Derek McInnes is still upset about a non-penalty decision at Hampden seven months ago.
Trailing 1-0 to Celtic with a few minutes left to play in the Viaplay Cup semi-final Joe Wright backed into Giorgos Giakoumakis then fell to the ground taking the Celtic substitute with him.
Willie Collum didn’t see anything in the penalty claim, neither did Greg Aitken on VAR, a few minutes later Gioakoumakis scored at the other end to book Celtic’s place in the final on their way to a Treble.
That decision wasn’t the only controversy in the match but for a certain agenda it was very convenient. The previous week Ange Postecoglou had discussed three VAR decisions that had gone against Celtic with that interview coming a few days after Connor Goldson’s double handball at Ibrox.
🔊 LISTEN: “Nothing will change my mind that we should’ve had a penalty kick in the last minute of the game”.
🔹 Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes admits he still feels aggrieved by their Viaplay Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic last season ahead of their clash this weekend. pic.twitter.com/h9cKJOAvjb
— Clyde 1 Superscoreboard (@ClydeSSB) August 17, 2023
After the Hampden controversy Keith Jackson told Daily Record readers:
No wonder boss Derek McInnes couldn’t hide his frustration afterwards even though deep down he knew his side –despite performing stoically over 90 minutes – had ultimately been seen off by superior quality opposition.
McInnes could not question the commitment nor the application of his own players who emptied their collective tank in a superhuman effort to take Celtic all the way. But he did make a point of blaming Willie Collum and his helpers for falling to spot a blatant penalty when Giorgos Giakoumakis bear hugged Joe Wright in the dying seconds of injury time. And he was correct. It was a spot-kick all day long.
This, indeed, is where the roll out of the latest technology has done little more for our game than shine a light on the deficiencies of those entrusted with making the big decisions.
Collum ought not to have needed a replay or a word in his shell like from the man holding the remote control. That he failed to see what was happening in front of his very own nose is staggering enough.
But when such inexplicable errors of judgement are then reviewed by another set of eyes in slow motion and from various different angles, only for the same unfathomable blunder to be made for a second time? That sort of slapstick stuff merely confirms what many of us have suspected all along. Not that Scottish football harbours some deep rooted, sinister conspiracy plot.
Aitken from Kilmarnock, a former pupil at Kilmarnock Academy was on VAR- what more could McInnes and Jackson ask for to review Collum’s decision on the pitch?
I remember, from the same game, the Hatate goal that was disallowed and the handball that played it to Hatate that wasn’t given as a penalty.
Also remember the Maeda goal that was disallowed from the same game. https://t.co/ALzcSbeASb pic.twitter.com/wRzmfn0INB
— Lint (@Zeshankenzo) August 17, 2023
McInnes’ complaints has taken attention away from Kilmarnock’s impressive start to the season.
Killie have yet to concede a goal after being given a tough start with a visit from Micky Beale’s Galacticos followed by an away day against Hearts.
Without the destructive influence of Kyle Lafferty Kilmarnock have a better balance with a very strong defence based around former Celts Robbie Deas and Stewart Findlay.
That new look team, confidence in the ranks and the horrors of the plastic pitch should certainly prove a leveller and give Celtic a far tougher test than last season when they won 5-0 and 4-1 on route to the SPFL title.
Ange Postecoglou managed to find a style of play that worked on the plastic pitch but Brendan Rodgers had more difficulty coping with that surface.
In his last visit to Kilmarnock it took a very late and very memorable goal from Scott Brown to secure a win for Celtic, within a fortnight Rodgers was in charge of Leicester City.
