Celtic have turned the spotlight on the SFA by asking for an explanation over yesterday’s penalty controversy at Hampden.
The joint decision between Steven McLean and Alan Muir has left Scottish football as a laughing stock as English based broadcasters look at the incident with amazement.
While it might be a funny incident from a banana republic it is no laughing matter for Celtic fans who forked out more money than any of the other Scottish Cup semi-finalists only to leave Hampden feeling that their club had been robbed.
Honest mistakes are part and parcel of the game but in some instances they go that step too far. Like the penalty farce at Ibrox in September 2010 when Tony Mowbray was in charge or the Dougiegate incident at Tannadice a year later, yesterday’s penalty incident was a step too far.
If the SFA wish to salvage something from the incident McLean and Muir must be taken out of top level matches until they can demonstrate a consistent level of competence.
Yesterday’s officials either failed to spot the incident or for reasons best known to themselves witnessed it but decided not to give Celtic a penalty and order off Josh Meekings.
Tonight a statement from Celtic read: “WITH the Club being inundated today, Celtic can confirm that it has written to the SFA regarding yesterday’s match and in particular the incident involving Leigh Griffiths and Josh Meekings.
“First and foremost we absolutely congratulate Inverness Caledonian Thistle on reaching the Scottish Cup final. They are a fantastic club and reaching the final is a great achievement.
“However, given the level of reaction from our supporters and across football, we are duty bound to seek an understanding of what actually happened.
“We have not been given any other specific explanation so far and this is simply to understand the circumstances of what went on and why such an obvious error was made.”
The ball is now in the court of the SFA, it’s up to Stewart Regan to justify yesterday’s incident.
Tomorrow the SFA will announce the officials for this weekends fixtures, all eyes will be looking out to see where McLean and Muir are appointed to.
If both men are allowed to continue at the top level it sends out the wrong message to all aspiring officials, by sending them down the divisions they can continue to referee at a level appropriate to their ability.
Ordinary run of the mill mistakes are a part of the game however unfortunate, yesterday was different with a showpiece match spoiled by two officials- neither of whom should ever be allowed near any match of significance.
