Kenny Clark labels the SFA embarrassing, ridiculous and cowardly
The former Grade 1 referee acted as an unofficial mouthpiece for referees during their strike action last year and squarely laid the blame for that at the door of Celtic.
Tuesday’s decision not to suspend Madjid Bougherra or El Hadji-Diouf has shocked the refereeing community with the SFA washing their hands of supporting referees.
Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist was delighted to win his appeal against his two match touchline ban with Clark amazed by the actions of the SFA.
He told The Sun: “The decision by the SFA’s disciplinary committee to only fine the Rangers players a pittance in their terms was laughable, embarrassing, ridiculous and cowardly.
“My day job is a defence lawyer but had I come out of court with the sort of result Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf got on Tuesday I think I’d have retired- it wouldn’t get any better than that.
“It was simply breathtaking and dreadful for all levels of the game. Open season has also been declared for any player being ordered off to grab the ref’s arm or hand. Is that really the sort of unedifying spectacle the SFA are inviting us to have?
“I’ve tried to to make sense of it all but I just can’t. It’s incomprehensible. No wonder the two players couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces walking out of Hampden.
“The SFA said they were both not guilty of serious misconduct. Well how bad does it need to get before they do something that will actually impact on players?”
During Rangers 1-0 defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Cup Bougherra was twice seen to man handle referee Calum Murray.
Clarke believes that Bougherra’s actions were the worst of the charges to come from the match with the SFA’s unwillingness to punish the defender setting a dangerous precedent.
“I can’t believe a player from one of the clubs in the lower division would have been dealt with in this manner,” Clark claimed.
“The Bougherra situation concerns me more than Diouf’s because laying hands on a referee like he did to Calum Murray is totally unacceptable, not part of our game.
“According to the SFA, putting your hands on the ref isn’t a banning offence any more! That’s the precedent being set. So how can any manager at any level be expected to warn to his players not to touch the ref now?
“As for Diouf, when you’re shown a red card you’re supposed to leave the field. Not go on a detour to your own fans and throw your shirt in amongst them.
“He failed to leave the pitch having been ordered to do so by the ref. In doing that he provoked what was already a very heated situation.
“He’s hardly shown any signs of remorse since. Instead he’s just had another go at Calum Murray.”
Clark added: “I also find it odd that Ally McCoist won his appeal against being banned for his full-time spat with Neil Lennon.
“There was no confrontation until McCoist said what he did to Neil Lennon. It would be foolhardy in the extreme to think McCoist didn’t say anything inflammatory.
“Even when Lennon reacted, McCoist didn’t try to calm him down. So I find it strange the SFA didn’t feel there was any justification for action, particularly when he’d been involved in an earlier situation in the match where Walter Smith had to pull him back.
“It doesn’t look smart that they gave Lennon a four-game ban and the other guy walks away with his name cleared.”
Hinting at the possibility of further strike action by refs Clark added: “I wonder if the disciplinary committee – and I realise Regan doesn’t sit on it – have forgotten there’s already been a situation where refs withdrew their services earlier this season because of the level of abuse being directed at them.
“What is the committee trying to do? Provoke that situation again?
“It will certainly reinforce a view that a number of refs have had in the past that they weren’t getting enough backing or protection. This doesn’t smack of a new regime that is going to come down firmly on people who make life difficult for officials.
“The SFA have certainly provided Celtic with more ammunition to raise question marks about the approach and even-handedness of the disciplinary committee.
“What needs to be done now?
“Well I’ve said numerous times that the SFA have to take strong action when players or managers misbehave but yet again they’ve failed to do so.
“I really do think they’re leaving themselves open to criticism and further police intervention in the future.”
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