Rodgers hits out at Celtic’s growing injury list
Britain Football Soccer - Aberdeen v Celtic - Scottish League Cup Final - Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland - 27/11/16 Celtic's Emilio Izaguirre celebrates after winning the final Reuters / Russell Cheyne Livepic EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.
Brendan Rodgers has hit out at the challenge that saw Emilio Izaguirre stretchered off against Hibs.
Celtic fans are growing increasingly angry at the brutal treatment dished out to their players with Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard crocked in the same incident against St Johnstone on Sunday.
Rodgers had a dozen first team players missing from last night’s 2-0 win over Hibs and had a perfect view of substitute Darnell Johnson’s late lunge at Izaguirre’s ankle.
“It was a clumsy challenge at best,” the Celtic boss told STV. “He is over on the ball, the boy, and I think it scared Emilio a little bit in terms of he has had issues with his ankles before when he has broken them.
“But the medical team is telling me he thinks he has got away with it, it is a little bit sore and hopefully he will be okay in a few days.”
Referee Craig Thomson ambled towards the incident in the 83rd minute and seemed apologetic as he issued a yellow card.
It seems that Scottish referees are reluctant to apply the laws of the game in matches involving Celtic which effectively gives players licence to do as they please.
A first foul will very rarely be punished by a booking, with the tone set players can charge in late and clumsy knowing that they can inflict damage with little prospect of any punishment beyond the award of a free kick.