As he recovers from surgery this morning Ryan Christie will be very confused.
Last week his close friend Kris Ajer warned that foreign players will avoid moving to Scotland if ‘challenges’ like that delivered by Sam Cosgrove are justified and encouraged. Plenty of media pundits, the Aberdeen manager and chairman believe that it was a great challenge from the former Carlisle United forward.
No one knows more about the brutality of Scottish football than Christie.
Last December at Ibrox he had his genitals grabbed in full view of John Beaton. The referee and the SFA Compliance Officer opted against taking any action.
In the semi-final of the Scottish Cup four months later Dominic Ball crashed into Christie’s face causing multiple fractures. His season was over, he still carries plates in his face eight months on.
Through it all Christie has turned out for the Scotland national team, putting his career on the line for the SFA and scoring in the November tie away to Cyprus. Some decent prize money, hospitality and bonuses will be heading to Hampden if Scotland reach Euro 2020 with Steve Clarke’s side playing two matches staged in Glasgow’s second biggest stadium.
During Sunday’s Glasgow derby there was another attack on Christie’s genitals. After the opening goal the scorer ran towards the home fans with one hand pointed to his head like a pistol while his other hand fired imaginary gun shots into the crowd. After a red card another opposition player drew his finger across his throat in a gesture that is known worldwide.
Yesterday the SFA offered Christie a two match suspension. It seems that no other issues from the match merit further action according to the Compliance Officer of the SFA.
So the SFA want Christie missing out on two matches for his club, survive the attacks of the Dominic Ball’s and Alfredo Morelos’ then put his body on the line for Scotland at the end of March against Israel and possibly Norway or Serbia?
It is too big a decision for the player to make but if the Celtic board are taking the onslaught on the club seriously they need to sit down with Christie, Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Greg Taylor and tell them that they won’t be involved in the March international/s. Celtic have important games either side of the Euro 2020 play off/s.
Egged on by a ferocious media Celtic are seriously under attack. An un-named spokesman speaking to the Glasgow Times is hardly going to stem the tide.
Should Celtic pull their players out of the SFA international side?
Yes, enough is enough. We must finally stand up
No, Lawwell knows best how to handle these situations
For over two years the SFA have refused to deal with the issues surrounding the 2011 UEFA licence, the Celtic board have shown no urgency to have the matter dealt with. It would appear that events in July 2012 has crippled compliance in the Scottish game.
The eyes of the Celtic support are trained on the board-room, suspicions have been raised over their lack of commitment to defend the club over a number of issues.
Appealing against the Christie suspension and another aggressive but pointless statement won’t wash. D-Day is approaching. Withdrawing players from the Scotland squad would take matters to the heart of UEFA- is that an avenue the Celtic board want to go down or do they prefer a quiet life moving on for the good of Scottish football as they prepare hospitality packages for their cherished post-split Old Firm carnival?
