Once Borna Barisic, Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent were signed Gerrard’s Starting XI was very settled, strangely their on field discipline improved from the worst in the SPFL Premiership to the best. Red cards going from eight to 0, yellows from 48 to 26.
Imagine the boost Celtic’s title hopes would get it John Beaton and Don Robertson were removed from their rota for the eight remaining matches?
I have to say I think this is a very common sense decision. When you look at that, it strikes his arm, he is on the goal line, he has no chance of avoiding that. It is kicked from two or three yards.
It’s likely one or both positions will be filled by suitable people without any prior connection to Scottish football.
A quick skim shows that the 3.5 seasons before Crawford Allan took over as head of Refs, Celtic had 5 penalties awarded v Rangers, under C Allan Celtic have had zero pens v Rangers.
Alan Muir, David Dickinson, Steven McLean and John Beaton are now getting additional appointments with the role of referee, Fourth Official or VAR out of bounds for Collum.
Strangely, last night they remained silent with no explanation over the VAR review and the decision not to award Celtic a penalty. In a tight title race goal difference could be a factor at the end of the season.
With Crawford Allan limiting himself to one staged interview a year and SFA Chief Ian Maxwell in a near permanent state of hiding the standard of refereeing and accountability is at an all-time low.
It’s disappointing. The refs have a hard job, but I think it was nearly a leg-breaker so he caught me quite high.
The list is endless but with a concentration last week against Hearts Rodgers called things out while remaining diplomatic about the judgement of the VAR official from the Crown Bar in Bellshill. Many Celtic fans have far stronger comments on Beaton.