Brendan Rodgers will have to attend an SFA hearing into Bringing the Game into Disrepute on March 28, two matches before Celtic go to Ibrox.
Comments by the Celtic manager on March 3 away to Hearts have prompted the charge, within 30 hours of the final whistle an appeal against the red card shown to Yang Hyun-jun in the same match had been heard and rejected by the SFA.
As ever there is no reason or explanation given to the timeline which could result in a touchline ban for Rodgers, the first match after the hearing is away to Livingston which is followed by a trip to Ibrox in a pivotal SPFL clash.
Having quickly dismissed Yang’s appeal it is hard to see the SFA listening to and accepting Rodgers’ version of events which were aimed at the role and competence of John Beaton on VAR duty.
As well as Yang’s sending off the Celtic boss gave detailed criticism of the decision to award a penalty against Tomoki Iwata which was prompted by Beaton with match referee Don Robertson going along with his colleagues interpretation.
Rodgers was highly critical of the match officials in his post match interviews from Tynecastle:
My feeling is that the game was decided by the officials, on the field and outside of the field.
You guys (the media) will know me long enough to know that I don’t really comment on officials – they make mistakes and whatever else – but today that felt like really really poor officiating.
The first one is the sending off when there is no force. Show a still image of that and of course you will see a foot up with the head near it, but it’s not the reality of the move.
Don Robertson actually got it right on the field. It was a high boot, so it’s a yellow card – no malice or force.
For John Beaton to actually look at that in VAR, supposedly under no pressure, and say that was a sending off, I find that incredible.
The second one (Hearts’ penalty) is worse. If you have a penalty go against you for that then there will be penalties every single weekend and midweek.
I don’t know what he (Iwata) is supposed to do. Tomo is jumping, he got a nudge, he is coming down, the ball falls on to his arm and there is no intention to move.
Then you get the penalty against and he gets the chance to look at it and see it. That really left us with an uphill task in the game but credit to my players, they kept going, their keeper has made a few good saves.
But it was a poor day for the officials. I try to respect decisions and give the benefit of the doubt, but when I see that level of incompetence, which is the only word I can use, then that makes me worry for the game.
Other than the standard ‘surprised and disappointed’ statement following Yang’s appeal being rejected there has been no further comment from Celtic on the events at Tynecastle.
Yang will be suspended for the Scottish Cup tie at home to Livingston on Sunday and the SPFL match against St Johnstone on March 16. Rodgers is expected to hold a media conference on Friday.
CLICK HERE for full SFA carge against Brendan Rodgers.
CLICK HERE for Celtic Supporters Association chief calls out Beaton for blatant cheating.
CLICK HERE for Celtic’s two statements on John Beaton.
CLICK HERE for You Don’t Know What You’re Doing over Beaton’s Joe Hart red card.
