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Is it time for Hugh Dallas to make a big decision?

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Hugh Dallas

After talking blundering referee Brian Winter out of retirement perhaps Hugh Dallas might wish to consider his own position.

As Head of Referee Development at the SFA the buck surely stops with the man from Bonkle who is never happier than when the spotlight is on himself.

Winter’s failure to equate two yellow cards with one red for St Johnstone’s Stevie Anderson has again highlighted the failings of Scottish referees.

With ‘highlights’ of the game available on the BBC website fans throughout the UK can look in and judge the quality of Winter and his assistants for themselves.

Refereeing controversies are part of the game but too often in Scotland their mistakes go beyond the borderline judgement and bring the game into disrepute- as the fans witnessed at Tannadice on Saturday.

Last season former Motherwell manager Jim Gannon voiced some very public criticism of referees then really turned up the heat by suggesting that the mistakes by referee Craig Thomson in the opening derby match of the season could end up costing Celtic the title.

Rangers won the championship by six points.

Gannon was especially upset by the contempt that his complaints were treated with, a letter to the Motherwell secretary being preferred to a man to man phone call from Dallas.

After going public with his criticism of Dallas’s attitude the man in black struck back.

He said: “After days of intense media attention, caused by an unwelcome level of personal criticism and vilification, I feel I have no alternative but to respond in the hope that the focus can return to football.

“I am astonished by the personal attacks made by Jim Gannon, which have questioned my honesty and integrity, and wish to set the record straight on the chain of events that have created an air of tension and negativity.”

Dallas then went on to give a thoroughly boring blow by blow account of how the SFA track letters before becoming personal on the then Motherwell boss.

He added: “I am also insulted by Mr Gannon’s latest dispatch to the media, in which he stated, ‘The question for Hugh Dallas is ‘what is it that he gets paid for?’

“The type of adverse media coverage generated by Mr Gannon – which is extremely uncommon in Scottish football – has a negative effect on the confidence of referees and is counter-productive. His dissection of refereeing decisions involving Craig Thomson, one of Uefa’s elite referees, is wholly unnecessary.

“Finally, I find it staggering that Mr Gannon did not feel compelled to open two letters from the Scottish FA before conducting his latest media conference.”

The pesky Gannon soon quit Scottish football and it’s fair to say that he hasn’t been missed by Motherwell who turned to Craig Brown as successor.

Later in the season Dallas admitted: “If I am being honest, I would say this has been a disappointing season with some disappointing decisions which I wish we didn’t have to analyse and talk about.

“We examine these in detail at the Referee Development Department and the first question we always ask is ‘Why?’”

As any commentator or journalist will admit blowing your own trumpet is just asking for trouble.

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After a fairly low key start to the season, ignoring Alan McGregor’s playacting in the Hibs-Rangers clash, Dallas couldn’t wait to go on record to congratulate himself and how well his officials had been performing.

One particular area that he was pleased with was the greater role being played by fourth officials in ensuring that justice is done.

Highlighting incidents at two of last week’s Co-Operative Cup ties Dallas boasted to the SFA website: “These incidents this week have highlighted the benefit of giving the fourth official greater responsibility during a match. It was made clear that video technology would not be used at this stage so I think it helps the referee to have some extra vigilance from the fourth official.

“You see it across the country now, fourth officials concentrating on the match action, and this is a positive development for the game.

“We will never be complacent – there will undoubtedly be incidents that are not seen or not acted on – but it is important everyone understands and acknowledges the benefit of the fourth officials’ new, more active role.

“It has required a change in mentality for the fourth officials. It is pleasing to see them willing to step forward and getting involved if they are convinced they had a better view of an incident or if they witnessed something the referee and his assistants did not.”

As Arthur Monford used to say ‘oh dear oh dear oh dear’.

If only Brian Winter and his fellow officials at Tannadice on Saturday at the Dundee United-St Johnstone match had been reading the words of their leader.

One man making a mistake is forgivable, when his two assistants and a fourth official are also unable to confirm whether Stevie Anderson had previously been booked it’s time to ask some serious questions about the overall competency of officials.

After talking Winter out of retirement it’s believed that he’ll be kept out of the spotlight in the coming weeks- away from the television cameras.

Perhaps Dallas should shoulder some responsibility and consider what sort of job he is doing with the standard of refereeing in Scotland falling season by season.

Supporters of Basel and Bayern Munich can look forward to their Champions League tie being refereed by Craig Thomson- the referee that Gannon referred to when highlighting the poor standards of refereeing.

If Thomson repeats the sort of decision making that he showed at Ibrox last October there will be no hiding place from the fans of Basel and Bayern.

The standing of Scottish referees in the eyes of UEFA and FIFA has never been lower- with Dallas calling the shots it’s going to be a long long time before another Scottish referee gets close to officiating at the World Cup or European Championships.

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0 comments

  • Carntyne says:

    You needn’t worry about Craig Thomson refereeing the Basel/Bayern game.

    Just as long as Rangers aren’t involved there’s a decent chance he will referee the game evenhandedly.

  • Mike Bhoyle says:

    If ever proof were needed that “jobs for the boys” rules at the SFA…..
    Dallas has history when it comes to Celtic and the Dark Side….he should not be in this job…..
    it’s a disgrace that he is….
    end of………..

  • Donnie Bhoy says:

    Does anyone else notice the startling resemblance of Hugh Dallas and The Trinity Killer from Dexter. Its uncanny.

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