it isnt Scottish officials. That tae them, is their ‘proof’. Comin from that lot, that really is about as crackpot hypocritical as it gets. Imagine them, of all people, shoutin about bias from officials because they don’t get everythin their own way and ANY decision we get, is analysed, disected and met with loony suspicion. It’s beyond a joke. Their twisted, messed up psyche, doesnae have any bounds.
Kevcelt59 – Wallow Wallow is off the scale with this type of stuff…
However – I cannot resist a Daily Lurk – Definitely when they’re in the shit they’re in these days for sure…
Definitely more truths in there than what James and The Celtic Blog will find as they dissect The Scummy’s of The Scummy Scottish Football Media for sure…
There’s a thread well worth a look suggesting Sevco are the biggest club in Scotland…
It’s well worth goin thru all the comments…
The Original poster is truly castigated to the high heavens for his suggestion and 90% have chased him and openly admitted that Celtic are the biggest in every sphere possible –
THE PENNY HAS FINALLY FUCKIN DROPPED OVER THERE AT LIEBROX !!!
James, do you think the referees orange shirt and socks had any bearing on how he treated us. Just asking like? 🙂
I think the penalty decision had a bit of big/small team about it in the ref’s unconscious bias – can think of no other reason given that VAR saw enough to ask him to take a look. I dare say fans of other clubs in Scotland might say “welcome to our world…”
The fact that we are a little disappointed tells its own story. Still, I think we are in a better position than Man City for going through.
To J for me is how the players view this competition and what it means for the attractiveness of clubs like our own (Club Bruges, PSV, etc). Do we become more attractive than mid tier premier league clubs who will never be able to offer the experience of 8-12 UCL games a season? Will it allow players to get their “big move” directly from Celtic rather than stepping stone clubs like Brentford and Crystal Palace (and dare I say Brighton)? In parallel do we need to recalibrate our wage structure – not to go mad but to make players consider the total package more carefully?
Sorry, poor typing… should say “ To Johnny Green’s point for me it is…
And I couldn’t help but notice Ajax, Roma, Porto, Real Sociedad and Fenerbahce all playing tonight in the lesser competitions. All clubs with big histories – we are not owed a living! And kudos to Shamrock Rovers!
Yep – Brilliant result for The Dublin Hoops indeed !
3-0 to Fenerbahce v Anderlecht…
Sevco are fucked if they draw them in March –
Probably Bye Bye Fillipe Fillop thereafter !