Neil Lennon, Joe Ledley and Alan Thompson have hit out at Euan ‘spot-kick’ Norris’s decision to award Hearts a last minute penalty against Celtic at Hampden.
A close range shot from Marius Zaliukas struck Ledley’s arm with Norris instantly pointing to the spot with Craig Beattie converting to book Hearts place in the final.
Lennon confronted Norris on the pitch at the final whistle and wasn’t prepared to back down after the match.
He tweeted: “Referee told players he thought Wanyama handled…feel so sorry for players and fans..I think it’s personal myself.”
Midfielder Ledley tweeted: “Can’t believe the decisions made on the pitch today. Was never a pen.”
Adding confusion to the issue Ledley added: “This Sums it up, he thought it hit Victors arm.”
Ledley was also the victim of a vicious studs on shin attack from Ian Black that only merited a yellow card from Norris. Later on in the first half Black deliberately handled the ball but despite awarding Celtic a free-kick the referee didn’t issue another yellow card.
Assistant manager Alan Thompson said: “We are very, very disappointed to say the least, more for the players and the fans.
“It’s inconsistency from the referee. If one’s a penalty the other one’s a penalty.
“Initially we thought the Hearts one wasn’t a penalty. The ball came up to Joe Ledley’s hand and it was so close to his hand he couldn’t get out of the way.
“If that was a penalty we thought the Webster one should have been a penalty.
“There’s an inconsistency with how the referee sees it. Yet again we think we’ve been done in a cup final from a big decision. In the League Cup final we were denied a stonewall penalty.
“On the whole we’re disappointed and thought we deserved more.
“We obviously wanted to go on and finish the season on a high but that won’t take away what we’ve done in the league.”
Norris did get the Andy Webster decision right as the ball appeared to strike the players hip.
Although Celtic were far from their best, missing a number of clear chances, the game should have gone to extra-time but for the bizarre interpretation of the rules of referee Norris.
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Ian Black’s “tackle” seconds prior to this pic on Charlie Mulgrew was surely at least a yellow….the Ledley assault is simply a straight red.
Surely this ‘ref’ has to be sanctioned for this. He thought Wanyama handled it!
This means he did not have a clue what was happening and was desperate to award a penalty for anything!
Admitting as much is his biggest error. This is ‘Dougie Dougie’-esque.
How can anyone mistake Wanyama for Ledley? And the ball was blasted at Ledley from 2 yards. Unbelievable. Or maybe not.
Surely you, Lennon, Thompson have to be sectioned after this lol.
The ball hit Webster on the hip so no penalty. Case Closed.
Hooper was offside so no goal. Case closed.
Celtc, always cheated, never defeated.
Now the fans are issuing death threats on twitter towards the ref. TGFITW indeed.
Why are you so concerned with Scottish football? Soon you won’t even have a club to support in Scotland.
Case closed.
Sorry Neil you cant get out of it after the way you let out the same personnel from last week, but with different instructions.
If Wanyama, Izzy and Stokes are fit,w hich they were, should always get a start before Wilson, Loovens and Samaras.
If Ledley cant shut his mouth in the days leading to game with tales of what we are going to do or not what we are going to do, then you will need to discipline him.
We cannot continue leaving games to the death in pursuit of a result. We are in need of a Moravcic, surely you must see that.
trueblue
Tainted? What about all the titles won when you were cheating? Our disappointment today is temporary wee man, your liquidation will be permanent. G.I.R.U.Y
TRUEBLUE’s comments have been removed.
Don’t let the tainted thing bother you mhate. I coined and used the phrase for about 2 years 2 or 3 years ago on my youtube account.
As the Celtic support always say, they wouldn’t know what a unique idea is.
Next season when they’re supporting Hearts and Aidrie they will be singing “just can’t get enough”.
The refs can’t always be a catch-all excuse for the way this team doesn’t capitalize on opportunities. Content to bomb crosses in to the box in the first half and make passes that went no where. When you own that much of the posession you should be able to get in to the box for high percentage opportunities.
Beattie coming on was a major adjustment. Lennon maybe could have made a move at half himself to try and up the tempo. He didn’t and Hearts became the aggressor
Tactically inept again today … But lets take comfort in the MIB’S incompetence. Paper over the glaring cracks of boardroom frugality, rookie management and hun implosion.
Onwards and upwards?
5 trips to Hampden in the last 2 years.
1 win, 4 defeats.
Says it all really.
Not good enough Celtic. Up your game.
Al
The guy thought Wanyama handled the ball and gave a penalty. He even admits it. He clearly was not doing his job as he was looking to award a penalty for Hearts. Hence the haste to point to the spot.
If any referee cannot distinguish between a 6ft 2in Kenyan and a Welshman 3 inches shorter, from about 5 yards, either he is blind or cheating.
There is no other explanation. Either way, and I apologise to Mr Norris if he has problems with his eye-sight, his days in refereeing should be numbered.
One thing that sticks out today is that certain players have a mental blockage when it comes to big games and winning things a few of them fall short and cannot be allowed to remane at our club.
Despite the fact we hero worship them once again certain players let us down , Celtic Football Club need success if the players cannot deliver it then they need to leave and winners brought in
How has Black stayed on the pitch after that challenge? Wanyama was sent off against Rangers for far, far less. Disgraceful.