As the football world gets dragged along to be put on trial in front of the Scottish Council at Holyrood today the SFA stand in the dock as much as either club.
The governing body of the game is expected to provide governance and guidance across the sport but that has been sadly lacking from the powers that be at Hampden Park.
The increasingly tiresome President Peat was quick to condemn Scotland fans for booing a national anthem earlier this season but hasn’t uttered a word following last Wednesday’s Scottish Cup tie at Celtic Park.
Reports that Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf will escape further punishment despite manhandling and openly challenging Calum Murray turn the focus once again onto what sort of organisation that SFA are.
In this morning’s newspapers Richard Gough makes a predictable plea to leave things to ‘the football people’.
Despite seeing Bougherra twice man-handle Calum Murray and Diouf totally direspect and disregard the referee there is no sign of any punishment coming from Hampden.
Bougherra and Diouf both played for Rangers in Sunday’s win over St Mirren and it appears that they won’t be punished until January of next year when Rangers enter the fourth round of The Scottish Cup.
It’s unlikely that there is a bookmaker in the land willing to lay odds on both players still being on the Rangers payroll by that stage.
The morning after Celtic’s victory SFA Chief Stewart Regan was quick to issue a statement of condemnation but has failed to follow that up with any action against those involved.
“I honestly believe that football should be regulated by football people,” Gough claims.
If only they were capable of doing that Richard.
“Football matters should be dealt with by football people. I don’t think talks with politicians will make any difference.
“Last Wednesday was just a case of history repeating itself. The government shouldn’t be involved at all.
“The referee and the SFA are the ones who should handle this and I thought that referee Calum Murray was terrific.
“He might have made a mistake in sending Steven Whittaker off but the players gave him no help whatsoever.
“The ref at the Liverpool v Manchester United match, Phil Dowd, stayed out of it when it was all kicking off and it calmed down very quickly. Maybe Calum could have done that before he sent off Madjid Bougherra.
“If he’d done that, would the players have chased him? As it was, the players embarrassed themselves.
“With the next game a cup final and less than a fortnight away there is a worry that it could all kick off again.
“The players will be under pressure to behave but so much resentment builds up when you play each other so often. Plus everyone you meet keeps telling you that you can’t lose the next one.
“The supporters put the pressure on the players but that’s what makes them such big clubs.”
Hearts winger Saulius Mikoliunas was given a five match ban for raising his hands to Andy Davis during a Hearts-Rangers match in 2005.
If five match bans were handed out to Bougherra and Diouf the chances of seeing players raising their hands or trying to prevent referees from issuring cards would disappear overnight.
Today’s talking shop at Holyrood will attract a media circus from throughout the UK after making national news last week.
An announcement of clear guidelines and punishments from the SFA after the meeting today would go a long way to ‘putting football people’ back in charge of the game after last week’s neglect from the authorities
The cold shouldering of Willie Collum
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NO CHANCE JOE UNFORTUNATELY
The Hertz players ban was reduced to three on appeal and it wasn’t just raising his hands, he had to be held back from getting at the linesman and was overly aggressive.
“he might have made a mistake sending off steven whittaker” You havin a laugh??? He was lucky to have lasted that long!!!
So what dick is saying, is that if referees left rainjurs players alone, and let them do as they please on the park, they wouldn’t have to book them!!
HUNbelievable!!
Easily done though!
Just give disgraced dallas his job back and turn the clock back 2yrs.