Kris Ajer has warned Derek McInnes and Dave Cormack that foreign players will avoid coming to Scotland is challenges like Sam Cosgrove on the Celtic defender are encouraged.
The young Norwegian took evasive action to avoid serious injury but has found himself on the subject of criticism since last Saturday’s red card.
McInnes described Cosgrove’s effort as a brilliant tackle while new Aberdeen chairman Cormack accused Ajer of feigning injury. Neither man has been charged by the SFA for their comments about an opposing player with Celtic silent despite Neil Lennon’s defence of his player.
Ajer now finds himself the subject of scrutiny but spoke out about the brutality of Scottish football that saw Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie hospitalised with facial injuries from previous incidents.
Covering the Cosgrove incident the Daily Record reports:
But Ajer says if people in this country are going to defend Cosgrove’s tackle – it will put off foreign stars from moving to Scotland.
He said: “I was on the ground and he got sent off but there were no winks. If you look at the tackle I am not fooling the referee. He hits me with hard speed.
“It feels in Scotland the thinking is that someone has to get seriously injured to get sent off. You almost have to keep your leg planted for it to be a red.
“I can’t understand why this tackle is even discussed. Where I’m from, if you come in with such speed you should be sent off. If Scotland wants that to be the product here, no foreign players will come.”
Aberdeen were unsuccessful with their appeal against the red card with Cosgrove suspended for Thursday’s win over Livingston.