Richard Foster believes that that the Laws of the Game should be relaxed in the closing minutes of matches- but won’t say what minute this should kick in.
The former St Johnstone and Ross County star was o the Sportscene sofa with Jackie McNamara last night, casting his expert eye over the Celtic v Hearts match.
During the second half Toby Sibbick was booked for a late stamp on David Turnbull after the ball had been cleared while Alex Cochrane was also in the book for a bizarre attempt to rugby tackle Josip Juranovic that required about three attempts to ground the Celtic defender.
Going into the 89th minute Hearts were well capable of taking a point when Cochrane decided to kick out at Callum McGregor as the Celtic skipper attacked down the right wing. Kevin Clancy produced a second yellow card and off he went.
Failing to take note of that Sibbick then pushed over Liel Abada as he broke into the Hearts half, again Clancy produced a second yellow card.
Picking up on Foster’s thoughts on Sportscene, Football Scotland reported:
I think both initial yellow cards are fine, second yellows are soft. The second Sibbick one. Yes he pushes the player but Hearts have got a covering defender and I just don’t think the referee has to book him.
It’s a minute to go in the game. It’s silly from Sibbick to put his hands on him and technically it probably should be a booking but that late in the game when there’s a covering defender, just warn him and you don’t have to send him off.
Had Sibbick and/or Cochrane stayed on the park they could have scored an equalising goal, denying Celtic two points and helping Hearts to a point in their bid for European football. Celtic exploited the situation to score a second goal, with many pundits predicting a close title race, perhaps going to ‘the wire’ the Premiership title could be decided on goal difference.
Foster is a regular on BBC television and radio, last season he played for Partick Thistle and is soon to take a coaching job in the USA.
? Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic moved top of the table after beating a much-changed Hearts side who failed to register a shot on target before being reduced to nine men. pic.twitter.com/ps341AXSC0
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 21, 2022
Robbie Nielsen was correct 2 hearts players should NOT have been sent of it should have been 4 . I wonder if Mr Nielsen told his players to hold push barge block waste time at every opportunity. And as in “the rangers” game as Andy walker said give the referees a decision to make… well they made them… penalty, red . red . yellow/red , yellow/red ….. deal with it
Why do they have that idiot Foster on as he is so pro-Rangers it’s not true.
Editor: You’ve answered that.
Glad you made the point in this report. It was exactly what I said when I read his comments last night. If it had been the other way around, would he be asking the ref to ignore the rules ? No. Mr Inverness Caley Rangers is a bigot who can only see one colour !
He worse kind of bigot as he embrace it!! Most that poison born into it! Plus the huns hate him! Utter clown thank God I dont pay that liscence for halfwits like him
Same as the dafties that think you can ‘lay down a marker’ in the first five minutes without a booking. A cardable offense is cardable offence from the first minture til the ref blows his whistle to end the game.
This is just idiots looking to justify their team’s cheating, usually against Celtic, so that they, like a six year old, can do what they want and have no accountability. They need to grow up.
No shots on target, and that dumbass hun trying to give hearts a chance of a goal from nowhere. SUK IT UP
Don’t let the door hit you on the arse on the way out hope your missus is going too, her voice hurts my ears
That’s why the publicly funded broadcaster employs this imbecile ! The guy is as thick as ten toilet doors ! God only knows which genius the Beeb employ next to replace Foster ? The USA is his next destination , employment wise ! I’ll give it 6months max for this intellectual , theoretical bunker nut !